studio b, unspent states on al jazeera mm mm . showcase is the best documentary films across the network on al jazeera. ah 13 passengers had arrived in the netherlands from south africa. tested positive for the new variant of cove at 19. ah, hello, get on come on santa maria, here in doha with the world news from al jazeera, the vote counting began in care. gustavo, where opinion polls suggest president saudi a japanese is likely to solidify his grip on power. villages. hundreds have been destroyed in east in ukraine. is the fighting and shelling intensifying on

a large number of congo. these children born the cobalt mines suffering from serious deformities who have a special report ah run sunday afternoon across europe at the moment where we've got the latest developments from the new cove at 19 variant omicron. now in the netherlands, health officials have confirmed the strain. among 13 passengers from south africa, they were on board to passenger flights from cape town and johannesburg, nearly 600 people on board. those flights that landed saturday. more and more countries are imposing travel bands and restrictions most recently, morocco, suspending all inbound flights for 2 weeks. and israel shutting its borders to all foreigners. a lot of anger though about these travel bands from south africa in particular, which says it has been unfairly targeted for sharing the data about the varied. we are waiting to hear from president cyril ramirez, also, who will be addressing the nation in the coming hours. so nice barker in london,

keeping across developments for his name. it feels a little bit almost like the early days of pandemic when we were reporting this incremental gradual increase in numbers. but that's the way it is. with these new variance, it changes and evolves all the time. and it is, of course, come out evolving very, very quickly. indeed, we've seen over the past few days, only a very quickly after we even heard about on the cross numbers popping up in various different countries or across the continent. so a couple in germany, 1st identified in bavaria, thought to arrive through munich airport at the end of november when there wasn't a huge concern about travelers arriving from south africa. and now of course, this big number of people tested positive for army kron arriving on 2 flights from south africa. south africa, from johannesburg and cape town. on friday, 13 confirmed cases they, together with the other passengers, $61.00 in total who tested positive cove 19 are now isolating. the dutch

authorities are taking this very, very seriously indeed. but you're right to say that. so we are right now counting things one by one. we may soon given the significant rise start to see this as being sought to see a surge of numbers in multiple countries. it is the view of one prominent south african scientist who 1st flags on the chron brought it to international attention that this very, it may already be present, may already be seated in multiple countries across europe, including here the united kingdom. the best line of defense says, or slow von de leon, the head of the european commission, who's been speaking in the past few minutes, is that we must vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate, or prepare for the worse and hope for the best. and lest we forget neve about the delta vary, which was the biggest cause of concern across europe before this started and was a leading to all sorts of increased cases and increased restrictions across the continent anyway. yet increase tensions as well between people who are simply fed

up with the possibility of new restrictions. germany deeply worried about its 4th wave now eyeing out of the corner of its eye. the possible implications of war on the cross could mean as well. but we are in a bit of a limbo period because there is a real absence of hard data about how virulent this strain is how wide spread the strain is. and to what extent existing vaccines confer a degree of immunity. it is the belief of bleeding british scientists and european scientists that may well mean that existing vaccines do all going to help all going to provide a degree of resistance to on the current. as such, some governments are reticent about going in too hard to soon over possible impact to the economy. so across the continent going into, into the christmas period. but at the same time, if we do too little, and if this turns out to be a potentially harmful variance, then maybe we do need to think about acting sooner than later. nave backer,

keeping an eye on covey developments across europe. thinking needs, as we mentioned, israel is now banning all foreigners from entering the country for 2 weeks. returning citizens, they still have to quarantine as well, or force it has more on that from occupied is to res, them what the government has announced. and we're still waiting for the final confirmation from the cabinet, but we're expecting that to come through without any trouble. it is very restrictive, all foreign visitors to the country will be banned from entry unless they get special dispensation, which is historically a very small number. so the recently reopen tourism business has had the shot has brought down on it just a few weeks into that. tentative reopening israelis returning to the country. they will have to current team for at least 3 days if vaccinated 7 days if not vaccinated, and go to a government run quarantine hotel if they've been to any of the 50 african countries on the read list. and on top of that more controversial,

a many the reposition of surveillance by the countries internal security agency, the sion that of telephone. this time it will only be those belonging to people who confirmed to have the micron very, but nonetheless, some controversy about that move as well. if you talk to people involved in the tourism business, which obviously there are many religious pilgrims who come to this area as well as just this being the main reason for most people to come to jerusalem to see this historic and very religiously significant site. there was some hope that there might be some recovery of that industry we spoke to and is ready to a guide who is very disappointed about the situation spoken to palestinian shop owners who say that, you know, it's been a terrible couple of years. australia's prime minister scott morrison says the variance is concerning. after 2 passengers who arrived and sydney were confirmed to

have the new strain, governments and post restrictions on people arriving from 9 southern african countries. these very fast moving issue that we will continue as we always have sensible, balanced, guided by the best possible medical evidence and medical expert advice that he's what is enabled astride to be so successful through the course of covert to open, safely, and to remain safely open more with sarah clark reporting from brisbane, australia that was from southern africa and by a been concerned to have tested positive, the flight number was q r 90 right there were landing in sydney. now there were 14 passages on this flight from, from an africa. the other 12 have now gone into mandatory to a mandatory hotel quarantine. it was a full flush. there were 260 people on board, the other passengers and crew. they are now being told to go into the oscillation now. well that was the site to reopen it, voted internationally. it dropped quarantined. all those people who fully back

tonight and of course over not that changed as a result. any international trouble, any, a striding returning home now must partake in 72 hours and still oscillation. and anyone from those 9 countries from southern africa and they must be compulsory hotel point name. let's try to had some of the topic border restrictions in the world borders. international borders have been closed for around $600.00 days. in the early this month, the problem is that we would be reopening at one side. suggestions were around $40000.00, the spreading was stuck with stranded overseas. some states yet to lift those international restrictions in the lots of queens that were i am and witness rally, but certainly at the change of not this new private strain, there's a lot of cool to concern about international travel once again, and certainly ahead of just a few weeks ahead of christmas. or frances hosting a meeting of european ministers to discuss migration. the u. k that has been excluded. talks were called after 27 people drowns,

trying to cross the church across the channel between the u. k. and france. u. k is holding its own emergency meeting after france withdrew that invitation, following a dispute between president and my new micron and prime minister barak johnson. let's check in with where we challenged c. as in cat, a in northern france, been speaking to the migrants whose fate is being decided by european leaders, that, that meeting one of their stories like rory well, they're pretty grim after say, oh, in the temperature has plunged significantly in recent days. some pretty heavy storms be enrolling in off the north sea in english channel. both those things have made the conditions worse for many, many refugees and migrants who are spread out along the north french coast looking for their opportunities across and also the conditions of made those crossings much

more dangerous. indeed, hanging over all of this, of course, is this breakdown and cooperation between france and the united kingdom. and the, the 27 deaths that took place during the week in the channel. migrants tried to cross to the, to the united kingdom that robert did. he capsized and, and they were pitched into the sea, and all of them died of the worst such event. it's of its kind has happened in the channel by far, i think. now, speaking to the people who, who are sleeping rough along this coastline, they say that they are completely stock, essentially, and they have no good options. they have talked about to me about how their only option is to push forwards to, to risk the death risk risk drowning in the see. because where else can make the stock here in the cold. they have very little food. we were out at

a distribution network with they were getting clothing that was being given by a charity. but that's the only candidate that's being offered to them. really at the moments. and it's a pretty desperate situation. as you can hear, now my report toa his father and their friends may have reached the end of the road . either afraid of anything. i do have said no fear. no fee, was it? if we done 30, i say that whether he already die, nobody accept us. anyway, the iranian migrants have made it to the coast of northern france. but crossing the channel to england, his difficult and after 27 people drowns trying this week. it's risky too, but it's risk many a still willing to take. if i die sookie, nobody even think about me. one me migrants and refugees, camp on road sides and railway sidings, surrounded by the debris of

a life they hoped, would be temporary. and now seems endless. they burn anything to keep warm and wait . just do it the shoes, tell them easy to say. the police is right now everywhere, and they don't let us go to an indoor so easily. you know, they're all released here and they're like no french police have stepped up patrols. storms have made this a treacherous time to attempt to crossing, assuming you can afford the $3300.00 smugglers, a charging and the inflatable ding ease. they use a small and vulnerable, but the dream doesn't die. patrick from seed on wants to hide in a vehicle using the ferry. i'm going to night is a car. all morning i'll come here seat on the sleep and eat. go again to live only ankle. i you on to boeing,

gallon form anything that anger us and that anger and water convoluted that during interior ministers from france, germany, belgium, the netherlands, and european commission, diplomats, gus, the migration crisis, but there will be one importance absence, pretty battelle, the u. k. is home secretary has been disinvited. the french asked her not to come off to prime minister boris johnson tweeted a letter he'd written to french presidents and manual micron. the kron likes neither the migration policy suggestions, nor the twitter tactics of the disputes shows how little trust remains between britain and france at a time when this and humanity are both sorely needed. very talents, al jazeera kelly. we will check the well weather next and then sir dan says, 6 of its soldiers have been killed during a board of skirmish with ethiopia. ah,

ah, look forward to brighter skies. the weather sponsored my cattle at ways. hello. so sat fair for the korean peninsula and for japan at the moment that's about to change. we got this area cloud sliding out. so for china pushing right up into the far east of russia, that's gonna sink its way further southwards. and as it does so, it will just ram pop a little. so some winter weather coming through our beijing, easing towards yellow sea, some weather weather coming through here. not caressing somewhere, whether it's sliding in for monday, then that rain really setting in snow on the northern flank of that heavy down. pause for south korea, the que shoe, southern parts of honju, northern parts. so for japan, we'll see the best of the dry weather for longest, but that will turn increased on settle as we go one through the week, of course. so chances disruption coming through here,

we're seeing some disruptive rein recently into we're indonesia, some heavy downpours here, heavy down post to, to northern parts of the philippines, central and southern part, the vietnam, seeing some live showers through cambodia and on ensue were thailand. where, where the 2 across southern parts silver in the are causing some issues. such rank is still seeing some very heavy rain at where to weather will slide out into the arabian sea. it will gradually turn increased the wet right up. the western gates by the middle of the week for the weather sponsored by katara always. most people will never know what's beyond these doors. deafening silence with 100000 forms. how it feels to touch danger every day. most people will never know what it's like to work with. every breath is press with is not an option,

but we're not most p blue ah, this is al jazeera, these are the top stories. 13 passengers traveling from south africa to amsterdam of tested positive for the new only chronic variant. 2 cases have been confirmed in denmark, another 2 in australia, morocco's followed israel, and banning all foreigners from entering the country for 2 weeks. oh, the toughest travel then so far since on a chrome was detected in south africa this week and frances housing and posting a meeting of european ministers to discuss migration. but the u. k. has been

excluded. talks were called up to 27 people drama, trying to cross the channel between the u. k. and france. a conflict to need he of his tigress. states has spreads to other areas, including ne and afar, a region where most imports come through. al jesse was the 1st international news channel to gain access to the region since the fighting began. have a watch of this, this is what happened when report mohammed taught to walk whole was reporting live on air from the town of schieffer. and the medina, i am now standing in the heart of schiffer a city has it has been debbie center of military operations during the past 40 days out of the your money that i hi to here. hi. this is the situation room to fit the home and you'd better take shelter. it looks dangerous. take longer than i did

about. this is the situation we have been seeing since we entered the city. it was one of the 1st to arrive. we were the 1st team of journalists to enter the city. this is a mountainous area and what we heard was gunfire. exchange the scenes. we witness are very appalling. that the bodies everywhere on the street, it is a living proof of the financial sickness of the fighting that are clear signs of the lack of humanity in this conflict that the grand forces were driven out of the strategic area by militia from the far region. the cities, commercial shops were totally destroyed, even the mosques were not spared. we have been hearing gunfire from all directions over the past 4 hours. all the residents have fled for their lives and the city has turned into military barracks for their 40 fighters. those militia are supporters of the european army. they have seized the c, b, and that advancing towards body and come bowl champ, the international community you will need to step in of the humanitarian situation

here is really dire. as a result of the fighting, the dead should be buried that the earliest in this small city, like you can imagine how the situation would be when the fighting goes to larger cities within them. how to provence. sedan says 6 of its soldiers have been killed during an attack by ethiopian forces. this is an army post near a contested border area and gather estate. the military says it forces repelled the offensive and inflicted heavy losses on that group. but ethiopians, army chief, denied his soldiers even had any involvement in the attack. russell soda with more on this one from cartoon. the sudanese side here says that they the, the, it, you're be in forces and some of the militia groups that are loyal to the central government in utopia have attacked. did the sudanese forces that they have killed, seeks through the unease soldiers and the in the statement or of this with any army . they said that the attackers, the, this through the it will be a force and militias, aimed at intimidating dur,

farmers sub with age into harvest season, and also incursions into this with anita lamb. this region alpha sugar region is a very fertile region. it been in the, in the between the through than and it your appear and that region, this border, have you all this dispute is seen the colonial areas between the 2 countries and have witnessed several conflicts. the last conflict was last year in 2020, started in november and lots of months and months. but at the end of the process, it to a p. s, with an have agreed to keep the state of clandestine to could have been interrupted by the collections that happened yesterday. however, the put, the export says that both companies will lease states will, will refrain from escalating the passion as both or having the internal crisis pulse of closed interior sounds. election days after claims of a plot to overthrow president saudi jumped off. he promised to free fair and

peaceful ballads after last year's vote was disputed, and triggered riots had asked the previous governments often say mister avia, correspond incur gustavo, capital. bish tech on the eve of parliamentary elections. curtis dance president souther japira said his government has done everything possible to crack down on the longstanding problem of vote rigging. on his watch, he says, results will be legitimate and host election streets by will remain protest free. i'll am crushed them. one, revolver, that dog wensel. if every citizen wants to ensure his future ensure a good future for their children, regardless of the cold, regardless of rain, regardless of snow, regardless of rocks falling from the sky for past they should come vote. i give. the week leading up to election day saw police raids on alleged coup lottery homes and the rest of a parliamentary candidate supporter accused of trying to buy votes, small and in the president's words stupid actions that his people will no longer abide, wanna talk about on one video to johnson,

even if you dig for information about them, there is no one significant. we know who they are, drug take as convicts and while people with links to organized crimes, and we will take very strict action against them within the boundaries of the law. i mean, i'll dot mitchell little in january to par of was elected president with 80 percent of the vote. recent poll numbers suggest he is still the most trusted political figure in the country. but in care gost on political popularity is easily lost and on the streets, people are critical of him for not delivering on his promises. asked if he sees a problem with cracking down on the sort of activism that brought him to power. he said, circumstances were different. bid him if he could y'all, i'm alone. i've been jo twice. and both times i was jailed unjustly. off to my 2nd imprisonment, people freed me during the last october event. and there is a huge difference between me and the coup. lot of a difference as wide as a space between the grounds in the sky. i had no intention to carry out the revolt

. i don't called people to protest to people freed me and they placed me in this position. he has no party affiliation and says he is not backing any candidates, but experts say parties that support president power of government are the ones that are expected to take. the majority of seats and parliament a self proclaimed champion of democracy is about to consolidate. even more power the president's message to his people is that he is putting his best foot forward and his faith in god, and they should be confident putting their faith in him. then bas robbie l. jazeera at the presidential residence in biscuit. russia says the recent build up of troops near the ukrainian border poses no threat, but fighting between new kinds, military and russian back separatists. that's been getting worse. char strafford reports now from the village of nev elsco they had done yet in eastern ukraine. this is what heavy weapons do to people's lives in eastern ukraine. it was

1 am. when the shilling started nearly and her husband were fast asleep, they woke buried under the rubble of their home. and they were rescued by the neighbors that thought we woke and our home had been completely destroyed around us . i pray that if we were to die then please god make it quick. the couple i hear you her. her just said to roll it up, but i have so much emotional pain. i wanted to die. we had ever seen. we need it in life now it's gone. people tried to comfort us, but it's so very hard to cope. around 400 people used to live in this village before the conflict between ukraine and russian back separatists started more than 7 and a half years ago. now, fewer than 40 remain and most leaving because they're afraid of more shelling. tice's home was also hit. she's lived here for nearly 50 years. she's diabetic and

spend most of her $100.00 a month pension on food and medicine. she can't afford to rent another home. so she's moving to her daughter's a few kilometers away. the cranium, soldiers are constantly here. they seem to do rotations every 6 months or so. they were living in different houses in the village when the recent shelling started. friends help her collect wood from the destroyed shed to use his fuel at her daughter's house. yesterday i was frightened in 2014 when the house was shelved, but i was with my sick husband. this time i was alone and overwhelmed. this village hadn't suffered any shilling for the last couple of years, but that all changed. on november, the 14th residents tell us that they don't know which side opened fire 1st, but they're all exchanges of fire across the more than 400 kilometers front line

almost every day. and it's important to recognize that there are terrified civilians living in the villages like this one that have been destroyed by ukrainian army shells. just a few kilometers from here. there are what seemed to be disused ukrainian military posts in the village. the military says its base is away from where the few remaining civilians live. occasionally, a ukrainian soldier appears. every one seems to be leaving. this man asks us if we want to buy his horse. i can leave her here because i don't know when the shelling will start again. he says, russia says it's recent true build up on the border poses no threat to ukraine. the fighting has got worse, and with no sign of any lasting agreement between ukraine,

the separatists and their back as in moscow, nelly and her fellow villages joining them more than a 1000000 people who have already been forced to flee their homes. cha, stripe algae, 0 neville ski, eastern grain, now doctors and democratic republic of congo have noticed a high rate of birth defects in babies. born near coble mines, demand for the metal is soaring, as wealthy countries promised to switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles. often webb has the latest in his reports now from coal whizzy in the south of d r. c. when glue awesome bye was born with a cleft lip. her mother henrietta was worried there hoping that can get help at this hospital in the democratic republic of congo. flores grandmother. miss ingram . willa has seen clef lips before i, michelle, she, i don't know what causes this, but one of our neighbors also has it, and he struggles to speak other people in the community habit,

but none of them have had surgery. they just live with the henry s s l food and drinks in one of the many informal coble mines here in lieu elaborate province. doctor william kong says he's seen far too many left lips and other malformations in newborn babies over the 5 years. he worked here and says they can be connected to mine pollution when the we can, the mining at the mouth of the pregnancy. these exposure we send to the mining to the dust of the mining to them met in the mining can pick the baby and the baby can born with this month formation. the bill is given corrective surgeries to thousands of children funded by charities. he's also worked on research projects, but he says much more needs to be done. there's a lack of data. scientists have found that children whose father's work in the minds a much more likely to have birth defects. most of the cave off his mind,

industrially by foreign companies, most of the world supply comes from here, is used in batteries in mobile phones and electric vehicles. demand for it is soaring and china, europe, in the us. communities here live right next to the mountains of mine, tailings. most mine is working in formal, illegal minds, sticking out cobalt by hand. science is say mine is exposed to radiation from metals at work. may then be exposing pregnant mothers at home. we went with dr. billy to meet another of his patients. helen bands, his son darla, has a birth defect in his legs. talked to billy says it can be corrected with surgery, but it needs to be done soon. he's looking for funding. there's no way helen can afford the $1500.00 is needed. we stop going to hospital because we don't have money. we would go for the surgery if only god will help us dollar and helen live less than a 100 meters from

a large industrial mine. it's just over there. helen's husband works in a mine the research his say, if it is indeed mining pollution that's causing the mouth, former teeth, they expect more mouth foreman sees in future generations. and the worst of this is yet to come. dollar and children like him need public health services that don't exist here. we did much of the money made from cobalt mining goes abroad as hardly any help for the people who suffer its effect. malcolm, web al jazeera, co wavy democratic republic of congo. ah, we're past the hour and these are the top stories. 13 passengers traveling from south africa to amsterdam have tested positive for the new con, variance to case has been confirmed in denmark, another 2 in australia, the bulk of follow.