some students have been starting online or with private tutors, but many like say rugle can't afford that. and once school starts, it may take a long time for them to catch up catching, sorry, al jazeera kampala, the caribbean island nation of barbados, is becoming a republic by cutting ties to the british monarchy. prince charles arrived for a transition ceremony, which will say queen elizabeth removed his head of state barbados, gainful independence from the u. k. 1961. it will remain a member of the commonwealth group of nations. ah, hello, are you watching al jazeera and these are the top stories this alum, the un secretary general is deeply concerned by the isolation of southern african countries caused by the recent covered 19 travel restrictions he's urging nations to reconsider travel bands. the head of the world organization,

health organization rather is urging global solid arching. if there is one thing we have learned, it's that norwegian, nor country, nor community and nor individually safe. until we are all safe. the emergence of the hi imitated army crone variant under lions. just how perilous and precarious our situation is. south africa both. so i and i should be time for detecting sequencing and reporting this one and not 10 lines. iran says it's determined to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal, as talks resume in vienna, representatives from russia, china, germany, and france, and the u. k. as sitting down with iranian officials, the us is there, but only holding talks indirectly talk stoled in june to the election of

a runs president abraham racing. ty ron one sanctions to be lifted in return for limits on each nuclear program. the trial is under way for british socialized calais maxwell in new york. she's accused of enabling the crimes of light sex offender jeffrey epstein took his own life 2 years ago while awaiting trial. lebanon's president has discussed his country's and deepening economic crisis with cuts. tazz amir michelle owns holding talks while on his visit to door for the opening of the faith at our camp. he also discussed lebanon's diplomatic feud with gold nations. the full month president of georgia macallan 2nd sack has she really has appeared in court on charges of abusive office. he's facing 6, he's in prison for corruption. those are the headlines i'm emily ang, wednesday. chained for counting the tossed and i'll be back at the top of the alan . ah,

i, i hello, i'm how about he dean? this is counting the coast on al jazeera. here look at the world of business and economics. this week, the country that one saw itself is a 100000000. all middle class society is finally acknowledging its economic policy of the last decades. as breads, inequality count japan's new prime minister bridge the gap between rich and poor gas, a 164 governments on board for more equitable access to coven 19 vaccines. we

talked to the director general of the world trade organization on how she plans to do this. and saffron is considered indeed administered customers wed gold. but climate change and drunk like conditions are hurting the lucrative business. ah, ah, was the 1st time in 40 years, save the children has been handing out foot parcels to the poorest people in japan . it's not an isolated case. rich countries have seen a rise in the use or foot banks duty the pandemic, japan's you prime minister for me. ok. she the has acknowledged the failure of trickle down economics for the whitening inequality gap between rich and poor. he's taking aim at his predecessors, economic plan that has re shaped the japanese economy over the last decades.

the countries, poverty rates as the 2nd highest among g 7 nations. it's household income fell by 3.5 percent from 2014 to 2019. but the top 10 percent, so the wealthiest saw an increase and the average wage has hardly grown in the past 10 years with an increase of just 1.2 percent from 2012 through to last year. the average annual salaries student around $38500.00, that's almost 45 percent less than the average annual wage in the u. s. where inequality is more pronounced. according to cassie, though, he plans to create what he calls a virtuous economy. that effectively means raising income for a broader range of people to trigger consumption. the prime minister has announced

the record stimulus package of more than $490000000000.00 to help the country recover from the pandemic. it's the largest to thee, turns expected to increase outputs, although it means increasing its debt burden. while the package includes financial aid for businesses affected by the corona, virus health crisis and the slump in demands around $880.00 cash handouts to households with children. and those aged 18 or below. it also involves money for strengthening semiconductor supply chains, programs to encourage domestic tourism and investment in a nation wide university funds. cuz she also plans to increase wages for some workers, including public health and medical staff. and he plans to give tax incentives for companies that ways pay. but despite,

cuz she does criticism all of our been nomics years actually sticking to the policies mean 3 pillars known as the 3 arrows. they includes aggressive monetary easing, flexible fiscal policy, and a growth strategy. he will, however, move away from his predecessors, free market policies. and the prime minister has signaled a reform of corporate governance in favor of the small business sector. so will japan's prime minister succeeds in his mission? well sir, gerald turkish sheeta is a professor at the school of management and information of innovation and former managing director of missouri hall into national. he joined me by skype from, she's all cut in japan and it's great to have you withers on counseling the course, at least on thursday, asking about the prime minister's prime focus. she to says he will bring a new form of capitalism. what does this mean?

and is it really any different from abby nomex? really good question in the sense that yes, and he needs to bring up something new, especially considering the fact that he was not as popular as these are tribal, mister colon o' amongst a japanese public. but he was elected because he was popular among the japanese believe the m p 's. so obviously he has to come up with, well, some kind of a new plan that would basically attract people's eyes. and basically, to rectify the disparity that was caused by the coven, 19, and a japanese are quite sensitive to this issue. although japan's no, i'll say disparity of wealth is rather low in amongst be always he, nations. people do not want to have such society will divide. so obviously this is an area where he could tackle or basically claim to tackle are considering the new form of you know,

capitalism. so would you say that this plan that he's presenting is a plan to re game trust among the political parties, or does it really represent radical reform in economic terms that the latter, unfortunately the answer is no. the reason why most of the japanese l d p a members are, i would say the m p 's had chosen music. she is as he was sustained a status call. mr. cornell is a much more radical or say, a person who brings a lot of constructed destruction to the system. this is claim to do that. oh, mr. kachimba is much more of i say, adjuster to answer question, will he bring in something new? will he bring in something that would basically and change all to the course of the japanese methodology? i don't think so. i think he is much more of a person that is stuck to the status quo. he sent to the status go and he has some

thing of a fiscal conservative issue, the sense but do you think that this does represent something of a change in terms of a radical fiscal stimulus package? because that is something that's quite different. does it not? yes, i mean, he obviously won't come up with these physical packages. in fact, everybody was saying that even the opposition. but the biggest question which and none of them answered was considering our dep situation, which is the heaviest dep allen's all. ready easy nations in considering our demographics, which basically means that we will have a very large number of senior citizens and very low growth rate r kelly a forward to continue with this kind of policy of just talking her big presence and not talking about where the money is coming from. this is one of the big argument that's not really been talked about enough in japan,

and this is where mystic sheet or any other politicians do not want to be touched. unfortunately because of the coven, 19 people are used to the spending spree type of you know, policies. but i think you know what japan has to realize is a world do realize that one of the biggest weak point in japan is the step problem . and this is where i think politicians have to start talking about, you know, putting some discipline into the system. is that it just about control pulling the data and putting the discipline into the system. or is it time to tackle other difficult subjects? if for example, immigration, immigration is definitely, well them sd, jeez, another, we've got loads of things which and make the transformational changes. and i think japan has to move to step on. fortunately, the great thing about, you know, mr. kachimba and his follower is that, you know, the transition of our se management will be smooth because he is very,

he said a very, very long experience with the bureaucrats and within the party, it's got very good ties, et cetera. but the flip side of that is if and when you want to make radical changes, you'll be faced with severe opposition from exact the people who have been supporting you can me have the guts and goals. so, you know, can you afford to basically sacrifice, you know, his strength to make that transfer? so changes. i think that would be a very big question because if he loses his strongest point, then it will be very difficult by him to administer for the on at less talk about the changes that he is making. and of course, these say these payments at that are going out to families name of course is to host consumption and to kick start the economy that way. but will it work in particular, given the, the world is facing such an a keats a supply shortage. i think the answer is simply, no,

i mean we've done this before. the character of japanese consumption is that if you have to have it, you have to have a very good, i'll say environment of the corporate side. because of partly because a lifelong employment system is, which is still there in almost larger companies and also the behavior, the japanese which is extremely conservative, which tend to basically, um, stick to a very conservative nature in their spending patterns. so obviously, if they know that the macro environment, particular company side is good, then this'll start renting. but if they're just given cash, what happened before is that they, it goes into savings. so if you look at the, the, the multiplier to the current of me, i'm pretty sure that you're not going to get a very big deal of buy, just, you know, throwing cash at them. the important thing is to rejuvenate the prolonged i would say or say conditions oh, the economy, which basically gives a much more

a safeguard feeling for the consumers. but that said, of course, you know, for the people who has been, you know, suffering are very badly the non full time employees. women in particular who are in the service sector. of course, he cash ah, they're in a desperate situation. so yes, it will be an emergency measures, but will it really be an ignition of consumer spending to kick off? the answer is definitely no. well, be fascinating to see how it all plays out, but for now it says 0 taxes sheets are joining us from shizzle coo in japan. thank you so much for your analysis. we really appreciate it. thank you. ah, they're getting 164 member states to pool in the same direction has made a toll order for the world trade organization. since its inception, 26 years ago,

the w t o has struggled to get consensus for some of the most pressing issues of our time. now as the global economy, where there's a 2nd year of the pandemic, it's new direct to general hopes to make headway where others have failed. i'm delighted to say and go say or conjure willa, joins me now from geneva. she made history as the 1st woman and the 1st african to leads the world trade organization. madam director general, thank you so much for joining us here on counseling the coast. thank you. hello for have in me and let starts with the pandemic. one of the key root sites are of the global pandemic has been hailed as the vaccines and vaccine programs. many countries have vaccines. many others simply don't have access to them. one proposed solution is waving vaccine patents. where do you stand on this?

do you think this will help the entire world get out of this pandemic? well, thank you so much on her. i think this issue of access to vaccines is very, very important. and one of the most trouble in issues of that time, the fact that you have been to reach 366 percent or more of the population vaccinated and less take africa. you have about 7 percent. that kind of inequity of assets is what we really want to work hard to correct. and to do that, of course, you need several things to be place. you need to have a manufacturing capacity diversified to many countries, right now. 80 percent of export from 10 countries in the world. and so it's so concentrated. so we need to put more capacity in developing countries and emerging markets. we never need of course, the transfer of technology that you talked about,

which is the issue of intellectual property that many members of the w q or ask employee we've over 100 developing countries. asking for this. on the other side, there are members who feel that this is not the answer to the panoramic. and what we need to do is bring them to the middle. this is the negotiate in forum. and i think that pragmatic solutions that we can come to that will give developing countries more upset to this technology again to ip, whilst at the same time taking care of the worries of the develop that we should not dis, incentivize innovation. so i think that technology trying to size it is a big part of, of the issue manufacturing capacities. i know that, but i'm keeping making sure that supply chains work because that, you know, manufacturing of vaccines requests very complex of light,

june. there are many parts involved until nekisha export prohibition, and restrictions are lower. and we fascinated to that. so now, you know, very well the challenge of getting vaccines out to the developing world. he used to serve on the board of coffee. do you think there is it? is there anything more in that you want to see happening? because now you're in the big chair, the world trade organization. what is that you feel you're able to do? you know that you were calling for, but when you are at guffy, i think what is innovative in the short term we, i think we need to work with the manufacturers if we help them to monitor yes, supply chains and make sure that goods low really i think it would be very good to, to see them allow swapping of contracts between countries in the short term that is rich countries that are at the top of the q because they have more money and can,

and can you know, big supplies of these to swap contracts with warranties at the back of the u. this is innovative. this is good, digital stuff. everybody and everybody's interest to get everyone fascinated worldwide. so that's something that we are working on more transparent in contracting, more distribution, more equity. that's something that we dream of the drum. so when i was they got the on working on that and actually today they knew that switzerland has agreed to swap it. got attract. so that co, that can get to the front of the line and get back to these 10 to 4 up on trees. why switzerland goods, the back of the queue? i think the that some of the kinds of solutions that we are working with manufacture as done. and then in the longer term, i think another 2 is to go to the back of the world that don't have the capacity to manufacture. i mean, it's a nominal that in africa we,

what 99 percent of that seems and 90 percent of our medical products. so why don't we get to investment in those spots of the world and make sure that they can manufacture up or down population. but let's talk about your plans for the wi fi you. you have, of course, made history being the 1st woman, the 1st african. it's a heads up this organization. you've talked about finding practical solutions and encouraging consensus. what are you hoping to do in terms of reforming this organization because there have been criticisms that it's not been able to get as much done as people would like. well, thank you. highlight in this is actually a very important issue that will be center stage your in this ministerial that we're going to start in if in a few days i think let me 1st correct the impression that you know there is nothing you have in the w t o, yes, the organization has quite

a few problems with his multilateral instrument in reaching agreement and there are some agreements that have been pending for 20 years. but there are also some agreement that have been negotiated, some activities that are ongoing on very recent issues that are pertinent to our time. so what am i talking about? digital tre, does taken now during this pandemic. i'm right now the 86 countries that the w 2 membership rules that underpin e comment that their members to negotiate the rules on how to help women treat better include and fit into global value. and so they can improve their income them with micro medium. i lent up, right, so we do have some exciting things going on in the area of climate change. we also have members who are working to see how can treat the part of the solution. now

come in back to what you said. yes, it is true that we have not a modernized instrument for years. we've not been able to complete the multilateral negotiations in fishery our instance. we've been shown that have been going on here for 21 years on how to to reduce ample fishery subsidies that need to be seen. and so if we can, we are hoping that during this conference we can have minutes says reach an agreement. finally, up to 21 years to, to come those harmful fishery subsidies. in addition, i think we talked reform, we need to update, negotiates in instruments. we have to update a monitoring capacity. and finally, i get to settlement system and modernize the way that we approach our rules in the organisation. i think these are the things that will be discussed in this

ministerial, and hopefully we'll make some progress along those lines. well, it's great to hear that you're hoping for some progress after 21 years on the issue of fisheries, particularly when environmental protection is top of most people's minds right now . but of course, the big quite a bit looms over. certainly the w t o in recent years has been the massive disputes between china and the united states. and when big disputes like this arise, how hopeful are you will be able to come through them and get back to smoother way of treating internationally when you hello, you've pointed to the issue of, you know, the terrorist was the unilateral actions that some of the members have been taken, which, you know, we have very, we have to let them know that there are any options. the not coordinates. so of course, that the intentions between china and the us, as you said, between,

between us and europe. i mean, but you've seen recently that's actually the united states and europe have come together and tackled some of the long standing issues of tyrants. so that seems very promising. and we hope that that can set an example of our members can bilaterally deal with each other and come to agreement with us going to the dispute settlement. that being said, geopolitical attentions are high, but i want to share something with you while we see the rhetoric to very hard actually, when you look at the trade number, you will see that trade between the u. s. i'm. i know it's very robust and almost i know time the same be about trade between europe and china. so sometimes what is actually happening on the ground dramatically different from the rhetoric that you hear? you joe kinetically. ok. director general of the world trade organization goes

a conjure whaler. thank you so much for joining us on counting the cos. thank you. now for centuries, saffron has been a powerful components of the economy and culture in indian administered kashmir. temperatures have been rising though, and rainfall is more erratic, threatening the future of this rare spice. possibly metal reports. it's the busiest time of year for saffron farmers. mirage beans family is harvesting purple flowers that only bloom for a week. they live in indian administered kashmir. pomp or district, and like others here have been farmers for generations. the last few years have been tough, lorna bush and walked also said mr. border production has been decreasing gradually when i was younger, we used to harvest about 15 kilograms. now we barely recover labor costs is because the erratic rainfall and at times drought like conditions the rebel,

the government installed irrigation pumps would barely use them. would know when a good saffron farming is hard work. but lucrative strands are individually plucked and piled up a $150.00 pounds, and flowers can yield one kilogram of saffron with sales for nearly $3500.00. now the world's most expensive spice is staring at an uncertain future, the demand hawkish. mary, saffron has always exceeded supply, and the gap is getting wider. production is down 30 percent on 2 decades ago, filling in some of that shortfall in markets like these. if afrin from iran, it's cheaper to buy and sometimes sold as kish miti. the government opened this facility last year to increase production until now react mudrinich family dried strength. the traditional way here is done by machines, which is quicker and maintains the quality scientists test the strands regularly and certified them via tim. we're going dradian. want to get it because we heard that saffron gets the g. i tag here below. it is scientifically process,

so we can sell it globally at a good price levels that many farmers have produced, lying and storage. yeah, i'm impressed with the facilities and technology them are low enough. but sheila, he from the saffron research center is telling farmers about new ways to so and 10 day crop. he also advises them on how to reduce the effects of climate change most to meet up. did you by jesse is rainfall patterns have changed and it's not happening at the right time. if that's one of the main reasons behind the production decline. we have recommended a new regression scheduled to the farmers sighing to see their methods can improve saffron quality and increase production by up to 40 percent. but many farmers as skeptical. they have little faith in the government and see their lander secret. they say nature will look after them, like it has done for centuries, and vats is, are short for this week. but remember, you can't get in touch with those my a twitter tweet me at alamo. here dee use the hash tag agent ctc,

when you do or talk as an e mail came to the course at al jazeera dot net, is much more for you online at al jazeera dot com slash a c t. c. that will take you straight to our page, which has entire episodes for you to catch up on an answer for this edition of counting the cost. i'm how lamar he is in from the whole team. thanks for joining us. the uses next on al jazeera ah the philippines aspiring to restore fire in duck st. i thought the going to deny

and the wrong one i, one aisd investigates on al jazeera both pop it in less than a year. how high the middle east 1st. well, in preparation the country is staging a major with 16 nations going head to head in thanks, porpoise built stadiums. 2022 will keep you across the action as council prepares for the regions biggest sporting events. that the for our up on algebra. with

me. the un secretary general urges nations to reconsider their south african travel bands, as the country's praise for identifying the new army kron variance. ah, hello, i'm emily. angry. mrs. al jazeera live from doha. also coming up. another round of talks began in vienna in the latest effort to reinstate the 2015 nuclear agreement with iran. china promises a 1000000000 doses of the corona virus.