in my career. like my job. and why. a large explosion hits the u.s. city of that stroll on christmas morning the place of calling it an intentional act . i'm sam is a this is. also coming up a holiday season in the time of hundreds of thousands of americans take flight some christmas eve despite warnings christmas link surge. short lived violence flares again in central african republic as rebels attacked goldmine.

subdued christmas celebrations across the world as nations battle the biggest health crisis in recent times. let's begin in the u.s. city of nashville in the u.s. state of tennessee where a massive explosion has rocked the downtown core early on christmas morning police there are calling it an intentional act they say the blast was linked to a vehicle free people have been injured but no fatalities have been reported several rows of buildings have been damaged. the hazardous devices unit was responding to the downtown area the r.v. exploded at 630 this morning we do believe this to have been an intentional act significant damage has been done to the infrastructure there on 2nd avenue north.

of town c. is in washington d.c. this is a nasty christmas morning surprise what are officials telling us so far. we're expecting another press conference in the next few minutes in fact when the story's got considerably more complicated than we 1st began reporting it a few hours ago when no. vats the police officers had initially been called to the area by an emergency call a 911 call which had reported shots in the area what when officers got to the area there however they saw no evidence of any shots being fired but they did see this suspicious vehicle at all of the recreational vehicle a motor home a camper of some of some size it's not quite clear what how big this was which didn't have any number plates it seemed suspicious to them they called it in and that's why the bomb squad was on their way to the scene and officers were actually around in the area apparently evacuating residents from nearby buildings because

are a bunch of loft kind of apartments in this kind of residential gentrifying area downtown so they were evacuating people when the explosion occurred actually want police officer fell to the ground as a result of the explosion and to have temporarily lost their hearing apparently but 3 casualties have been reported none serious injuries no serious injuries those 3 went to the hospital but things so clearly a much more affordable complex story than we had initially what's making it even more complex is some of those witnesses in the area telling local media that there were announcements before the before the explosion didn't explosion was imminent perhaps even a countdown so these stories are being being checked on now which we i mean that makes it even more mysterious and interesting but we are we can't confirm that these calls were given from in the vicinity that an explosion was imminent but that's what some local residents are telling local media so all of this is now being being checked the f.b.i. has taken control of the investigation we're expecting

a another press conference to occur imminently but clearly a major explosion at least 20 buildings damaged and according to social media people as far as 8 miles away could feel the explosion of what it was an earthquake . all right thanks so much for bringing us up to speed with what we do know this point will come back to you when things get a little less sketchy as continue with the story though and we've got joining us from boston now ken coll he's a former deputy national intelligence officer at the cia good to have you with us so let me start with this question given all the stuff that's buzzing around assad as you know was there any sort of intelligence warning that something like this was about to happen well certainly not that i know or person sitting in the public knows it does sound as though the authorities in this instance this is the local police had some. warning or cause for

concern prior to the to the explosion whether it was simply the calls that were just reported by a colleague or a call to the police which sometimes happens about i'm going to default when we don't know but i'll add one other point i mentioned in an earlier interview that terrorists frequently at least islamic terrorists and i'm not saying this is like in any way. targets iconic buildings and cultural sites and i've learned. recently this morning that the 18 team building outside of which the explosion occurred is the tallest building in tennessee and the street is part of a tourist mile where there are shops and tourists tend to walk in block circuit so just adding to the. likelihood that this is an intended target or act beyond that is there some contradiction there between if

it's an intended action and it going off at 6 30 in the morning on a on a christmas morning is not the time you would intentionally hurt a lot of people right. yes i think that's a good point the sanity that if you want to kill a lot of people and you'll do it during the shopping hours of 730 at night or 2 in the afternoon 630 on christmas morning is about the time you're of the fewest people out possible so that could imply that this is it's a statement rather act rather than seeking to cause mass casualties. what do you mean i'm trying to ostia questions the game to speculate because it can be very dangerous in the stages of an event like this but when you would king on this kind of incident what is it that intelligence agencies will be looking full

typically that's for the question that way well there will be. requirements sent these are demands or information to the entire intelligence community saying are there any reports you have to go back now please and check to see if anything was missed that would. have provided information or insight to this kind of attack where the people known to be going to tennessee or other people known in tennessee has there been a series of threats is the cesspits teacher clee that nashville might be or this time period might be. more in danger because of information shared that would be shared by oracle joint terrorism task forces which bring all of the agencies of the united states government and local and regional authorities together all the time work together side by side trying to piece any bits of what have been

undetected or disparate information so that process will go on and then there's the forensic analysis on site that will feed that and you know it will move it's a very impressive process but. and in the things we don't hear about are those there are stars that in this we do hear about are terms when there was no injury sure we're not particular but there's a very aggressive. process underway i know or a thanks so much for your analysis on that pre-show to give the. let's move now to look at the impact coronavirus is having on what is a holiday season for many people around the world vaccines are being rolled out in some countries but infection numbers are still rising and for some restrictions are in place as americans are warned to stay home for the holidays more than a 1000000 of them boarded flights on wednesday the busiest travel day since march

while access to the u.s. will soon be more difficult with travelers from the u.k. required to show a negative test after a more infectious strain was found there it's being blamed for a rapid rise in cases across the u.k. restrictions were east lightly for christmas day but many face tough new measures from saturday or throughout the rest of europe things are looking similarly grim 25000000 cases of the virus of now being recorded across the continent in latin america vaccines are starting to be rolled out as the 1st covert 900 jobs starting to arrive argentina chile costa rica and mexico are among those that have started vaccination programs and daniel schreiber has more from one side of us. several countries in latin america receiving their focused doses of the coverage 19 vaccine or different kinds of vaccine we had 5 delivering 3000 doses to mexico the 1st

nurse medical worker in costa rica being vaccinated and also 3000 doses to chile but it's here in argentina which i thought i think for the biggest arrival play nearly as our continuous plane arriving from moscow yesterday thursday with 300000 doses of the sputnik virus and immediately you saw these refrigerated trucks leaving the airport heading out to argentina's $23.00 provinces points there were these doses according to the size of the population of each of those provinces delivering their ratio of doses not is due to start the vaccination program on monday so obviously the big logistical situation to get them there in the adequate conditions to be used to be protected and then to inform people of this tens of thousands of people involved in the program here volunteers amongst the medical staff being placed in all these provinces really a big program arriving the day before christmas things very very quiet here today

obviously but in these provinces people preparing for monday morning and the vaccination program to start on the family sparrow is professor of population health science policy at mount sinai hospital in new york she says people are fed up with the restrictions. well it's the nick is this new guy's new variant which is highly contained is much more contagious so it doesn't it doesn't really fast there but it put it back more people so it is infecting and killing more people to receive these dramatic spike in races and so we only way to deal with that is. once people are tired they're exhausted me aspirational animals and real longing to be together. and if you're not living in north korea or china there's no way to impose those type of travel restrictions so ari so it's a this is where we're seeing these combination of these order perfect pirates that

is that spread so i mean most of this great it's only within a couple of days the owners have been behind closed doors and in humility were not kept you know fastener quickly using a case for using a test which takes days to come back and doesn't get people in time you know to them there's no parts like i had on al-jazeera. glad tidings of great joy because this is a deal. with prime minister abbas johnson shows off what he calls his present to the people of bragg's that agreement on trade with the european union are you wanting to see your family your and your child. stranded for the holidays foreign workers are stuck up rolled all around the air this year around the world rather this year we'll hear from those in hong kong.

hello we've had some rather waynflete weather recently into parts of iraq into iran the snow the it's making its way further eastward splashing over towards afghanistan rain sleet and snow coming in here coupled with a top temperature 5 celsius but much stronger behind me just because some showers to the western side of saudi arabia notice around the gulf we go that way and still blowing as we go through saturday winds go well in the sleet direction as we push on into sunday with temperatures struggling to get up into the low twenty's over the next couple of days so that was the weather we have into central parts of saudi arabia that is heaviest just around mecca to the north of mecca just around central parts of the red sea further south it is generally try that draw your weather stretches this way down across the horn of africa plenty of showers across the heart of africa pushing down into was in bob way into a good part of mozambique in just notice from madagascar we have

a tropical cycle and now that's going to make its way further west which as we go through saturday say some heavy rain coming through here northern half of madagascar light it see some big downpours we are expecting flooding as a result of that and much of madagascar seeing some of that rainfall as we go on through sunday heaviest of course across the eastern side of the island. frank assessments you've got colleagues on the ground in the canaries what is the situation there's only one doctor and one nurse for $2200.00 people informed opinions how big does foreign policy figure in the early stages of a bind in this situation he comes into office with a huge amount of foreign policy experience in-depth analysis of the day's global headlines how will a place like you live get a back seat when there's no money all the rest of rich countries are fighting for an inside story are now just 0.

come back you're watching out to sarah time to recap our headlines a massive explosion has rocked the u.s. city of nashville and what police are now calling an intentional act at least 3 people have been taken to hospital but no fatalities have been reported several rows of buildings been damaged nations across the world are marking christmas and a coronavirus lockdown u.s. health experts are warning people to stay at home as infections continue to search parts of the u.k. are reentering the highest level of restrictions in response to the rapid rise

cases. heavy fighting is taking place in the central african republic following the collapse of a cease fire between a coalition of rebels and government forces it's happening in the town of baquba northeast of the capital fighters from the coalition of patriots for change or exchanging fire with the army as well as u.n. peacekeepers. the fighting broke out before presidential candidates were scheduled to hold their final election rallies the vote is due to be held on sunday 6 opposition candidates are demanding it be postponed now the u.n. says it's gravely concerned and has approved the deployment of more peace. rally in the capital bangui where the president is due to arrive.

take you back to lead story of been following that explosion in nashville tennessee in the united states well gentlemen scott witnessed the explosion he joins us now on skype from nashville good to have you with us so tell us what you saw sure well we heard it before we saw anything like an ira sound asleep at about 630 this morning and we just heard this blast and we felt the windows in our building shake and we live in a high rise development on the 26th floor and we just saw this unbelievable blast and we've course both sat and thought 1st maybe it was

thunder and then and of course there was no rain no weather so we ran out to our living room and just saw sirens in the distance coming toward our building and we 1st thought oh my gosh that something happened in our building downstairs and so we saw that they kept going to the side of our building that we can't see so we went down so the tent where you are jan which overlooks all of that area and saw just smoke and flames and trees on fire and just police cars going by speeding by it's just it was like something out of a movie it was unbelievable where i actually looking now as you were talking i should tell you we're running pictures understand you actually film the pictures we're looking at right now so you live quite close to where the explosion took place right. i do so we live on 2nd avenue you know we live about

a block and a half away and the place that i was able to get video from over looks that streets my neighbors which lived on the 9th or they lived downstairs from us actually had their windows shattered. debris flying from the blast so it was quite powerful if you had your windows blown out or your neighbors had their windows blown out a block and a half away. tell me a little bit about the there are suggestions that there were warnings or some kind of coal warning that something was going to happen as a resident did you have any warning from anyone that there was a problem in the area before this happened. it took us completely by surprise i mean we were sound asleep and i was talking with my wife and it's very bizarre that time that this happened because that's

a very it's houris the area lots of tourism lots of restaurants and businesses on 2nd avenue and have this happened at 10 pm on a friday. it would have killed hundreds of people it's just a very odd time that this happened. and as you said it's a very powerful blast in just unbelievable as far as the warnings go i was totally caught by surprise i don't know that there were any warnings at all i mean just we're we're all still in shock thank god it didn't happen at a busier time how is this now impacting as life come back to normal for residents there in normal between quotation marks in the middle of christmas and coverts right. sure that that was our 1st thought is you know it's unbelievable that things that are in the step of stating continue to happen in

2020 and you always think something like this can't happen and where i live it's that thing that everyone always says after a disaster and so i never thought it would happen in my city and then it does and you think you know you feel a little bit let's say but i think it's a reminder that you know there in christmas we just harbor families a little bit tighter that we can see and try to do the best that we can and you know hope for the best i think that we will try to feel like this is christmas day i think so all right well certainly hope you'll be able to enjoy the rest of your day and have a peaceful evening there as well thanks so much for talking to us jeremy scott. thank you thank you. and bassett is from the e.u. 27 member states are meeting in brussels to discuss the new u.k. trade agreement chief negotiator michel barnier and the blocks leaders are asking member states to abide by the deals terms provisionally as britain leaves european

trade rules on december 31st the temporary measure aims to avoid border disruption until the e.u. parliament can formally ratify the deal for the parliament will vote on the agreement one day before the deadline. well the trade deal has ended years of uncertainty and will define the u.k.'s relationship with the e.u. 3 decades to come or a chance it finds this means that the u.k. has voted to leave the european union. finally breaks it is 4 and a half years after the referendum almost at the end of the 11 month transition period . the u.k. and the e.u. argued negotiated compromised and cajoled but they've done what many feared they couldn't and agreed to a future trading relationship. it's a moment of reflection for the european commission president. at the end of a successful negotiations journey i normally feel joy. but

today i only feel quite satisfaction and frankly speaking relief for the u.k.'s prime minister it's a political success that caps a year which gave him very few of them. there will be no palisade of terrorists on january the 1st and they'll be no non-tariff barriers to trade and instead there will be a giant free trade zone of which we will once be a member and at the same time be able to do our own free trade deals one area of disputes that seem compromises fishing rights outside the e.u. britain has control of its exclusive economic zone but it's had to budge on how much access is have there's also been movement on state aid to allay e.u. fears european companies could suffer from unfair competition and now both have an imperative to gether to make this deal look as good. as possible and that will many

my short term disruption the government's independent spending watchdog says not reaching a deal would have nots 2 percent off u.k. growth in 2021 alone partly because of temporary disruptions to cross border trade but even with this deal the u.k. business is still have plenty to worry about only a small number of transport companies have had access to britain's new border crossing software expected to be rolled out just a week before the transition period ends. there are concerns about britain's current jobs crisis deepening if firms relocate to the e.u. and there are still unanswered questions about how to avoid physical border checks between northern ireland part of the u.k. and ireland in the member for now both sides will be happy to have something to show for the torturous negotiations boris johnson insists the relationship is still closed this country will remain culturally emotionally historically

strategically geologically. attached to europe but in the year of covert the u.k. is finally done what the 2016 referendum result demanded if distance itself from europe rory turns out to 0. saudi arabian media says a commercial ship has suffered damage after hitting a marine mine in the red sea the saudi u.a.e. led coalition in yemen is accusing who 3 rebels of planting the naval mine no other casualties were reported in the incident which the who thesis not yet commented on earlier this month the coalition said it had destroyed 2 boats rigged with explosives in the red sea syrian state t.v. says the country's ad defenses of shot down several missiles launched by israeli warplanes in the north west the sun a news agency says the airstrikes were carried out in the musée off area there were also reports of blasts in the coastal city of thought to use.

france's not so damn cathedrals marks christmas save by hosting its 1st choral concert since it was nearly destroyed by fire. the paris landmark is gradually being rebuilt those fronts battles the coronavirus those involved in the service said it was an important moment full of emotion the choir hadn't been inside. and in hong kong thousands of foreign workers the spending their christmas away from their families because of tough restrictions sarah clarke explains. christmas decorations may be up but large celebrations in hong kong our whole public gatherings of more than 2 people have been banned and borders remind. people like nathan cowen will

spend the festive season on his art and his family in australia and i would fly him to join him because of strict travel restrictions so we're very tight family and spend a lot of time together it's been really hard on myself on the family and on the boys as well foreign domestic workers in hong kong have been hit hard by the pen to make their almost 400000 here mostly from the philippines and indonesia these women of the breadwinners for their families but they're unable to return home for a holiday this christmas very hard for a mother wanting to see your family your child and. you know you want to you want to give her the best christmas but you know you can't really push her to understand everything this is all i think. this domestic worker who doesn't want to be identified gave birth last month she didn't plan her

pregnancy and has struggled to pay the high living and medical costs she's been for . to rely on charities for help. where it's been fairly sad and financially difficult for me and it's hard being alone without any support our shelter has been full tilt bethink pretty much the whole year as has been the other shelters that we refer our mothers to in the community said shelters been a big issue the government has given a number of cash handouts to residents here in hong kong to help out during this pandemic but the foreign domestic workers have missed out that's just what i think a minimum wage of around $600.00 a month free covered 19 tests are available for market workers who've lost their jobs but the government rejected a plea for a pie rise this year we want to just pass among the dumbest it was. probably in there and many of the trying to starve themselves to squish their small money so

they're conscious that all this started off sort of an employer as well as helping the family the pandemic has exposed the harsh realities of being a migrant worker in asia to travel restrictions it could be months before they can go home and be reunited with their family it's syria clark al-jazeera hong kong. and let's take you through some of the headlines here now just here and now a massive explosion has rocked the u.s. city of nashville in what the police are now calling an intentional act at least 3 people have been taken to hospital but no fatalities have been reported several rows of buildings have been damaged have returned she is following developments from washington we are learning violent. police officers had initially been called to the area by the merge musical and moan 11 call which had reported shot.