informed opinions, there was a need, fabulous federal government to take action to really facilitate aid to take right in depth analysis of the data global headlines. insight story on al jazeera. ah, the army kron very, and drives up cove 19 cases in south africa infections 5 times higher than the number reported a week ago. ah, i'm sammy's a dan. this is al jazeera alive from dell hall. so coming up, the u. s. springs back, had trompe or a border policy false thing. asylum seekers to weighs in mexico while their applications are decided. uganda and troops continue their security operation

against an armed group in the democratic republic of congo and refugees living on the greek mainland face hunger after so forces withdrawn rights. organizations of blaming the government. ah, south africa's health minister says the country is now entering its 4th wave of corona virus infections. nearly all its provinces are experiencing a rapid rise in cases where the newly discovered army cron variant has been detected. more than 11 and a half 1000 infections have been confirmed in one day 5 times. the number reported a week ago. health experts say army crown is driving up infections, but hospitalizations and i see you capacity remain stable. richard, the sales is from the university of choir zulu natal. he says research is need more time to understand the new variant. it's spreading very rapidly through our

community again. and i think you know, that it, this bread, it's time started very much in how tang providence and it's more generalized in that province now. but really what we're seeing across the country now is, is the exponential rise in cases. and that's when the numbers get scary each day, you're going up by a quite substantial amount. and. and what we're seeing still is that this piece of research that came out today from some colleagues giving us a little another piece of the puzzle, really that, that there clearly is an increased risk of re infection. so that's people who have had cobra before. and now testing positive again, and we have teams, we've been tracking that over the course of the pandemic can they can show just in the past few weeks that the, the number of people testing positive again,

has gone up quite substantially. and that gives us this clue again, that this, that the speedy and had significant kind of immune if asian properties that it can get right. and some of the protection still most of the, the spread up till very recently has been in the younger age groups. and so, so a lot of what, what doctors are seeing it's still mild, but we need time for, for the older age groups to be effective to, to start to really see and get a clear picture of the severity of illness. the u. s. is reported on the economy in 5 states, including one person in hawaii who had no history of travel. president joe biden has announced title restrictions for international travelers is also appeal to all eligible americans to get boost to vaccine shots. she returns the reports from washington, d. c. the president biden had been due to outline

a winter plan for dealing with covered before the discovery of the on the chrome variance. but the president appeared hopeful that even those reluctant to get vaccinated were changing their minds. now there's some evidence in one poll, i won't mention that because i'm not positive of the number was told this is i was leaving the white house that there is an expectation that 30 percent of the non vaccine center. no circumstances would i get a vaccination because of the new variant are now saying i'm going to get them activations. biden is filing an approach based on what he calls science and speed, and not chaos and confusion, the underlying principle of his winter plan to make resources available to prevent another lockdown. it doesn't include shutdowns or locked downs, but widespread vaccinations and boosters and testing a lot more in order to ensure the 100000000 eligible americans who have yet to get a booster shot do so they will be contacted and availability ensure hundreds of family vaccination clinics will be opened,

where all eligible age groups can be vaccinated at the same time. and mobile vaccination connects will be sent to underserved areas to prevent school pleasures . the centers for disease control will release the findings on whether it's possible to test or students on site. instead of sending them home after a coven case is reported to home, testing kits will be covered by health insurance or provided free for those without insurance. the number of surge response teams, medical staff can be deployed into areas where medical resources being strained by the virus will be increased by this pledge to speed up the delivery of the vaccine that has promised to the developing world and travelers to the us. we require to be tested within a day before departure. instead of 3 days. the mosque mandate on public transportation will be extended into march. some scientists and the world health organization of argue that the case for boosters for the entire adult population. and not just a particularly at risk simply hasn't been made, nor is the evidence as yet the booth is increased protection against on the chrome . the w h i walk is to prevent further variance. the priority should be to get

vaccines to the developing world. i call on all member states to choose to achieve our targets of vaccinating 40 percent of the population of every country by the end of this year, and 70 percent by middle next year. something button didn't announce was requirements for vaccination for domestic ad travel and measure that somebody will further nudge the u. s. as unvaccinated eligible adults to get the shot. but at a time of nationwide legal wrangling over vaccinate mandates in the workplace, that would clearly be a hard sell for some share brown. see al jazeera washington in germany unvaccinated people will be banned from much of public life. outgoing chance. langler merkle calls the restrictions, an act of national solidarity. germany's parliament is also considering imposing a vaccine mandate. andrew simmons reports on the situation across europe. in less

than a week, the omicron variant has swept the globe with more uncertainty about cove. it in many countries, especially in europe, new restrictions were being introduced anyway with the winter surgeon delta variant infections. germany is the latest to announce new measures. signs like these vaccinate immunized is the way this country and others are now heading the unvaccinated on our bod from access to all but essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies. angler merkel says new stricter measures are essential in a situation she finds depressing. as it was, got anything with it and it has to be quite honest. the fact that we are now in the middle of such a strong 4th wave does not make me happy. it depresses me, especially when i look at certain regions when zia, in france, where the health services struggling with record numbers of cove infections. the government, scientific advisor believes the on the chrome variant will be dominant within

a matter of weeks. laverne me said i cycle berg are equal value on the real enemy is the 5th wave with the delta variant. there will be some time before the army on a variant establishes itself in france and in europe. in general. we estimated to be at the beginning of 2022 or at the end of january, you do need one in the u. k, where booster jobs will be available to anyone over 18. the arrival of the on the chrome variant has led to a clamor for vaccinations. we're starting to think people who i think probably anxious about the new very within come across in with us to get people coming for their 1st and 2nd jazz that they couldn't possibly had months ago. you case prime minister boris johnson himself got his booster on thursday in germany. the government will also consider compulsory vaccinations and those people put their hopes in jobs being able to ward off or ma chrome, something that scientists are still unsure about. there's

a chilling prediction from the european union's public health agency. it says that within a few months the on the chrome variant could be causing more than half of cova infections in the e u. and from the norwegian capital oslo. another warning, more than 50 people have been infected with the over kron variant. at a christmas party in a restaurant. the government says they were all vaccinated. andrew symonds al jazeera. let's take the bank to the situation in south africa, which is of course, witnessing an increase in the number of covert cases. dr. angelica co, etc, is the chair of the south african medical association, and the practicing general practitioner, based in pretoria sch, joins us live from there. good to have you with us. so data seems to still be evolving when it comes to army kron. what do we know today about whether it is significantly more infectious than the delta strain?

good morning from south africa. good question. yes, it is quite transmissible. it's important to understand that our data, yes, that i showed that our total cases wants to $11500.00 and that is fine with a detection rate or $24.00 proceed. so i again, confirmed this morning with my, according to the amendment, we are in the if the same tech and to we audit what we call frontline proficient has family practitioners means we see the patients that come from your community on whom, again, with my colleagues we still see, miles guy says, this is not a lot of i me shoes. i think in the whole group they was city at me shows and that ease at if you look at the amount of patients be seeing it in not a huge amount of i'm not saying that those patients are not see sometimes so mild.

and i think what is also important, did you speak courses now when awareness among the people that if you have just as a broad nose and please come and get a sense of i think this is why i would write also increase it. but this is what i need to have on the so what you're saying correctly then, although infections and you've confirmed it is more infectious, it, it is not more severe in the symptoms. is that mean it is not more deadly. what we are seeing at primarily healthy level, and again we see the bulk of the patients. for now what i seen today doesn't seem more day. it seems just very foss grady. and therefore, i gave the most important thing is you think you have anything related to remotely

related to an upper respiratory track. please go and see your doctor, doctor, please. and i will let her know that was the question. if it is, if it is not producing in some cases, much more than a block, knows it is not the more deadly and it's not producing very severe symptoms. that's one of understood from you, correct me if i'm wrong. so how worried and how much of a global panic should there be over it then? so i'm not finding it just to get a block, as i'm just saying, if you have symptoms like that, this very much is going get tasted for, for now. again, if there's sometimes a blood we are seeing the vaccine, i just am vaccine, i said, but i do infection to be infectious or miles. we're not saying that they will not be severely severe. that you question. we still need to see the plaza and vaccine. i did with co morbid these are chronic disease coming into the parameter l

. spice. we don't really see them so they might be much more m. c and suffering from severe disease, but totally the sanity, the picture. the so mar, do we need to be worried? because we never know which patients will get severe disease. for now that doctor will only be available, going forward and even increasing our hospitals. but it's more in the private sector hospitals where they are seeing an increase in the patients. we have tried to ask, what is the clinical sometimes we don't have that clinical sometimes. ok, and a very important one. what do we know about how effective existing vaccines are against army kron? is the doctor any clear today? yes. so again, vaccines are supposed to protect against the dc. if we do got to watch

b. c as actually nicest people. if mild infections, we still need to see it to get the doctor vaccinated people with severe disease, but in the primary healthy space. we don't currently see severe disease whether i should grad bright 3 infectious either on fire or johnston, georgia that he said that somebody else that might change. but for now that he's we're happy with what is received. we're not saying we're happy. we saying we can handle this out of our spectrum. ok, thank you so much for sharing your information about this. to angelica, how south korea is making it mandatory to show the vaccine path for more public spaces, including cafes and restaurants. the past has already been in use, but until now and if a high risk venue like jims,

south korea is ramping up restrictions after confirming 5 cases of the army, kron variant authorities also canceled quarantine exemptions. so vaccinated travelers and have replaced it with 10 days of mandatory isolation. malaysia is detected its 1st case of the con corona virus variant. it was found in a fully vaccinated visits arriving from south africa via singapore. earlier this week, malaysia and singapore opened their land border. one of the world's busiest vaccinated travelers and asia is also suspended. the entry of travelers coming from 8 african countries due to concerns of the micron variance. the whitehouse is reinstating a trump here a board of policy that false is asylum seekers to waste in mexico for us immigration hearings. the bio and administration had scrap the remain in mexico program was made restarted by a court order in august. the program will begin at one border crossing location on

monday. my cana as more from washington dc. well that texas court ruling was upheld by the supreme court, which agreed that the bible had ministration had not investigated fully enough before removing this particular law. biden had described the lo, introduced by president trump as in humane and his administration, got rid of it immediately. however, now, in the light of the supreme court judgement, the administration is we introducing this remain in mexico protocol. it has been the last few months a discussing with the mexican government ways in which this could be imposed in a far more humane manner than it was in the past. this includes, for example, providing transport for individuals, a to encampments within mexico, where they can stay while they are waiting the court cases to proceed within the united states. a significant matter as well was that the us agreed to make because

demand for a time limit on the legal process, a maximum of 6 months to be taken to decide the case of each particular individual . but this is, of course, going to have a massive impact on tens of thousands of people, the bite and administration. one understands is looking at its immigration protocols to see how it can rewrite its immigration policies in a way that would satisfy the courts. and conservative politicians are still ahead on al jazeera concerns rise about the military escalation in easton ukraine. despite the high level meeting between russia and the us, the ah, hey, there are getting going on your weather forecasts for europe and africa. we're going to begin where all the action is. so we find ourselves in that central med into the

adria attic. see the eastern shores of the adria attic, see, but a lot of rain come naturally for southern portions of italy. give you an idea of the moisture around the eastern shores of the adria attic. see, sorry eva could see up to 20 centimeters of snow, but go closer to the water. most started to bravo. nick, we're going to get dallas with some heavy brain. same goes for the western portion of greece, also disturbed weather for western areas of turkey. this includes is mere 19 degrees, sceptre is have popped up here on correct 13 and a breeze through the boss for assist stumble. we'll see gus about 50 kilometers per hour, but nothing like we fell just a few days ago. iberia flood stricken areas of northern spain. we'll touch on that in at sack. but 1st to the northwest, we've got a run of atlantic rain to what the south, west of england, western france. we could see some flooding to what the north east of france snow moves away from latvia into saint petersburg, russia, and now we'll go to iberia. we're much of that. rain has petered out, so we've got dry conditions in store here. and we'll end this in northern africa

where we've got driving rain for northern areas of algeria and tunisia. tunis has a height of 12 degrees ah, in the country with an abundance of with whom we move to grow and fraud with economy, blue economy and the digital economy. with the new job creation law, indonesia is progressively ensuring the policy reform to create quality jobs. investment let's be possibly. this is rose and indonesia. now, lou

ah, welcome back here watching al jazeera time to recap our headlines now. south africa's health minister says the country is entering its 4th wave of the corona virus infections fueled by the newly discovered army cron variant. more than 11 and a half 1000 infections have been confirmed in one day 5 times. the number reported a week ago. president joe biden has announced tied to restrictions for international travelers. the u. s. has reported omicron in 5 states, including one person in hawaii. i've no history of travel germany plans to ban unvaccinated people from most public spaces. outgoing chance langler merkel has announced the measure. she says parliament will debate making vaccines mandatory by february reinforcements from you. gander are arriving in the democratic republic of

congo on the 4th day of a joint operation against rebel forces. air and artillery strikes have been launched against the allied democratic forces. uganda blames the adf for 3 suicide bombings in its capital. last month. laura burton, mandy reports, people barely walk in the deployment of troops and tanks. many want an end to file, and it's beset ethan democratic republic of congo for decades. a joint forces operation by the u. canden and complete governments, and through townsley allied democratic forces. the rebel group is accused of massacring thousands of people. at this, we support this operation and the collaboration between our 2 presidents to put an end to the adf killers. we're expecting a lot from this operation because we want to resume with our normal life. this is a, it's a real joy for us to see the u. p. d. f. soldiers. finally conducting military

operation and d, see mainland benny region. it was our demand and the suffering of the people in binion did treated regions who have long been massacred by the adf. you can the government plainfield idea for november suicide bombings in kampala. the comalies army have been fighting rebels for years and introduce martial law in the region. 6 months ago. we decide to bring together our digital services. and now we bring together asper shirt forces to walk in the ground to make sure we are ready to sing . if we can reduce it, reduce 100 percent of our procedure we will do so by this in year is that clearly we want 1st to destroy the i look at these thick forest surrounding benny, have provided a shelter and strategic base for the adf. originally from uganda and the rebel grid has been active for nearly 3 decades in the 19 ninety's it fought against you,

gun as president you are, he must have any but was defeated in 2001, and relocated the d i. c o. molten group say attacks had become more widespread, brazen and bloody after the adf aligned with i sold 2 years ago. and for the past few days, the joy, both of these artillery and air raids against the rebels, and say there dave and numbered. but they have made clear how long this will take laura, that money out to sara. you are a secretary of state antony blinkin has met his russian counterpart as the divide between moscow and washington widens over ukraine. lincoln is concerned about russia's military activity in the region. russia's foreign minister, so gay love is protesting nato encroachment. bernice smith reports from moscow. this was the 1st face to face meeting between antony, blinking,

and circ. a love rav since joe biden became u. s. president. the u. s. secretary of state use the encounter to warn russia of the serious consequences, including sanctions, if it invades ukraine. c. it's now on russia to deescalate the current tensions by reversing the recent true build up. returning forces to normal, his time positions, and refraining from further intimidation and attempts to destabilize ukraine were watching the situation very closely, were in close contact and coordination with her allies. rushing back separatists in east. new crane had been patrolling these trenches for more than 7 years. after russia annexed crimea, now a build up of russian troops along the border. more than $90000.00 says the government in kiev is fueling face of a russian invasion. across the field, ukrainian force is holding exercises. russia says ukraine is being provocative, deploying more than half its army,

a 125000 people to the east. russia dismisses as inflammatory. any suggestions is preparing to attack. the kremlin is also floating the idea of a new european security packed to try to stop nato from expanding further east. we, as president preaching, stated, do not want any conflicts, but if i may to partners have stated that no one has a right to dictate to a country that would like to join nato, or wherever it can do or not. we can say to every country is able to define its own interest to guarantee dare security. in the spring, there was a similar show of russian strength along the ukraine border tension eased after a 1st summit meeting between the russian and us presidents. russia's deputy foreign minister says he's hoping for confirmation that there'll be some sort of contact between vladimir putin on joe biden, in the coming days could be a phone call or a virtual meeting if it does happen, then just as in, earlier this year could go

a long way to calming tensions on the ukraine. russia border. bernard smith, al jazeera moscow. more than half the refugees living in camps on the greek mainland are in danger of going hungry after authorities restricted aid. the government has tightened rules and is only giving food and money to those in the process of applying for asylum. johnson pull us reports from a refugee camp near chucky. the asylum seekers served lunch at its on a camp. 90 kilometers north of athens on today's menu burgers with mashed potatoes or pasta with bologna sauce, there's a choice of salad, fresh, tomatoes or beat. some people take the food home, others just take the salads and throw the cooked meals away. but of anna a, mary, an afghan, who's lived this camp for 2 years, explains why they don't want to take the food because they don't eat it. they don't

want it because it is not eligible for most of them. i think it is getting it because especially for the children such food waste seems incomprehensible. especially considering that of the 18000 refugees living in camps on the mainland. 60 percent are in danger of going hungry. that's because state aid is given only to those in the process of applying for asylum. and most camp presidents have already been accepted or rejected. they're now expected to fend for themselves or leave the country. but excluding these people from state aid, say, refugee charities, undermines what the government achieved by putting them in camps in the 1st place. a few months ago when people were but not the same, you saw them in the us, and it was the same government of the squares and with zoning mckesson. and i was the same government was asking them to lead because they need to remember long and many here say the government has just made the problem. worse,

governments have typically taken over tasks, aid groups developed in times of crisis. earlier this year the government took over management of mainland camps from the united nations on october 1st, it further shrank the u. n. 's role, assuming responsibility for cash handouts. these transitions haven't always gone smoothly. the 40 percent of camp presidents eligible for cash hasn't received any for 2 months, starving a fledgling economy inside the camps and leading to hunger crisis. many like the immediate emily has been granted asylum, a living off savings. others rely on cash from relatives. this age group say is a manufactured crisis, resulting from greece's lack of integration policy for refugees. all of them are external, overseer, the resource or, and they're not there, then they just need more real support. and the plan that we look at their needs from recession point the gratian and then that will just be for

us. and not the burden. greece says it is merely implementing the law supporting those deemed in need of protection and asking every one else to go away, but they have nowhere to go. jobs are hopeless at the malak asa under itala refugee camps. outgoing german lead angler merkel has been treated to a traditional send off to mark the end of her 16 years as chancellor. she chose some personal favorites for the military band to play. ah. that was a 1974 pop song by east german artist nina. hug a new became a punk singer. later, michael opted not to stand at september's election on a shots will take offices. chancellor, next week chinese ride hailing giant. did he global? says it will d less from the new york stock exchange and pursuer listing in hong kong. instead,

the company pushed ahead with its 4000000000 initial public offering in the u. s. in july, despite warnings from beijing about data security, chinese cyber authorities ordered the removal of 25 of its mobile apps from install, citing national security concerns. ah, let's take you through some of the headlines here now. jesse are now, south africa health minister says the country is entering its full wave of corona, virus infections filled by the newly discovered army kron variance. more than 11 and a half 1000 infections have been confirmed in one day 5 times. the number reported a week ago president joe biden has announced tighter restrictions for international travelers. the u. s. has reported to me crohn in 5 states, including one person in hawaii who had no history of.