or flood alerts as that system works, its way up, bringing plenty of rain the ah poles close and runs presidential election made accusations of a staged competition. ah, hello again. peter w, watching life also coming up the un adopts the resolution. calling for global arms boy, cost of me and mom also had no deal effect. see an exchange agreement between israel and palestine is off the table near expired jobs are to play. plus armenians

are a people in the morning after last year. devastating defeat to as a, by john hundreds of prisoners of war still to come home and this weekend says elections brought on by the crisis. i'm returning not more later in the program. the peoples have no clues in iran, the presidential election, the hotline head of the judiciary abraham racy is old, but certain to win and to this had called for a boycott. after a range of candidates were excluded leaving only 4 contenders in the race. many iranians are weary and frustrated with the state of the economy, and that seems to be effected fridays turn out, as i said, bake reports from tehran. it's a tale of 2 elections, a part of society that feels disappointed and let down appears to have stayed away from the poles. my name was i another them,

but i because i didn't vote because of it, it's useless. the previous government came and made a lot of promises and i know this government will do the same on right. i didn't vote because the candidate i wanted to vote for was after did a job, but he was disqualified. that's why i didn't. and then the, those considered more faithful, the backbone of support. the political establishment relies on my son at that i've been voting for 40 years. look at my id document, there's no more space for selection stamps today. i voted for mr. racy. i want him to help the, you know, one assisted us. i hope they help the youth and all the miserable people from the day we became eligible voters. that 18 we have attended the elections. this is proof. we have voted in all elections. no room left of stan. i voted for mr. racy more than i'm and they have been called for an election boycott. but the main

functions urged people to come out and the highest authority in the country, the supreme leader lead the cold by casting the 1st vote. it's not clear it's worked. some don't see a candidate. they can vote for others, don't believe in the system that seen many candidates disqualified, many feel the economy has been mismanaged. prison. hassan hon. he's administration blames us sanctions imposed after dunner trump pulled the u. s. out of the 2015 nuclear deal, unemployment and inflation, or at all time highs, the currency has severely devalued. here in the south of thereon, everyone we spoke to who voted said they chosen election frontrunner, you just re chief ibrahim, right. you see, he faced 2 of the conservatives and one moderate candidate, but several of those were excluded vain. he's also been the head of the judiciary since 2019 it's close to the supreme needa and has support from hard line. as many may criticize the outcome of this problem. the question now is, what was the vote to to not be what percentage of the vote would get. he may win

the election, but not necessarily widespread popular support. i said vague, i'll just 0 there on will thing with story, gary sam, or was a senior official in the us national security council during the obama administration. he's now the director of the crime center for middle east studies. he says he does, the election will have an impact on the talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. i think a dominant view in the by did ministration, is that it doesn't really matter who the president is. because all of the key decisions on foreign policy and national security policy, including the player missile program, really resides with supreme meter. so from the bite and ministration standpoint, they would expect their negotiations to revise the nuclear deal chasing p o a to continue after the election. and it's possible that that agreement might be reached

during the lame duck period present at ru honey. does not actually office until early august, but even if no agreement is reached. i think the by the ministrations expectation is supreme that or how many, what sanctions relief primarily to try to address the severe economic damage that iran has suffered. and certainly the incoming president racy, would benefit tremendously if he can take credit for sanctions being lifted up for some value in terms of addressing economic damage. so from the binding ministration standpoint, i don't think they expect the presidential elections to fundamentally change the direction of their lives for policy. the us military presence in the middle east is shrinking again. equipments as well as hundreds of troops and personnel are being pulled out. the pentagon confirmed reports, the anti missile batteries were being removed from iraq, q 8, jordan and saudi arabia. it comes 2 years after the military presence in the region

grew amid escalating tensions with iran. gabriel elizondo reports from washington. well, the pentagon is not telling us exactly how many troops and exactly, exactly precisely where they're being withdrawn from. an exactly when. nevertheless, we can certainly ascertain from the information that they did release that, that they are saying that it definitely is air defense assets, primarily that are being moved out of the middle east region. they said that they would be perhaps moved to some redeployed to other areas that they would not disclose or brought back to the u. s. for maintenance. what we think this is, is the bad air defense system. and also the patriot missile system that the u. s. has deployed in recent years to several countries in the middle east, in terms of how many troops were thinking that it's in the hundreds, not the thousands. and these would be troops that are,

that you know how to operate these air defense systems. so you ask yourself, is this a big troop drop down or not? and answer that question, got to know on how many troops in total there are in the middle east, a us troops, and it's about 45 to 55000. so if you're looking at several 100, perhaps, that gives you an idea of the total number of troops bottom line know is this comes at a very important time because biden president vine has said that he wanted to recalibrate the number of us troops and assets in the middle east region, and this is all part of that. recalibration is he focuses more on russia and china . but it also, and this is important, this comes ahead of expected talks with iran on re entering into the nuclear agreement, the j. c, p o, a, b u, in general assembly has called for an arms embargo against me. and now while condemning the military coup in february, the fried his resolution would need support from the security council,

and it's not legally binding. it is the 1st such global action against the gym to $119.00 countries voted in favor while many of me and mas neighbors, including china, abstained from the united nations. his christian salumi. it was the 1st time the general assembly made its position known on me and mar since the country's qu, 4 and a half months ago. secretary general antonio good terrorist pressed member states for a strong message. we cannot live in a world where military calls become a norm. it is totally unacceptable. the text was adopted with 10900 votes in favor, one against and 36 abstentions, including some countries from the region you a she answered her external blind pressure or imposition of sanctions on me. and maurice not only and effective but quite on the contrary. it might aggravate the issue. the resolution calls for the release of state counselor, uncensored she and other political prisoners, an end to violence against peaceful demonstrators and humanitarian access. notably,

it also calls for member states to stop weapons from getting into the country. but only the security council has the power to impose in arms embargo and so far, vito wheeling powers, china and russia have opposed targeted sanctions. the general assembly resolution was sponsored by some 60 countries, including canada, get the country on a path to democracy. that's a very, very clear message of the hunter, and it's a message that says, stop the atrocities. let's, let's deal with the need for democracy is as soon as we can and the delay is gone for several months. let's move forward. me and mars ambassador to the un, an outspoken critic of the military, says the resolution doesn't go far enough. we are so disappointed that it took almost 3 men to adopt this. what a donald is illusion, even though it does not include many important point to say lie,

thought the people emma, the general assembly, where every country has a vote and no country has veto power. has now weighed in, but will be in mars military. listen, they've resisted sim, more calls from neighboring countries in the regional ozzy on group before. but now with this world body behind them, the calls are getting louder. kristen salumi al jazeera, the united nation. okay, let's stay with that story and talk to anthony nelson. joining us on skype from washington. he's senior director of the east asia and pacific practice at the old bridge stonebridge group for a consultancy firm there. anthony nelson. good talk to you again. this is non binding, so what's the point? what can realistically achieve? well, it's important for us to do what it can. but this resolution underscore the limitations of the un in terms of its ability to really strongly intervene. and it's certainly

fall short of the expectations of some of the protesters in m r, who have been calling from day one about the responsibility to protect this resolution. while it does condemn the hunter, while it does call on the countries of the world to start preventing a form of arms into the country, it's not a step toward the formal arms embargo. and it's very clear that a strong security council action would be vetoed by china, and probably also by roger. but any foreign businesses or for an interest to have stayed the course inside me and mar, working with what is now in effect, a military government personally, they'll just write the storm of this as well. yeah, i think it any foreign business that is stuck its way through the terrible events of the past few months through us sanction through

u. k. sanctions through you sanctions. this is not going to be the step that stops them from there. but why does it feel that so many countries, not just those countries that have always traditionally been friendly or friendlier than some others towards me and ma, but many other countries are in effect here, i guess, turning a blind eye to what's going on. well, i think that the recognition that china at this point has tacitly endorsed the s a c. and there isn't of the will to really forcefully intervene from outside countries. so at this point, many who want to preserve their relationships in the region with off the on. they simply don't see the point of getting behind resolutions that are ultimately going to be symbolic when, when likely, when the rubber hits the road in the current situation. trying to go to block

strong action. the winter will still have it's channels to rush. it will still have its relationships in the region. briefly, anthony, what are the chances that they will release on son su cheek? i guess for her, it's groundhog day, but she's always kind of more powerful in one way when she's under house arrest than when she is free anyhow, because it keeps the global conversation going about her and where she's going next . it's all speculation at this point, but at this point, i don't think there's a compelling reason for the safety to let her go there pretty clearly setting up a series of criminal charges to at least give them the option to to keep her in prison for the rest for life, so my expectation is any circumstance in which they would let her go. they would expect a pretty serious bargaining trip and return for that point and the notes in there in washington. good talk to anthony. thank you very much. thank you. still come

here on al jazeera, a severe heat waves. scotch is the western united states forcing farmers to ration water and south koreans hope a global recognition of their ancient paper. making tradition can keep the dying craft alive. ah, ah, it's time for the journey with sponsored by cattle airways. hello, that those incessant one seen rains are continuing to fall across the northeastern areas of india. this was seen in co carter as the streets became waterlogged. thanks to those torrential downpours and would like to see more of these scenes across the northern areas of india as those rains move across pradesh. we could see some land slides and for the flooding in their power as,

as those rains keep falling. it's really persistent rainfall. and as it moves north, we could see a shower or 2 in new delhi, a storm as well. there before things do clear up on sunday, none of the heat building across the northern areas of pakistan for the west or whether we have to go to the west coast of india, those reins inundating coastal areas, strong winds to affecting southern areas of india and shrill lanka, but the heavy rain is going to fall in bungler dash and me and my before that is allow as we go into next week and for china, there's what weather on the cards. we've got the plum rains in full force affecting the eastern coast. shanghai going is going to see a shower or 2 before things do dry up slightly on sunday. things are looking fine and dry in beijing with 34 degrees celsius. sponsored call cut on airways 300 years,

a danish come and i think an international interest in the island refills his gray, a young generation, emerging, determined, and nephew to meet him and he'd be on faith as jude and a politician as they tackle a job issues with that powerful fight for greenland, a witness documentary on al jazeera. ah, ah ah, we'll come back. these are your top stories from al jazeera, 16 minutes past the hour. the polls have closed in around presidential election. the hotline head of the judiciary abraham racy is

a clear front runner among in our field for contenders the bad economy and high unemployment figures with some of the issues dominating the boat. on friday, the u. s. is playing equipment and personnel out of the middle east. the pentagon has confirmed reports. the anti missile batteries are being removed from iraq, q 8, jordan and saudi arabia and the un general assembly as possible resolution calling for holt, the flow of weapons and to me and mom while condemning the military coup in february, deal, and special envoy to me and mom says that the risk of a large scale civil war in the palestinian authority has rejected a deal with israel to receive more than a 1000000 cobit 19 vaccines that were close to their expiry date of accent swap was announced earlier on friday, palestinians say they were told the doses would last into july and august, however, instead received $90000.00 champs that would expire this month. will the half of

israelis have been fully vaccinated compared to one in 3 palestinians. we've had only one dose. the abraham has more now from bethlehem. and the occupied westbank according to the paulson and health minister of what you're than a press conference with the spokesperson of the palestinian government. they say that the shipment they received today, which is between 92100000 jobs on either did not come or went up to the palestinian sanders affording to the deals that was struck by pfizer. the pulse, an official said that the agreement was that these doses should expire in july and august and stuff because they can get that to the people that they found out for the, to the policy and official that these jobs expire in june. which is why they held a press conference and said that they are rejecting the whole they are sending back those batches. and now when you wait for the exact sees that they already ordered from pfizer to arrive for them to them,

they should be here in september or october. and they many have been telling us that they believe that israel was trying to score p. r points, after lots of criticism came to israel because it is the occupying power or the 2 international law. many human rights organization said that this is israel, you to vaccinate palestinians, but they didn't do that than they believed that they were trying to give those shipments to the palestinians because they were already going to throw that, throw them away and try to score points. remember, we also have a new government in israel, and this is what, why many palestinians we need that there's rooms acting in bad faith. now, when it comes to the vaccination drive in the past and it's, it's going relatively no, it's not even more than 13 percent of the population that have received the jobs. so this deal is also that the me of this dean is also expected to further load down the vaccination rate and maybe take a few months where the policy is to get to the heard them unity because they're

saying that they need to get 70 percent to have some sorts of her immunity and be able to open up businesses and straggler life. the abraham reporting there. let's bring in doctor alley tom. he's backs and ologist. he joins is on skype from washington. d. c. dr. fat on welcome back to al, to 0. how can it go to a situation where these vaccines so many of them thousands of them were so close to expiring. yeah, thank you for the invite. i think the problem is really is, and israeli problems, not a problem because we talked even though it did just your english for many people have called for israel as buying force is to fax in a bit. but i've seen that the time currently with the vaccine, the thing the public. but they refuse to do that. now the question that really comes to mind right now,

why these right is somehow they became more with having good art. and they want to support give the better seen. and these 1000000 doses, if they had that much excess, why is it why they did not really try to back in at the same time the israelis. so that's one question there. that a question is really, why would they really agree to such a thing you want? if we went through a lot of troubles and getting the vaccine, we have a scheduled vaccine vaccine supplied by either. so why would we give this opportunity for the as really government, especially the new one, to take some credit and try to do public relations with regards to something like that. but i seen it, i think the decision made whoever made the decision that depend on the palestinian side to agree. so this was bad. but really the other hand, i think dr. kelly decision not to accept it is really they got the right decision

and go back and get the vaccine from the source from kaiser without an expiration day, which is to month. ok. as to that expiration date, correct me if i've got this wrong stopped me. if i'm formulating this incorrectly, so the efficacy of the, all the vaccines, the case through time, as you get to that date of expiring. so there has to be a point when whoever is administering it, whoever is using it has to say to the relevant authorities, look, there's no point during this. you may as well just sent it, but send it back to where it came from. yeah, i think it's, it's not, this explanation is not accurate. vaccines as measured by meeting a criteria or what the quote certificates of the hey, there are several testing that has to go through. and it's already established that it is stable until the exploration date. the frequency does not decline with time.

it's really the vaccine, whether it's the last day of the expiration period or the 1st day or the 1st week. they are, if it should be exactly the same because the that the vaccine will meet the same acceptance criteria would be with the chemical characteristic as well as other characteristics. so de vaccine is still good. this is say, august, it will expire in august. but the question, why would you put yourself in a logistic trouble that you have to use it before the expiration date? if it's expired, the, even if it's good, you cannot use it. it's expired. so that's really the, the bottom line. and therefore having to month is not enough really to deal with the logistics of our reaching that people and the arms of people would be for the same doctor. and if it's on the in the states, thank you so much. so we do appreciate your time. thank you. the police in portugal

are stopping drivers, traveling in and out of the lisbon metropolitan area as part of new cobit 19 restrictions. we can travel is banned in order to prevent transmission, particularly if the highly contagious delta variant portugal daily case numbers have increased to levels not seen since february. early elections have been cold in armenia, but whoever wins will have to heal the nation's deep wounds following his defeats in a war with a brush on last year. the 2 sides fought over the disputed region of nagondo cut about rory, challenge reports now from europe, and the fighting may have almost completely stopped. but for aman and armina, the war is not over. the 19 year old son hamlet isn't home yet. and this there. sure is him being captured by, as a, by johnny troops last october. since then they've heard nothing. and as a, by john denies holding him in consulting they said,

during these months we've seen too much pain. we've lost our faith in the government, in the elections. i won't participate, i will not vote. we're far from politics and all we want is our children to last week as a by john return 15 armenian military prisoners. in exchange back, you received a map showing landlines in an area of a one back in last year's fighting. although the numbers are disputed as a by john still hold 60 to perhaps 200 armenians. it calls terrorists, prisoners of war, just one of the damaging consequences of armenian military defeat. losing war psychologically puts a society in a div advantage of situation. but society feels more stressed when even, and humanitarian problems are not being result for,

for the society. officially nitty 4000 domini and were killed or disappeared when as by john took back territory last to our menia during the 1st war, however, disputed new going to kara back, which ended in 1994 on this hillside overlooking year of and you really get a sense of armenia is loss. this is the main military symmetry that each of these soldiers fell in last year's war. many of them barely after that teens. so armenia is morning, it's sons, it's brothers, it's father's. but it's also morning, a sense of itself as a country on the new borderlines russian troops keep an uneasy truce. and armenians have been displaced from their homes like as by johnny's were nearly 3 decades ago . didn't i miss my house every day? i come here to gather time. i look at my house and i cry. you blood, graham, the crisis has triggered early elections. do this weekend. candidates are blaming

each other for the defeat. but this analyst says the real problems, years of military over confidence and squandered internationally mediated peace negotiations are being ignored. the absence of a diplomatic strategy, the failure of military lessons learned. none of these are being addressed by any candidate, neither from the opposition nor the government. no one has been able to articulate either what they would have done differently or what they will do differently if elected armenia will soon have a new parliament. but how and if it can bring this country out of its trauma, is far from clear. rory helen's al jazeera yerevan. a group of south korea is prominent academics and politicians is pushing to include traditional paper making on the unesco list of intangible cultural heritage. without it refers that hand g, as it's known in korean, could be in danger of dying out out as he was rock mcbride reports now from g on

jewel. it's been made the same way for more than a 1000 years. a scale passed from one generation to the next. as in this business run, by the way family. it's often referred to as $100.00 paper because that's how many stages are considered needed by hand to make each piece. the pope comes from the back of the mulberry tree which grows abundantly on south korea as rocky hillsides . but it can only be harvested at a particular time of the year and then laboriously worked to strip away the out about $100.00 energy afternoon. it takes about 10 years of study learning from a master craftsman. traditions are hard to learn and how to keep up. so it requires a sense of commitment. this business and others still making paper. the same way is located in the city of john du, which is home to a carefully preserved village to promote korean culture for an ancient industry

that at one time expose its product to china, considered the birthplace of traditional paper, making the decline in korean, han g has been marked, especially in recent times. it's reckoned that from a 100 workshops a couple of decades ago. bailey 20 now remain on display in this city, the winning entries from a competition aimed at encouraging hunged making. while showing off its birth fatality. all the offerings made out of paper. but what's needed, argue at supporters, is the worldwide recognition that would come with unesco listing. would you put the natural gas benefit museum archives and constantly surprised by the condition of historical documents? the characters and colors are vivid. i've still, they've just been drawn and the paper is not damaged at all. the paper from chase workshop is now the preferred choice for us restore is in italy,

and he believes unesco recognition. similar to that enjoyed by paper makers from china and japan would go a long way to preserving his beloved craft. can you tell me, well, of course, out of everything i can to prevent this tradition from dying out, but i can't do it on my own. the whole society must cherish this heritage. consider a precious and love it. a craft whose mastery is hard earned and the could easily be lost. robin bride al jazeera john to south korea. us a california under a state of emergency because of a severe heat wave across the western united states is worsening. what's being called a mega drive that's essentially extreme dry conditions. which last for decades, what a reservoir across the states are drying up. ah, okay, it's $230.00. gee let's update your top stories. polls of now closed in iran presidential

election. the hotline head of the judiciary emperor, him.