on al-jazeera. holding the powerful to account as we examine the u.s. its role in the war on al jazeera. it is final hours as u.s. president donald trump issues $73.00 pardons among them former aide steve bannon. i'm sam is a this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up. to shine a light. dark there's a long. remember all we lost. joe biden on as more than 400000 americans have died in the current virus pandemic. the

stage is set for the transition of power and unprecedented security lockdown for the inauguration of the next u.s. president. and an appeal for calm in tunisia as protests employment and poverty intensifies. we begin in the united states where joe biden is hours away from becoming the 46th u.s. president to lead a country devastated by the unprecedented health and economic crisis. but in the final hours of his presidency outgoing president donald trump has issued more than $140.00 pardons and commutations they include former a steve baton along with rappers little white kodak black and a former mayor of detroit he delivered his farewell speech to the nation outlining

his legacy we re stored american strength at home and america's leadership abroad the world respects says again we built the greatest political movement in the history of our country we also built the greatest economy in the history of the world we revitalize our alliances and rallied the nations of the world to stand up to china like never before as a result of our bold diplomacy and principle real ism we achieved a series of historic peace deals in the middle east nobody believed it could happen it is the dawn of a new middle east and we are bringing our soldiers home i am especially proud to be the 1st president in decades who has started no new wars well on the night before they take office biden and vice president-elect kemah how is paid tribute to more

than 400000 americans who died of covert 19 biden says containing the pandemic is number one priority to heal we must remember it's hard sometimes to remember but that's how we hear. it's important to do that as a nation that's why we're here today between sundown and dusk. to shine the lights the darkness along the center pull of the reflection remember all we lost. and there will be an inauguration ceremony like none in recent memory downtown washington d.c. virtually fortress right now more than 20000 national guard troops have been deployed there following this month's attack on the capitol and threats of more violence let's go live now in touch of a name she joins us from washington d.c.

so we've got quite a long list of pardons how controversial is this going to be when people start waking up and going through it. well i think what you're going to find is that there was already criticism of the last round of pardons that trump issued that to many of those pardons included close allies and friends and with this final flurry of pardons there are additional allies and friends on that list most notably the former white house advisor and strategist steve bannon bandit had fallen out of favor and left the white house some time ago and we're told that from what i'm reading rather that this was a very vexing decision for president trump he vacillated but in the end it may have been a final phone call from ban and he decided to give bannon the pardon ban it had not

been convicted he had only been charged last year with defrauding supporters of a private fund that would have offered donations to help build the us mexico border wall that of course was a very big signature policy issue for president trump another ally on that list of pardons was eliot brody he is a very prolific was a very prolific fundraiser for trump he was finance chairman of the republican national committee and again he had not been he pled guilty to a foreign law in a foreign lobbying case he was thought to be sentenced next month so again we're probably going to hear more criticism heaped on president trump a but notably absent from this list is president trump and his family there was a lot of speculation over these last months that president trump might attempt to

avoid legal woes in the future preemptively pardon himself and his family members and even his attorney and former new york city mayor rudy giuliani that did not happen and reportedly. president trump did seek legal advice regarding this matter and was told that he could open up a whole can of worms because in order to pardon himself he would have to admit to a specific set of crimes and the time whale standing now in washington d.c. has 4 times the number of troops u.s. troops as there are in afghanistan and iraq tell us what it feels like and what this inauguration ceremony is going to feel like it's pretty staggering isn't it about 25000 national guard troops and keep in mind they are here also to support metro police the f.b.i. the secret service i mean this is a militarized zone there's no question about it the entire city full of checkpoints

fences barricades and obviously areas like the national mall closed off of washington monument closed off in an effort to ensure that president elect joe biden and vice president elect come alive harris are peacefully sworn in in a matter of hours and things as a result have been quite calm the biggest news that emerged so far this week was that 12 national guard troops were removed from their mission here in washington d.c. and sent home 2 of them for sending just generally threatening text to lawmakers there were no i'm sorry. tax not to them but sending social media posts and texts that were generalized threats to lawmakers there was no specific threat to biden or harris and this comes as the pentagon is investigating very carefully whether or not there are white supremacists or far right wing extremists within its

ranks and if there are the they will attempt to root them out all right natasha is a name that from washington d.c. thanks for that. 5 will be entering the oval office at a time when the current a virus death rate is at its highest point since the pandemic began when millions of americans are struggling to put food on the table an official now from the white house our rescue and recovery plan is a path forward with both seriousness of purpose and a clear plan. january 20th is an important date in 2020 it was the day that the 1st covert case was confirmed in the u.s. the trumpet ministration has been criticized for sure sponsor over the past 12 months no on the 20th of january 2021 the problem becomes joe biden's this horse is so 'd far out of the board there really directing it is going to be

hercules and asked and we need to get the new administration and the new president i think a significant amount of leeway in trying to redirect the ship redirect this horse biden has already indicated he wants a $1.00 trillion dollar relief bill more money for ordinary americans to get through the economic crisis more money for vaccinations he wants 100000000 vaccines administered in his 1st 100 days and much greater federal involvement in putting it all together this is one of the most challenging operational efforts we have ever undertaken as a nation will have to move heaven and earth to get more people vaccinated to create more places for them to get vaccinated. it's a plan that doesn't come with a potential political fallout. i think you're going to see more and more people dug in suggesting that somehow because you have an illegitimate president now

attempting to infringe upon our freedoms people are going to become increasingly dug in to thwart what the policy changes this new this incoming president is going to try to implement joe biden has said covert is number one priority insists the reaction will be driven by science not politics something welcomed by those on the medical front lines joe biden is going to look like a rock star by simply embracing what the best science says there are polls and experts that say if donald trump or taking coronavirus seriously from day one through an resources at it rather than played it down he'd be about to start his 2nd term in office how the incoming administration martials the recovery will go a long way to deciding how history remembers president joe biden alan fischer al jazeera at the white house. the commission president has held biden's incoming

presidency as a new door on sort of on the land said europe was ready for a new start with america she praised biden's plans to rejoin the paris climate agreement as a good starting point to strengthen ties under trump relations with europe a strained over trade with the u.s. imposing wide ranging tariffs. just biden social will be a message a feeling for a deeply divided nation and it will be a message of hope for a world that is waiting for the u.s. to be back in the circle of like minded states this time honored ceremony on the steps of the u.s. capitol will be a demonstration of the resilience of american democracy and the resulting proof that once again after 4 long years europe has a friend in the white house. there's been

a 5th night of protests in tunisia over unemployment and poverty the prime minister says he's aware of their frustrations and exempts covert 19 is only made things worse shall about us reports the the thousands of tuna scenes protest each feeling disappears and frustrated this week the feelings have boiled on to the streets the coronavirus pandemic has crippled the fragile economy leaving a 3rd young to museums unemployment they blame the government for the problems and . there is a feeling of deep disappointment with the pandemic may god protect us from it poverty unemployment and the situation we are living in as young people. know the protests have morphed to include police brutality and unlawful detention still do with this man says more than $600.00 protesters have been arrested most in their

homes and asks why protesters are demanding the release they say this is a government crackdown. it's on and get to the politicians i say one thing if you have something to say don't say it with the police go out to the people and face the the prime minister responded in a televised address another one and i would like other. i'm well aware that there is anger and frustration in many areas i know that the economic and social situation is a crisis deepened by covert and the measures we have taken to preserve the health which it is he and your voice is heard and your anger is legitimate and it is my role and the governments to work to realize your demands and to make the dream of tunisia become true. the frustrations have recalled across multiple cities this week from the capital tunis south to specs. and in the west here

in kasserine the rights group amnesty international has wound against excessive use of force. use it knives protests evolved into running street battles between demonstrations and permits the government has deployed the army in several cities and rode out a curfew to quell the clashes. the demonstrations come just days after the 10 year anniversary of the ouster of former president zine el abidine ben ali a result of protests that birthed the arab spring but many too newsy unskilled disenchanted saying the hope of that time has gone on realized ashes mean nothing not at this point you see well in 10 years there's no strategy or prospects for the future or even hope for change on the contrary every year the amount of hope decreases to date in 2021 practically all young people are just desperate.

and so they turn to the streets harasses just like they did a decade ago bellus al-jazeera. still ahead on al-jazeera the outgoing us president comes under fire from the most senior republican voice in the senate over his role in the capital attack. the mob. there were provoked by the president and other powerful people. in green. how amazing tribute to the more than 400000 who died over 19 in the u.s. . however we've got some very heavy rain continuing across much of southeast asia has

seen some live these storms are rumbling away across the philippines 183 millimeters of rain here in just 24 hours and we're going to see more heavy downpours across the philippines as we go through the next couple of days the storms really active across the region all the way down into malaysia and to indonesia we have had flooding problems into indonesia recently maybe further heat of the day storms spanging away here as you go on through friday joining up with the heavy showers the stretch through the timor sea into the northwest of australia we got a developing tropical cyclone coming in here see this little plot just storms just rolling towards the pilbara towards kimberley we're going to see some very heavy rain has to go through the next couple of days so just slides its way across northern parts of wu wei the wet weather the showers continue across the top and still more wet weather there just around the cape york peninsula still want to show is there into that eastern side queensland for a time but also notice some showers into that

a side of new south wales it's fun to try for melbourne temperatures here at $31.00 celsius a tad colder as we go on into friday but too bad meanwhile we got some wet weather moving through new zealand but it will brighten up for the weekend. kenyan journalists in pursuit of press freedom and justice have. someone hope you can call for an investigating government corruption and the national health care system with a transaction to. africa uncensored and publish those things up people who want to publish even if it doesn't matter who you ask truth is it anyway on al-jazeera.

or come back time to recap the headlines now in the final hours of his presidency outgoing u.s. president should more than $140.00 pardons and commutations they include former aide steve fallon along with rappers little wayne kodak black and the former mayor of detroit. u.s. president elect joe biden and vice president elect paid tribute to more than 400000 americans who died from cope with 90 says containing the pandemic is number one priority. now the most senior republican party member in congress has criticized president for the attack on the capitol which prompted those security measures in washington d.c. senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says misled and provoked some attacks

capsule held 2 weeks ago i did jocasta reports from washington d.c. . within a fortified u.s. capitol. the senate reconvene for the 1st time since a violent mob stormed the building on january 6th leading to 5 deaths and republican leader mitch mcconnell once a close trump ally pointedly denounced the president on his last full day in office the mob. there were provoked by the president and other powerful people we are and as plans for trump's upcoming impeachment trial take shape already senate committees are on to the next order of business the confirmation of joe biden's cabinet secretaries retired 4 star general lloyd austin is biden's nominee for secretary of defense who opened his remarks by valuing to address right wing extremism in the military the job of the department of defense is to keep

america safe from our enemies but we can't do that if some of those enemies lie within our own ranks. if confirmed hill be the 1st african-american to lead the u.s. defense department widely respected for his 4 decades of military service austin oversaw the u.s. withdrawal from iraq the general's confirmation is expected but because he recently served in uniform he'll need a congressional waiver allowing him to assume the civilian post of defense secretary in another hearing room secretary of state nominee antony blinken the career diplomat was deputy secretary of state under former president barack obama after his expected confirmation lincoln will be tested to rebuild the u.s. is diminished global leadership when we're not engaged when we're not leading then one of 2 things is likely to happen either some other country tries to take our place but not in a way that's likely to advance our interests and values or maybe just as bad no one

does and then you have chaos besides immediately having the us reengineer the paris climate accord and the world health organization blinken will have to take on strained relations with iran russia and china as we look at china there is no doubt that it poses the most a given challenge of any nation state to the united states biden will take office wednesday with few if any senate confirmed cabinet secretaries a democratic push to waive some senate rules to expedite the process has already met republican resistance then there's trump's impeachment trial still to be scheduled and urgently demanded the senate now looking to balance those priorities in coming days. castro al-jazeera washington. outgoing u.s. secretary of state's mike pompei o is accused china of committing genocide and crimes against humanity against the

muslims it's believed around a 1000000 have been imprisoned in cabs in recent years mostly in the jang rain. jhon activists have documented atrocities including rape torture and the sterilization of women china says the camps are centers for education and training pompei you issued this statement after what he said was a cur for examination of the facts and he also said i believe this genocide is ongoing and that we are witnessing the systematic attempt to destroy by the chinese party state. biden secretary of state nominee anthony blinken echoed his statement this senate confirmation hearing secretary pump designated the chinese communist party as having engaged in generous gurning do we muslim population do you agree with the judges well you do agree yes iran's president hassan

rouhani has called on the biden administration to return to the nuclear deal which trump withdrew from in 2018 it's also called the outgoing administration's iran policy a complete failure to embryos that is immediate the ball is now in america's court if they return and apply their commitments we will also our commitment trumps political career is dead and the nuclear deal lives on it's entire efforts were put towards getting rid of the accord and he was unsuccessful. corona virus strain 1st detected in the u.k. has now been detected in at least 60 countries that 10 more countries than a week ago called into the world health organization it believes the new variant is up to 70 percent more infectious than the original strain the w.h.o. also announced the south african strain has been reported in $23.00 countries. russia's health watchdog has announced a 2nd coronavirus vaccine developed there is 100 percent effective russia began

mass trials of corona in november it's made by siberia's vector or institute the announcement comes as the european medicines agency begins reviewing the sputnik vehicle or own a virus vaccine also produced in russia. steverson has more from amsterdam. the russian producers called couldn't agree the world's 1st certified vaccine against cope with 19 but it may take a while before e.u. citizens will use it but countries like russia argentina and serbia have already massively been facts in aiding people using this vaccine do you mean medicine agency here in amsterdam has held a meeting with the russian producer gum a layer to see if it matches european standards worldwide scientists have criticized the early registration of the vaccine in russia early in september after it was only tested on a very small group of people well at that time i founded very early and certainly

not according to standards as they are in place here in europe so because the number of participants at the moment was very small very little information about safety about possible side effects maybe in only use some of the participants but if the number of participants is very small you might not be able to pick them up to detect them so at that moment i. was the strongest proof that it was already given to people she says the hasty procedure in moscow has led to a lot of suspicion in and outside of russia but if the european medicine agency approves good big 3 it is safe to use she says the e m a will now have to go through hundreds of documents before it can advise the producer to seek market 3 sation a process that can take weeks or even months to finish sputnik he is using a similar technology as us president

a car which is produced by oxford university dyspraxia will likely be approved at the end of next week and that shortly after millions of doses will be available soon within the european union how much appetite there will still be for sputnik 3 will depend on the scarcity of sex scenes at that moment. schools and businesses will stay shut in germany until at least mid february after the child surveillance state premiers agreed to extend covert 19 restrictions they also support a mandate to wear medical masks on public transport and in shops and locals says other european countries must impose similar restrictions or germany will consider restricting border entries italy's prime minister just epicanthic has survived a confidence vote in the country's senate allowing him to remain in office it was triggered after former prime minister material n.z. pulled his party from conti's coalition last week over his handling of the

coronavirus pandemic guatemala says it's transporting thousands of migrants banks to the border with honduras after they were blocked on their way to the u.s. about 2000 people were cleared from a village in eastern water manner on monday as they tried to advance towards the mexico border police used tear gas and battens to stop the crowds moving forward some fled into the mountains to avoid ordering buses back home. a sprawling state on russia's black sea coast is the subject of a new report by supporters of detained opposition figure alex in the valley the property allegedly belongs to russian president vladimir putin around these teams says there probably is a bribe given to putin for favors he did for powerful people alexander god has more. it involves the amongst other things allegation that owns a villa on the black sea and that this villa though it's not on his name has been

financed by his friends that are heading the state owned oil companies spanning back to the ninety's when put in the return from theirs that as then he was then to be officer and started working in some petersburg department for international trade it alleges that he for bribes in care enabled his close friends a licenses that in essence made them reach by embezzling the natural resources of russia it goes further to say that to return disfavor and other favors that followed this france some of the most prominent in the richest businessmen's of russia then basically financed this in the black sea on which they spend off the state money at least $11300000000.00 now this they are saying that there must belong to although it is not on his name

a because it is a no fly zone it for instance has its own ports even its own boss port control you cannot approach it by the sea there is a tunnel built in this report also bring some new details like the layout of the claim they were provided with furniture there actually by b. so would the easy amount of that never exaction who to buy for himself an apartment in vice president-elect camel harris's ancestral village in india excitement is mounting over her impending inauguration. to take place or the local hindu temple harris will make history as the 1st u.s. vice president of asian descent a mother was born in india and moved to america the age of 19 as a student. well as we said in the u.s. the deaths of more than $400000.00 who are more on the ceremonies across the nation an american nurse whose rendition of amazing grace was widely shared online last

year sang to him at the memorial. zoom in green a need. i've . had let's take you through some of the headlines now in the final hours of his presidency outgoing u.s. president dog.