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reminder of the top stories now on al jazeera health experts around the world say it's too early to know if the all the con variant of coping 19 will cause more severe illness or evade vaccines. bucks, health officials of confirmed cases of the heavily mutated variant from the week before south africa approach the world health organization. uganda has sent troops across the border into democratic republic of congo targeting the rebel group. the allied democratic forces the offensive started with air and artillery strikes. sudanese security forces of use tear gas against thousands of pro democracy demonstrators rallying in the capital cartoon for testers continued to demand the full transition to civilian world. a far right commentator has announced that he is running for the friendship presidency during a video launched on youtube, which urge vote urged voters to take the country back from quote, minorities that will press the majority air exam,

more is seen as the top contender to challenge the rights marine the pen in what is likely to be a run off against the manuel micron. next april, the 63 year old says he is running to try to save at france from the tragic fate that lies ahead said to ominous music. so most campaign video shows images of women in head scarves, black men on the metro and security video of st. violence was a more is the son of algerian jewish migrants. he is well known in france for his writing and his prime time t v. appearances which have helped him build a right wing nationalist platform. much of that is identity politics including taking a hard line against immigration, saying that it's a threat to france and this causing the country to decline. he has recently been on trial charged with racist hate speech over comments that he made about unaccompanied migrants is being find twice before and investigated 16 times.

he's also known for extreme views on his lamb, which he is called in compatible with western values. he is frequently cited the conspiracy theory of a great replacement of white french people with muslim immigrants. it's been widely disproven, but has been referenced by several mast shooters, including the new zealand mosque. a packer or phillip man here is a professor of french and european politics at university college london. he joins us via skype. thank you for joining us, sir. isn't we're definitely a quite, quite the character i suppose. and do you think there is any chance that the kind of, i'm guessing interest he has managed to get in france through his t v appearances and books will actually translate at the pole and goof? well, we shall see a good evening festival. we shall see. i think what is quite unusual is never i think in the seats republic, in france you had a candidate launching campaign with such a fall. right. such randy, call ah,

the scores. i think you normally, you know, when you want to compete seriously for this election, you and your, your new year will have to, together together to rally a majority of the french people. so are the same or speech a to day was clearing on the far right. and i think would look, the big issue now is so far he has been touring. france to promote is latest group which is selling well. or i think he had already started in a sort of by stealth or to, to, to, to, to launch his campaign. but he wasn't officially can, he knows, officially, candidate. and the truth of the matter is, is a very untested politician. he was never petition is a tv pond. it is done that for the past 30 years. so willy harm will have what it takes to run this campaign and sustained the course. because of course, this is a very hard election, even if it doesn't necessarily sustain the course,

what impact you think it's going to have on other parties, especially m marine la pay. now remember about 20 years ago, there was a big shock when her father january lip and got to the 2nd round of the presidential election. but how does, as a more now impact her presidential campaign or the whether the more is ultimately successful or not as a candidate, i think he has already impacted the course of the selection by sort of making, i would say virtually most political forces, at least on the rides including moderate right, shift to the right. that's what he's been doing. nothing by contrast, and it's quite an amazing achievement, money repair, and who comes from the far right. and she is seen as a far i candidate by my very good friend. people comes across as a fairly moderate candidate. this is what the more dots to, to retain. so if is not successful at lease is ideas on immigration. islam great

replacement, or that you cited in your introduction will have made it to the mainstream of politics and probably will have helped mother lupina herself because what le pen has been trying to do over the past years is to demonize herself and her own party . so that people do not see her any more as if all right candidate. so by having alongside her a typical far i can you, they probably are. this is what look then will be doing. so in a sense, indirectly, implicitly, z more might be helping the pen. when we talk about the far right, i mean there's a lot of different parties in europe that could fall under that heading. but all of them include who facility to immigration to some degree, how or other? but when we look at and general european policy towards immigration, how is this impacting the more mainstream and not necessarily far right, or even right wing parties? it is impacting greatly look at the primary election, which is

a taking place right now within libby, cow, which is the main conservative party in france. nicholas arcos his party. i think they've been debating on c v several times the main candidates, and i think it's been very much some kind of the same or marked to, you know, sounding very much like the far i candidate by focusing on all the time on a very limited or number reach, use notably immigration, the fear hall of being swamped, so to speak, by migrants though, the fear of losing friends identity or the fee or moral decay very much present as well, lots of law in order or related issues as well being are sort of talked about so i think this is much to the right than the usual conservative agenda in france. so i think yes, again, z more is impacting on, on the political game in france by re shifting the debates out very much to

the right. i think we've never had the saw the campaign or sort of the main things being so much to the right of what it's normally an election which is competing in the center of good of, of, of the political spectrum. and also of course, the topics go well beyond immigration. i mean, france like everywhere else is trying to recover from cove. it that's had a massive impact. you know, there is question marks like in every country about the, the level of that, you know, having our vaccines restrictions imposed on people that are vaccinated. the future of the, you and you, leader in germany. mean there's a lot of issues that the next french president should have to deal with. how much is integration with this the videos in moore's candidacy? overshadowing actually, what are the main themes of the selection? i think what we shall see is a campaign. has him officially started election will take place in april? so i think the election will only stop officially a few weeks before that. but i think yes,

it is very harmful to be for candidates on the left who traditionally promotes a, an agenda based on a so sir economy is used to be heard because much of the debates are revolving around law nor to re susan immigration, even prison, macro hasn't stood that he has as far as a young president, sort of the politically economy liberal shifted to the right progressively throughout is term. and he understand that. but, but again, as i was saying earlier, that z, moore's or candidacy might help append to to sort of look a more reasonable and a moderate man. she actually is the same girl with my call, who is now finishing his term as a very popular candidate. but because he had isn't, is made opponents are so radical on the, on the right that you might also benefit from that by sort of appealing to more moderate electorate santa love center. right. who will absolutely not want a fall. right. president certainly going to be an interesting election campaign we

hope to speak to you again, certainly before the election in april for the moment. phillip maria, professor french and european politics at university college london. sir, thank you. a quote in myanmar has delayed the verdict in the trial of our stead leader answered she until next week said she is facing charges of incitement and violating corona virus restrictions. she was detained in february when the military seized power. a flash demonstration against the military took place in the city of young gone. the small protest lasted about a minute ending with the burning of a picture of militantly military leader, general ming our knowing foreign st. louis has been following the trial from cologne for a source has confirmed that the court in navy door has deferred the verdicts till next monday. but there wasn't a reason given as to why the voted has been deferred. non political analysts, and observers i've spoken to say they wouldn't have been surprised if santucci had

been found guilty. many say the military still fear how popular almost on suit she is. she had in the last 2 general elections led her party, the national lead for democracy to huge victory. and they wouldn't be surprised if she had been found guilty and also given a prison sentence or the very likely she would have been allowed to serve that under house arrest as previous military governments had done. now, few people believe on suki has been given a fair trial. she and her co defendants have had very limited access to the defense lawyers. there are no reports of the proceedings or the hearings because no journalists, no members of the public, are allowed at the hearings. and many people have described these trials against c, g, n, her co defendants as show trials as a way for the june tied to the trip to mize the coo. but the military government has denied this. and it spokesman says on san sushi has been the for, has been accorded due process under the rule of law in law. there have been

celebrations on the caribbean island nation of barbados, which is now of republic ending ties with the british monarchy. sandra mason has been sworn in this president, replace in. queen elizabeth says, head of state or latin america, it is. we'll see in human was at the facilities in bridgetown. ah, the declaration of the world's newest republic was marked by celebrations ah, with the music song and dance that barbados is so well known for ah, but above all, it was time for solemnity. prince charles arrived for the last time as the representative of the queen by businesses head of state, marking the end of the british monarchies, ties with the island to once known as britain is caribbean, crown jewel, the creation of this republic of the new beginning. but it also marks a point on a continuum, a milestone on the long road. you have not only travelled,

but which you have bills. then the british military flag was lowered, replaced by one that represents only barbados, which now has a new president, sandra mason. we now turn our vessels bow towards the new republic. we do this so that we may seize the full substance of our sovereignty. barbados was britton's 1st and most important slave colony, whose sugar feels produced vast wealth for the empire. it gained independence only 55 years ago, but retained the monarchy. the pre, barbados became one of the queens, 16 realms. but the many, the time had come to cut the umbilical cord with the monarchy. duane evasion as by bay dns called themselves cells, tiny salty fruit, the grows by the seaside, a specialty here. he agrees with the change, i feel has to be a positive,

but one of us is able to run the quote. so, you know, it was a bit from decisions, but others like 19 year old kashana says that the decision to break with the monarchy was imposed on them by the prime minister without consultation. it wasn't, you know, as soon as one day, as you see, if the probably, and now with the new president will have a largely ceremonial role behind the prime minister and barbados will remain a part of the british commonwealth, which queen elizabeth heads this former quaker plantation has been the residence of the governor general, the queen's representative in barbados for the last 55 years. now. it will be the residence of this country's new president, making barbados the was youngest republic at least for now as a farewell president of sorts. the prime minister awarded prince charles the countries middle of freedom and then announced another surprise, the nations hero award to the country's most famous citizen singer rianna,

who is also an ambassador for barbados. impractical terms, not that much will change, but for a great many here. no longer having to pay tribute to a monarchy that brought her ancestors here from africa in chains is a change that was long overdue. hosea newman al jazeera bridgetown, barbados, josephine baker, the american born dancer, a singer actress and rights activist who made her home in france. has been officially admitted to the french at pantheon was in the m, she's revered in france for many reasons, not least, her work for the resistance against the nazis in world war 2. had a special ceremony in paris, present m a con, colder. some one who fought for the liberty of all that the mother has more. a hugely symbolic moment. josephine baker becomes the 1st black woman and only the switch the woman ever to be admitted to the palm tale in paris. take you. oh,

the french president paid tribute to a woman who defied huge challenges. who the fin, the girl min mana da da combo josephine baker fought so many battles with freedom, lightness, and laughter, leisure, dazzlingly, beautiful, and clear sighted in a senshi full of distractions. she made the right choice at every stage that said that she had always separate light from darkness. and yet nothing was preordained. josephine baker was born in missouri in 19 o 6, but by the age of 14, she was in new york, dancing in all black musicals. in 1925, the big move to paris, where she'd star at the shawn's eliza theatre. she seen made headlines for her risque routines appearing topless, and also wearing a banana belts in the dull salvage. something that attracted criticism from anti colonial activists in france at the time. like our val, connecticut, josephine baker would represent all the fantasies at that era. it was

a very colonialist attitude towards her, a very condescending view, but not as racist as what she known in the united states. and that's why she tolerated his attitude and played with it because, you know, she was part of her, the whole generation of people who moved to france. they were black, but they were also american. so they were in a higher position than the africans or the west indians, who also lived by the thousands in france. baker went on to tour europe and appear in movies. but world war 2 changed everything. now, a french citizen baker worked for the resistance using her performance as a cover to spy on the nazis and even italian dictator, mussolini should eventually become a left tenant in a female group of pilots, under general de gaulle, she remained loyal to the goal even during the upheaval of the 1968 protests after the war. baker got involved in anti racist politics. she was the only woman to

speak at the $963.00 march on washington d. c. where martin luther king delivered his i have a dream speech, but she was also devoted to her family, adopting 12 children and living at a chateau in southwest france. she died in 1975 days after a final show in paris, celebrating her half century on the stage. at the request of her family, josephine baker's body will remain in monica where she was buried. this coffin contained soil from free places close to her heart. the us, monaco and france didn't bother al jazeera, stay with us here and al jazeera coming up. we've got all your sport with jemma nash. mm. yes, we do a live up from our special studio here in dia. it's day one of the fee for our cup and we've got plenty to get through. stay with us. we're back off to the break. ah.

with mm. whole

ah. for welcome to out. there is a special coverage of the fee for our cup. while we've had an opening day victory for the highest cattle and that the integration of 2 well called stadiums. hello, i'm gemini, ash on day one is the tournament which doubles as a major test event for the world cup next to new. that news for got taught 2022 if we to know grace on tuesday, including a spectacular opening ceremony out based stadium on the crowd. they were treated to a fuss at when by his nation passed all they defeated ball. right. and the only go

with the match. and in the opening game of the tournament, a big win that you visit, hammering martini up 51 in group b. as i mentioned, our bank stadium has opened its doors are reporter and the richest and was at the ceremony. and he's got more on this unique arena. it's unlike really anything i've ever seen in wilful. it's designed to reflect the sort of nomadic culture of cats on the raging, sorry, it appears to be as sort of 10 like structure on the outside. but inside, you've got a super modern 60000 all seats, a stadium al by translates from arabic into english. his home and this will be where cats are opens it stills to the world next year, and that will come. it will be where the very 1st game is played. on november, the 21st of 2022. now in capital one, the bid full this will come in 2010 they promised the most compact will come in

history in terms of where the stadium would be. and they delivered on that the 8 stadiums that they've got to roll within a, a metro ride or a short drive of each other. and it throws up the idea of fans being able to go to more than one match per day at all fact charge the complexity of tens of thousands of fans criss crossing a relatively small area in a short period of time. and all the problems are may or may not coals. so although this, our cup will not have the same number of fans that we'll see in the world come, they're doing their best to shadow. that will cut tournament. so full matches today, just as will be for matches on many days during the world cup to test out stadium logistics. to really stress test the match our system and the organization of the roads and everything around the state. and just to make sure that everything that was promised in 2010 can be delivered next year, also hoping to deliver next as well as the qatar national team. and they've made a winning start to the fif app as i previously mentioned, defeating. all right,

one, now let's take a look at that. go with them in the 2021. these boy one of the many the 2nd world can you integrated on tuesday with stadium 97. well, let's get more on last serena with joanna roscoe. stadium 974. is the latest well cut the venue to be in o grated by the capital 2022 organizes. now mine $74.00. mine seem like a very strange name, but it's actually the international dialing code for capital as well as the number of shipping containers used to help build the stadium. now they're shipping containers a part of what is the 1st,

the mountable stadium that's ever been seen at a fee for the world cup and they were prefabricated, some of them contain toilets, others contain concession stands and also some of the referee changing rooms. now off to the well cup, this'll all be taken apart. it'll take about a year to take all of those shipping containers apart and will be sent overseas. and that's part of what the organizes promised when they bid for this world cup that there would be a legacy left behind. after the 1st middle east world cup a match stadium, $97.00 full was between the united arab emirates and syria. you a getting that women underway with a to one victory the 1st much of the our cop facilities. yeah. up against mauritania. the med been alley stadium. i've expected it too strong for the african rivals winning this 15179 just very with the 1st goal of the tournament. it was my haven't been out, but he's got to pick up

a bunch of great be off of that and plastic the tree and in the opening match of group a long as iraq through one. 0, there money's it. took me to the 2nd half of thanks to a penalty and latent so for each time iraq will also give it an opportunity from the sports game on. keep a safe the shot. but he moved off his line too early, so i had to be retaken. iraq to changed a penalty type is good decision that was because this time they found the back of the net to all of today's teams, returns to action on friday and throughout the opening day if the fee for our cup, i'll report that next year, brian was among the fans, that one of us most iconic destinations suit lucky, one year out from the world comp. and this arab cup is an important strace paste. not just of that all important football infrastructure, but also places like this. i'm going to walk in which was built around a traditional trading market, and it is one of the cities biggest tourist destinations. you have to remember that

copper is home to people from 90 different countries. and the people who don't have the country represented in the arab cop or even next year's world cup have taken on copper as their home team. that's why many who couldn't head down to the stadium for the opening match between cutter and rain hated here. so the suit and stayed below who is in the the atmosphere was great, the opening ceremony was something to be proud of and to celebrate. the performances were good and honestly something extraordinary. and if the hey on the opening ceremony was a success she, it was exceptional organizations, the celebrations, everything was put together perfectly. in the 1st game, we saw golds and strong performances. i hope the rest of the arab teams have a successful competition, especially the division team. and while the arab cup will attract just a fraction of $1200000.00 visit is expected for next year's fif at world cup. it's still an important taste of the traffic. it's security of public transport. fans

are being encouraged to take metro shuttles to the stadiums, and they have to have a fan id which gives access to the stadium and also free travel on public transport . on the days they go into a match, but really both competitions are about putting this region on show its assets, history, its culture about inspiring more love for the beautiful game, and perhaps inspiring a future football sta that so your sports from me for now. now it's back to barbara in london. jemma. thank you very much for that. now that's almost it for this news. our going to be back in just a few minutes with more of today's news in the meantime. you and check our news website. there it is. al jazeera dot com, we've got all the latest on the new, on the chrome or very, and what we know about the new covariance. you can see that article there on the right. and of course, one of the views of the vaccine companies about the impact that the variant could have a back in

a few minutes thickness. ah ah, and a sediment and development have altered the course of the revenge. it no longer flows to the sea, and around 10 years ago it became more susceptible to red tights. the boom of l k calls as discoloration in the water. i'm going to scoop some of his water out. and you can see there's a rust colored tinge to it, tests by the fisheries department, show the l. he in the getting river is of the alexandria species,

which produces talks. it's grossly been a bra. him is a fisherman for malicious don't, but district in collecting, in the 19 ninety's, the giddy river was clear. you could see the said, we didn't have any problems here. now the river is polluted and it smells bad. fisheries officials have issued notices, banning people from selling or eating malice, found along the getting river. the area affected by the red tide is small, but news of the algae do has affected seafood trade is in the area. a mass pro democracy movement, violent crackdowns assassinations, and you imposed sanctions? all talk tics in the struggle that ensued from the 2020 bella luce, in presidential elections. that shook the country, self proclaimed dictators. seat of our at now new tactics, migrants people empower, investigates, the humanitarian disaster under rivaling on europe's borders and asks what's next

in the battle for bella bruce on a jazz eda. oh, you want to help save the world? sneeze into your elbow. m for, for vaccine questions calls markets to tumble. as the world health organization warns that blanket travel bands will not stop the spread of the on the crone variant. ah, hello barbara, sarah, you're watching al jazeera light from london also coming up. you can then troops crossing to democratic republic of congo, a joint offensive against an armed group. oh, a cry for change rings.