a short documentary by african film, make it on the white 9 and the book make it africa direct on al jazeera. ah . hello. i marianna marcy in london with a quick look at the headlines now. world health organization has declared a new corona, virus, variance of concern warning of a new mutation which could spread more quickly. variance has been assigned the greek letter, omicron. it was 1st detected in south africa early this month in the area surrounding johanna's bug, but is now believe to be in almost all the provinces. the u. s. is the latest countries, a band travelers from south africa and neighboring countries. cases of alls have been detected in botswana, belgium, israel, and hong kong. french present to manuel macro is cancelled an invitation from

the british home secretary to a meeting on the migrant crisis and has been won the u. k, to get serious or remained locked out of discussions. it comes after the u. k. prime minister barak johnson wrote a letter to micron, urging france to take back migrants who make it to person. 27 people die trying to cross the sea between france in the u. k. on wednesday. the flow of people in refugees is still causing concern on another of the eas borders this time between poland and better roost whose present, alexander lucas. shank has visited a crowded border camp because younger met some of the thousands of people makes you shelter and told them they were free to head west to go home. the e u is accused batteries of engineering this crisis by flying people in and then it pushing them towards the border. the cas shanker as batteries will help people return to their home countries and they won't be forced. yes, ma, through. yes, i'm looking ahead and if the margaret crisis in a bill of room,

so now it will grow much bigger, not only in spring, but next winter. we understand that a large flow of people will be arriving and bill bruce, and it will be hard to hold them on the border. the problem must be solved now before it grows much bigger. and in ethiopia, state television, there is broadcast images which appeared to show the prime minister visiting soldiers on the front line and the country's conflict with to grind rebels of a ama told reporters that the armies morale is high and opposition forces have been pushed back to grind rebels started their offensive earlier this year, the group and its allies have been advancing towards the ethiopian capital, addis ababa. but as the headlines will have worn, although stories in the news hour that's coming up with myself in 25 minutes time at $2100.00 g n t ah,

ah mm. hi, i'm sandra goldman, welcome to portal. i usually work on the digital side of out there, that's our website, social media and podcast. we've got loads of great content and i'm here to show you some of our best stuff this week. it's all about the middle east. we've got a powerful short film out of palestine where we meet for people finding their own way to push back against illegal israeli settlements. and remember, last year's terrible explosion in beirut. well, they're still waiting for answers there. we've got a personal take on it all from our correspondent. a mother told me, i don't know how i wake up every morning and how i go on. why did my son die? there still a lot of trauma. but before we get to that, we're going to give you the back story on lebanon. that's what my team and i do

every week on the online show. start here. we take a big story and break it down. so in this episode, we explain what's going wrong and lebanon, and why things are so hard to fix. ah, let's talk about letting you might have heard that things are bad, but you probably don't realize how bad or out of 5 people are living in poverty. there are shortages of pretty much everything. people are fighting over fuel. and anyone who can leave is what a lot of stop. if i have only been out of the resulting in his room. i know i've never learned lebanon, basically is a plane that's crashing, but hasn't crossed yet. there's finally a new government after more than a year. but the thing is, in lebanon, the government is often part of the problem. it's the same political parties, blame for years, corruption and mismanagement at the end of the day. it's not really about the government formation. is that it is really about what is this government gun to do

with lebanon, is unraveling on so many fronts, and all the different crises are compounding each other. so what's happening, and why is it so hard to fix things were to give you an idea just how quickly lebanon has collapsing. you have to realize that it's even worse than venezuela. a poster child of devastated economies . it took lebanon less than 3 years to get to where it was rella was over 6 years after years of corruption, mismanagement and dysfunctional politics. lebanon's dealing with a huge currency crisis. and that's at the root of so many other problems right now . well, 11 knob and they shot the lady look good bit. magdalena beal comes in every live, you look nibbling deep. everything is much more expensive. innovation is very hard because it won't be there. got it. so here's what's going on. in the late 19

ninety's, the lebanese pound was pegged to the us dollar, exchange rate was fixed at $1500.00 pounds for $1.00. now the problem with that is lebanon's economy wasn't strong enough to really justify that value. it was sort of artificial for a long time the government and banks managed to prop up the currency to maintain that peg. but now they're at a point where they just can't do that anymore. and so the currency has crashed, losing up to 90 percent of its value in the last 2 years. and that means people savings and salaries have tanked whatever you make you make while just 90 percent less of what you made before. unfortunately. yeah, everything revolves around the currency. your currency is worth less and makes importing things much more expensive for lebanon. that's a massive deal because it imports nearly everything, including all its fuel. so now on top of the currency crisis, there is a fuel crisis key. the government simply can't afford to buy enough and it's

abandoned some of the fuel subsidies that helped make fuel affordable for ordinary people. so now you've got both shortages. i'm super high prices of issue, but i'm well one other about that was that knew i shouldn't of the long set off and on the plumber i am your judge to live. well, ma'am, i'm sorry. i've been trying to get to work well about that business boss. running out some friends, cook sharing, so the fuel prices is creating a domino effect. drinking water now costs 4 times what it used to. and the lights are literally going out because there's no fuel for generators, causal obstructions from. this is an example of chrissy going off. you're talking about some places not getting more than a couple of hours of a pacific dates summer and when it comes to hospitals, when it comes to people where you have young children eldern, this is miss the health risk. so it only gets worse, because now you've got a health crisis to hospitals are struggling. the you when is got involved,

even supplying fuel to help keep generators running. and like other imports, medicine is become too expensive or hard to find. even ordinary drugs like paracetamol, let alone life saving ones for diabetics or cancer patients. so people like marina are stepping in, she set up a charity to coordinate donations of medicine from abroad. we crossed the red lines and now we're really facing hard in the harsh times. a dan, this is not our job, isn't the job of the state. but since we don't have a state, we are doing this. so that idea that the state is missing in action. well, that's why things have become so desperate. lebanon is definitely a rare case of a country with virtually no bible state services, or social services, or social institutions for government has been improved. it as an institution, that video, basic services up complete the scope. and this isn't exactly new. it's almost as if

lebanon is in a permanent state of political crisis. and critics, a part of the problem is the system itself. now the way it works is that the 3 biggest sacks are guaranteed representation. that was the deal to keep the peace after the civil war. so for example, the president is always a marinate christian. the prime minister is always sunny and the speaker of parliament she em. but in reality it's lead to political gridlock in fighting and nothing really gets done. it's really about you know, who gets which government sponsored contracts. what kind of company affiliated with who are, when you're forming a government, for example, you know, it's not just about who is the best person to handle the ministry of economy. it's whether the president was a man i christian should pick that minister, whether it's the prime minister sunnyville to pick and it becomes a horse trading situation. you end up with a lot of corruption and accusations that politicians are only serving their own

interests not working for the good of the country. oh, wow. oh. so a couple of years ago, hundreds of thousands of people protested to say as much ah and after the horrific explosion in beirut last year, there was outraged, directed at politicians. and so far, no one's been held to account. a long label for the delay. me a loan number again, field handler with what's happened recently is that the political parties have finally agreed on a new government. after 13 months, lebanon's feuding politicians have now agreed how to distribute to power in a new

a cabinets. but most of the faces are familiar. like billionaire prime minister now she's mccarty, who's had the job twice already lost the mom and dad. the one that i'm in australia . man i up when we hardly saw we had done going out feet. he's trying to manage expectations, but they're all ready. rock bottom. i'm very pessimistic about this government. i think this as this is just, you know, like a morphine. those that was given to the people in order to calm them down. people just feel that because this is a returning prime minister, this is a 3rd time as prime minister. they say, well, you know, what does it matter if they're calling the shots, then we can't expect that people have put us in this crisis to get us out of it. and there's a lot that needs doing priority number one is to get cash into the country. and the government's best bet is to secure a baylock from the i m f. it's now planning to reopen talks with them after the

last one stalled in 2020. but if the government wants money, it will also need to present a recovery plan that includes a bunch of reforms. we just get dollars from brazil to work best. but in order to pump bod, be need loss issue or to population. but not only stops or pullups, this country has been very bogged in march for very, or we need to pull the current password merch. if there's any chance of that happening, it could start with parliamentary elections coming up in may. but that's a big if, just like fuel and madison, hope that politicians will actually change things as an seriously short supply. now if there is a single event that helps explain why so many people in lebanon have given up on their politicians. it's that explosion that ripped through beirut support last year, killing almost 200 people. it was caused by warehouse full of ammonium nitrate that hadn't been stored properly,

and lebanon is still feeling the effects out as air corresponded. zayna halter opens up about that in this episode. of between us, it's an online series where reporters reflect on the big stories they cover. ah, it's been a very difficult year for those who survived the blast as well as the families who lost loved ones and families of the victims have repeatedly taken to the streets, demanding to know the answers, demanding accountability, but another high on, on. there's still no answers on who was responsible for bringing this ammonium nitrate to lebanon. many feel that justice will never will be served more questions than answers a year after that, the blast. i'm center for their senior correspondent for al shahida. i've been reporting from lebanon for some time now and between us since the bay report explosion, the situation has only gotten worse. it was one

of the largest non nuclear blasts in history. you talk to anybody in the city and a lot of people still talk about that day. people are still in shock. still picking up the pieces. hundreds of thousands lost their homes. ah, families are desperate. they want those who they believe are responsible to be held to account. they lost their children, they lost their husbands, they lost their wives. people feel that they haven't been given the answers. a mother told me, i don't know how i wake up every morning and how i go on. why did my son die? there's still a lot of trauma. there have been emotional scars of physical scars even myself. when all is quiet, i can still hear that blast, even my son, he was 3 years old at the time. he still will not walk down the street where we

were when the blast happened. when there's a strong wind, he starts to panic because he too felt that pressure wave, that shock waves that pushed him to the ground. when the blast happened, lebanon was in the midst of an economic crisis. people were losing their jobs, businesses were closing, and the lebanese pound was already devaluing. on top of that, there was corona virus and there were locked downs which also made worse the economic collapse. when the explosion happened, the authorities promised a transparent and swift investigation. the investigation has been slow, the lead judge and the case product better as trying to initiate the process of process shooting. those he believes are responsible for the blast, but he faced a fierce political backlash from those in power. he has the list of suspects and they are members of the political and security establishment. some of them are m p, 's. politicians are refusing to lift immunity. they're not allowing him to question

these suspects. international and local journalists have done more digging than the authorities. they believe that in one way or another, this shipment was linked to 3 syrian businessmen who were linked or who are linked to the syrian president bashar assad. one of them has been sanctioned for procuring ammonium nitrate in the same here at 2013. when that ship docked at bay root port, was it really intended for lebanon because that ship was destined for mozambique? at least this is what shipping record show, but it made an unintended stop in bay route. so justice has not been served, nor has there been any accountability ah, as a lebanese, it is hard to watch. this country collapse is falling apart and you're watching it falling apart. and yet it doesn't have to be this way. these politicians are playing on to power so many people are asking, what are they fighting over? they're fighting over a corpse. there's nothing left of the state. the state has all but collapse without

a new government that is ready and willing to carry out reforms. it's hard to see how this country will be able to stand on its feet once again. okay, up next is a film out of palestine. it's from the all my documentary series fly on the wall. it's about 4 people and how they found different ways to fight back against illegal israeli settlements. take a look. ah. they feel they are fighting alone. oh don't was i thought a the i started the idea. we had more a husband messman hub, i believe lincoln. listen to this about the shadow of on shot dead duck ribbon fiercely in men. julie, they're trying to install ethnic cleansing, trying to get rid of all the palestinians that have lived here for tenants or even hundreds of years. mm

hm. mm. mm hm. the normal issue, but yes, hello. could you tell ma'am? buffer and buffer my equity by the hotel, modern mother listen, aletha is muscle to me. my jani murphy felt venue the been that big room, some numbers to let them get thought of it. enough stuff like that. yeah, i think in the future on maybe in the i did you wrong month took the on from big enough so, but i would like to add, but a lot of young and i me and then if added it is about a balance of the had them kind of problems. so to email you the war. hm. and the us senate in half and the less than a lot about it. i was the last

day on the line mattress. her i had engine duplicate him. a lot of them based on the sat and to let elijah slash fish muscular and anakin danny concealment. and like i shot a note whole for web social has a rare book from i'm coming to blown him. can clooney fail month? i'll let him go. has it our la la la shit, again, fee hoff model amount of loony kind of, i've been kind of out about the show from special and just say shift in sultan adventure market for annette. but there they found been tommy avenue, a mustache, a little module. i believe a i say that a has from this may have

a belief like in a shed, and then i love or sleeves not. i didn't jump. i'm about to about a lean, my young god, martha america returning america, tech alumnus mindlessly, it'll honestly it them this moment to fail, outdoor them as messy. hello, so muscle a develop of on he ines a bad my mouth at high. hey, we've on a highly event that to wait. and if you haven't given iowa, hey, deaf shondae,

and if at the hand us a likeness bank, it's unique in its expedients because of the fight without leadership, the youth they have what we call it, a political awareness that they don't want to be divided. and that's why the authority they are confused. how to deal with these kind of activities or to control it. oh like oh heck. oh, under foot, a little issue, not never been at the valley yet. and at a bit of an alley, yet from anything else or a quote on joe at all. and i couldn't get my move almost hopefully it will just open up the check and i will get them to see if i'm going to be done. on this unity

on the top of the mountain been among the better scenes come from the frustrations for straight to walk straight from option for straight different division. you see them taking the lead on the ground. that's who participate. everyone knew the kind of debate within it, but it's tina and within the top, do we continue? they feel they have they are fighting alone. whereas people where they will be in union. where is that international organizations that support and promote human rights leafy? keep silent, that's mean they accepted that cubic. but if they use the, the resistance and different way all they will use that to be a terrorist. it is 90 percent of them. they want peace, but the real peace build on justice. not beast with settlement, not beast with occupation. they want life. they want political rights,

they want jobs, they want live, they want to enjoy. they live there, but like laser is id love little of, of on the most. so tony, in bill chris tolerably phil forgot to be your wealth of a book collected a thought on moral to me and all up for over sort of get billed out. all the gum national bianca city ran lucky this run month homes that have been the spelling to lead patient aubrianna. moss ha, ask alice them and tell you miss, i see it before that i left it and it's still add elegant to check if it could be more than one i'll provide that to him. i'd rather be clear than most all that i've had him. he'll sit on it. how much should i add that he has a moment a where somebody needs a moment while i live in

a home man. you know what i last on how serrano nazi back in mission. i am here that i have with them had more that are over there. can never addison relevant. that means that he will be with the end of the land membership. going a couple of further up managing his hand. now not a lot of the damage and not the bass consistent with that. and i think that i'm also a member and i think that should because i'm ready when we realty notion, i'm scheduling. so we, she covers public share with . 2 a me well, i me, well i this rarely it, we've been

a white glove a, you've been a hawaii. i may have been able to describe a few will. i will be lucky enough to live in a hole. had them kind of been, we've had a big how to get did you been sultani and a funny look on any head of the rug with helical, i'm to put them 9. can i get it? i have to share with them is a month ago, a month, the guy going to say, he's the guy i called this on to check. because in this area where we're going to

use the launch, i put in rush just to ship it to this area. they, they will all, they just told very about a little know what i'm know about that prosecuted so much by the settlers. so, i mean, we can a half ago and had one of these cheaper and over by 4, by 4 running into the field. i knew that your daughter knew, bruno vitality, i presume. and that's what they're trying to do. they're trying to frighten the people to leave it to go somewhere else. but the truth is that they've got nowhere else to go. and the soonest the settlers see us, they are far more reticent to coming to contact their own. amongst the settlers, extreme factions which see us and we are even more of an enemy for them than the actual palestinians are not come with us with sticks and with violence. and will hold our ground, does, and we will start doing one. busy with adrian alina,

one know, that includes america, a connection with the problem is that somebody at the moment somebody says, god told me to do something, you can't have a rational discussion with them. and they're trying to install, ethnically cleansing, trying to get rid of all the palestinians that have lived here for tenants or for you even hundreds of years. a missouri that will, it will not scan. we do get a lot of support, you know, from the people like to sit on the couches and writing facebook all. well don, thank you so much, bye. defacto. you can count us in, in the 10 most of the villas denila. i'm ever sure i get in touch with one of them. that's at some portal this week. i hope you liked what you saw. remember there's

lots more great video and audio content on our website and social media channels. i'll be back next week until then. see you online a, a with a on counting the cost count japan's new prime minister taxable income inequality loss. will the world trade organization health

for countries to secure corporate 90 vaccines will be speaking to the w t. o is new director general counting the cost on al jazeera december on and just either guitar hose, the feedback iris cup, a momentous event for the region and a glimpse of what's in store for the 2022 world cup people in power invest the gates, the use and abuse of power across the globe. a world exclusive interview with joint nobel peace. lori, if recognized for safeguarding freedom of expression as a precondition for democracy and lasting peace from shore. documentaries to in depth explain his portal. showcase is the best voucher zeroes, digital content. as the year drools to a close. we look back at the events that have shaped the news and look ahead to next year. december on a jesse europe. oh,

the coded 19 pandemic has led to a spike in child trafficking across india. one 0, one east meets those fighting to say hon. children on al jazeera. ah, this is al jazeera ah, hello i marianna my z while come to the news our life from london coming up in the next 60 minutes. global alarm over a new cove at variance in southern africa. the us restrict travel. europe has its 1st case and proposed to do the same. the european commission has today proposed to member states to activate the emergency brake on travel.