or virulent selma. covariances, scientists are urging caution from around the world. political observers, aren't you? his government has letty dismantling of democratic institution? ah, euro's president joe biden and russia vladimir putin prepare for a virtual summit, his tensions mount over moscow's troop build up on the ukraine border. ah, robinson, this is al jazeera alive from dough hop. also coming up an explosion in iraq, southern city of basra, kills at least 4 people. the governor calls it a terrorist attack, a violation of the olympic spirits. china fires back at the u. s. after it announced a diplomatic boycott of next year's beijing winter games. an end of an era after 16

years and power chairman, chancellor, anglo merkel, makes way for the next generation of leaders. ah, the going tensions between russia and ukraine are expected to dominate talks between us president joe biden, and vladimir putin. the main focus of the virtual meeting will be russia's troop, build up at the ukraine border. but our fears that moscow may invade its neighbour according to us intelligence. it's preparing an attack alley next year, and it's a master, some $70000.00 forces. russia denies any plans for an invasion and has described the accusations as hysteria. president putin once a guarantee from the west that ukraine will not join nato. joe biden is expected to urge de escalation or warning of economic consequences. if an attack takes place,

he's been working with allies to prepare sanctions, bonner smithson, moscow. we're gonna get more from him in a couple of minutes. but 1st, let's hear from our white house correspondent kimberly hoggard who's in washington dc. what the u. s. hopes to gain is some sort of pathway to diplomacy. it's very clear from the statements coming out of the biden administration in recent days that that is the desired path. so what we saw in the last 24 hours was the u. s. president consulting with european allies, we know he spoke with a french liter emanuel macro, german chancellor angle and merkle, as well as the british in italian prime ministers. and what we understand emerged from those meetings was essentially a strong joint stance that what they are looking for is some sort of commitment from russia that it not only will respect ukraine's integrity in terms of sovereignty, but also in terms of territory. it's very clear that the white house has one red

line, and that is if russia invades ukraine, there will be punishing financial sanctions that will be levied against russia. this would be something that would isolated from the global financial system. in other words, it be very difficult for it to convert rubles $2.00 or any other sort of currency. so that is the 1st sort of tactic that this white house is taking in conjunction with its european allies. but again, there is this other option that is hanging in the balance when the white house says it essentially is reluctant to discuss or even indicate is available. the pathway forward seems to be a financial sanctions. when's that would be so punishing? it would really cripple russia financially. bernard smith has more from moscow. what vladimir putin wants from this meeting is respects to be treated as an equal and he wants nato to stop bit eastwood expansion by allowing ukraine to join. now of latin putin has said that when ukraine declared independence,

after the long after the collapse of the soviet union, that was a great common calamity. it's not how many ukrainians might see it, but an indication of the centuries old, historical links that have been between the 2 countries. and that's a lot of what to do is behind this. and russia has been increasingly agitated by what it sees is american and nato activity on its doorstep. naval exercise with u. s. navy, in the summer turkey, selling armed drones to ukraine, and russia and the u. s. military arming the ukrainians. all these russia putin sees as a problem. now let me put in may be things that bite and can't give him these guarantees. but put in now has this bargaining chip the build up of those troops on the border with ukraine and analyst. the saying that build up continues, then by the end of january, russia will be in a position to invade ukraine,

although that will come at enormous military cost and human cost, not just to ukraine, but to russia as well. ukraine a much better trained army now than it was in 2014. when russia annexed crimea, at least 4 people have been killed by an explosion in iraq. southern city of basra last happened near the hospital. several other people were injured. awkward. i'm the one that has more from doha. the governor over as basra city has called it a terrorist attack, despite the fact that he has not given any more details about the causes as or who behind who is behind the attack. a. but he calls it a terrorist attack. now the bus or a girl province has just declared 3 days morning at for the victims of the the attack eye witnesses in the scene said that at a man just pocket a motor bike or near to vehicles and left and then it ex,

applauded in the 2 vehicles after the man left did the scene and the smoke was coming out of the, of the bite of the motor bike. and there 2 vehicles as it has been circulated on that at social media. now, the governor of a bustler at pledges to identify the perpetrators and to know the the yellow coals behind that tax and also to punish the perpetrators or those who are behind it. the attack. it's interesting because bustler a lake other are southern provinces in iraq, a has been quite for a long time and they're up to list our tax. all right, would it usually happen in the north, at, namely in the areas in the disputed areas between could this tan region and the, the, the by the dead or territories. the saudi coalition in yemen says it's launched

several airstrikes against military targets in the capitals. the nav, it comes after saudi area was army, reportedly intercepted and destroyed missiles fired at the kingdom by who the rebels, who these control much of northern yemen included, sir nar, which they seized in 2014. so did coalition raised against the iran back her thieves have increased in recent weeks. china's warning bilateral cooperation with the us may be harmed after washington announced a diplomatic boycott of next year's winter olympics invasion. american government officials will not attend the event because of what they call human rights atrocities and genocide. any you reports from beijing hatch, it's all field on tanya. chinese winter olympic uniforms already and thousands for the vent stuff have been hired, but there will be few guests attending with the games. opens engaging in february the united states has announced a diplomatic boycott site and concerns about john his human rights record. only american athletes and not officials will be present. dating,

says the move is an act of political manipulation move on to over the u. s. approach seriously violates the principle or political neutrality is false. established by the limpid chatter runs. contrary to the limpid motto of a more unity understands on the opposite side of the last number of athlete and on the spot. if you the asked over the wall. washington says china is treatin of muslim weakness and should jump amounts to genocide. rights groups say, forced labor and sterilization, are rife, accusations repeatedly dismissed by the chinese government. your lead up or down shing young has effectively guarantee the rights of people, of all ethnic groups. they're masters of their own affairs. other countries, including the united kingdom and canada, are also considering diplomatic boycotts. analysts say this will escalate tensions and do little to change china's behavior. we will have virtually no and or do

impact on, on their policies. and ginger ah, and or their policies in hong kong relations between the u. s. and china have dramatically shifted and chilled since paging hosted the summer olympics in 2008, which former us president george w bush, attended for china, is just trying to figure out exactly what all of this star means. abe is a just political posturing ahead of the midterms next year via president who was unpopular. or does this reflect though a long term rash, systematic and structural differences between the countries. ah, the u. s. has also applauded to women's tennis association for suspending all tournaments in china for concerns about the well being of chinese tennis star punctual i. who has not spoken publicly. after accusing a senior official of sexual assault, the chinese government says it will respond with firm counter measures, but it hasn't released details as to what those might be. in recent weeks,

the 2 countries announced these concessions to help the exchange of business people and journalists. industry leaders are now worried that those would be katrina, you al jazeera aging. new zealand also says it's will be attending china's winter olympics at a diplomatic level that says that decision mostly has to do with coven 19 and travel logistics. the deputy prime minister says the concerns about human rights still exist and have been raised with beijing. we make very regular statements around our views, all human rights issues with respect to china and the prime minister's rights. those directly would prison in j where we are already not attending diplomatic level is and so it's a hypothetical map. at least 30 people have been killed in a fire burn days, mean prison. dozens more were injured in the early morning. places, reports for fire service didn't arrive in the scene until 2 hours after the start

of the blaze into the ministry says the fire was caused by an electrical short circuits. still, i had an all, does it a new rules to limit the spread of the all the convent come into effect in the u. k, we're going to live at london's gatwick airport and indonesia. president vestry, who's rescued references, doesn't jermaine, missing off to amongst the metal into erupted ah and away we go with your weather update for asia. hello everyone. we're seeing that ne, not soon pick up in intensity, so it's stern up some rain in the bay. i've been gall, that's on wednesday checkout on thursday, pretty much for that entire east coast of india. we're going to get played with some rain, but we're got darker colors here. that's bursts of rain. so coastal on trip or dash o disha into west been gone. next stop,

i'll take you to indo china. we're with that ne monsoon. it's chuck in rain into central and southern parts of vietnam and check out what it's to him to the philippines, cutting rate through that center of the country here with just douse with rain especially. that's where the ease, so we got to be on the lookout for some flooding clouds drifting in across as some of the river valleys in china. so the pearl river valley, the gang see, and the yellow river valley and where we got those clouds that have a cap on temperature. so grey lin, just a high of 18 on wednesday. that's lower than where you've been over the past few days. next, stop for japan, a lot of activity for central areas of hon. shoes, some snow higher elevation, but big winds in some big waves. so for tokyo itself, i think will be blasted with wind gusts in this city at potentially up to 75 kilometers per hour. and a gloomy shower a day there with the high of 9 degrees on wednesday. okay, i'll catch up with you a bit later on, sir. ah,

in the country with an abundance of results. byron juan, indonesia, his business firms. for me, we move forward to grow and fraud. we balance for green economy, blue economy, and the digital economy. with the new job creation law, indonesia is progressively ensuring the policy reform to create quality jobs. invest, let be part linda. this is growth and progress in indonesia now. ah ah, you want to go to set a reminder about top stories this. our concerns about a new conflict in ukraine are said to dominate talks between us and russian leaders

. later on tuesday, vladimir prudence denied that an invasion is planned, blaming nato, for the need to position his military as a buffer against 6 expansion eastwards. at least 4 people have been killed by an explosion in iraq's southern city of basra. that last happened near a hospital. several other people have been injured. china is accused the u. s. a violating the olympic spirit after washington and those diplomatic boycott of next year's beijing winter games making government officials will not attend because of what they call human rights atrocities. and genocide with the world health organization says, imposing mandatory vaccines against the corona virus. it should be an absolute last resort. the warning comes as more countries in europe debate, whether to adopt the strict measure due to a wave of new infections driven by armor con variance. last month,

austria announced it would make inoculations. compulsory for next year. dates and on vaccination are an absolute last resort. and only applicable when all other feasible options to improve vaccination uptake have been exhausted. they have proven effective in some environments to increase vaccine uptick. but the effectiveness of mandates is very contact specific. mandates must be supported by appropriate policy considerations. a comprehensive implementation plan, including provisions for exemptions and a strong communication component for the population in travel restrictions have come into effect in the u. k. as a result of the new variant, people traveling to the country only to show a negative test results within 48 hours before the flight. flights from several countries in southern africa are already banned by mr. bowers,

johnson's told his cabinet. the armoire con variant appears to be more transmissible than delta won't. let's go over to under simmons not at london's gatwick airport, that people in u. k. have been used to 2 restrictions chopping and changing. how are these new ones being viewed? they're well mixed. used really a lot of people are thinking this may be too little in terms of the on the chrome virus because all evidence is pointing now to it spreading within communities and boys, johnson of the prime minister, i had to announce that to a cabinet meeting on tuesday, let us, he said, that only indicates is now all that's on the chrome, or is it is spreading out? it is actually nearly indications are, but it's more transmissible than the delta variance. and indeed, other suggestions are that's it's a matter of only weeks,

not months before on the chrome overtakes delta as being the big biggest challenge, the biggest threats to people. the question is now, of course, how dangerous is on the chrome seems to be little doubt that it is spreading out of a rapid right. but the bottom line is that you k people feel that may be the government is being too light handed with restrictions. they are all limited face wearing restrictions that there are limits. it measures elsewhere. there was no ban on on. we're on traveling to work. there is no sign of any lockdown. in fact fall from it. the deputy prime minister has put, has actually it on tuesday that a plan b, which had some modest increases in restrictions, increases in that level of restrictions or plan b will be put in place before christmas. so, as i say, people are worried that there will be not for the 1st time in the u. k. of the

times in this pandemic that the action may come to lights to actually make any difference. so the numbers are increasing in the u. k. andrew, what about the rest of europe? well, the answer that question is hangs with. particularly with the e u. health ministers who are all gathered in brussels. a discussing what further measures re can take that they all looking at the travel restrictions on whether they could possibly introduce more. although suggestions are that that may not take place. there are also looking at that major thorny issue of mandatory at vaccinations are which are in place already in it going to be in austria in february. and germany is also considering similar action elsewhere in europe. there are further measures in many states to move towards that mandatory

vaccinations and also towards tougher restrictions that were verging on locked downs as well. one that one aspect of that a lot of people may be concerned about in terms of super spreading comes from spain in malika. what were the was a christmas party at the hospital, there under the rule of medics including nurses and doctors, and nitty 70 tested positive after that occasion. 70 people, positive nurses and doctors. and thanks very much that sandra simmons, bringing us up to date on the current situation in the u. k. and in europe. thank you. the south africa's president stepped up his fierce criticism of the way countries of reacted to the new am alma kron varian. settle, rama poser, made the remarks during a peace and security form in senegal, saying western governments have also failed to deliver covered 19 vaccines that they promised to africa from duck on. nicholas huck reports the fight

against the new alma cron variant in senegal starts here. had a health center in downtown to car. we're doses of the coven. 19 vaccines are available, actually with the can. the, it's not because we have a vaccine that we are america. we need to keep protective measures and protect those around us. it's not over at the to day peace and security form held into court on monday, south africa as president, serial number, poster accused rich countries of creating health apartheid. i have personally really been disappointed in the approach that the rich countries have taken on the issue of vaccines. firstly, they hoarded vaccines. they ordered more vaccines than their populations required. and when we wanted vaccines, they just kept, you know, giving us the crumbs from the table. and the greed that they demonstrated

is something that is quite, quite disappointing. indeed, particularly when they say they are our partners. the pandemic overshadow. the 7 piece insecurity form held here which welcomed heads of state intelligence officers and military chiefs. usually discussions and the forum revolves around greater military cooperation between western nations and african countries. but with western countries breaking their promise to supply vaccines in their unwillingness to wave patterns, to allow people here to make their own trust is eroding with some nation, looking at new partnerships to help the fight against cove it in africa, china and out it's sending 1000000000 doses of vaccines on the fight against arm groups. in this a hell region, new year's president admitted that al qaeda affiliate or in some places better

equipped than the security forces of some countries in west africa following increased attacks. molly, seeking help from the russian mercenaries working for wagner, the private military company. thus way conflict miley, we have decided to go more and more for diversification of our partnerships. we can work with china, we can, will give her russia, also at the form delegates from western nations reiterated their good will and intentions. but countries such as south african senegal, say that's not good enough. vaccines made in africa for africans is what they want . almost a quarter of a 1000000 africans are reported to have died of the virus so far. the message here is those death were preventable if only victims had access to vaccines. nicholas hawk al jazeera de car, germany's marking angler marco's last day as chancellor of shots is said to replace her on wednesday, bringing the curtain down on her 16 years in office. it pains the wave transformed

political landscape with a new coalition. and when it came, reports from berlin, 4 times angle immaculate, her party into a general election 4 times. she won that election and using a leadership style based firmly in the political center. when the berlin wall fell, chancellor helmut kohl brought her into government where she thrived, and when a scandal engulfed him, she engineered his departure with a ruthlessness which saw her 1st become party leader. and then chancellor in 2005. she was under estimated by her rivals, the rivers talked about the way and the means they would come to power bud merkle followed the logic of party politics. get power key, power, and get your opponents. and why was away the in suing e you debt crisis propelled her on to the international stage where her star rose

as she helped broke a bailouts for europe's ailing economies and cemented her position as a german leader. the world's presidents and prime ministers wanted to be seen with, but it was her handling of another crisis which would shake people's faith in her when refugees from serious civil war began arriving on europe's doorstep, she opened germany's borders more than a 1000000 came increasing numbers of senior colleagues in her own party openly disagreed with her policy. her poll rating suffered in the far right populace. anti immigrant alternative for germany party thrived, many wondered if mackerel was becoming a lame duck. but then came the corona virus and as infection and mortality rates rose across europe. so did michael's resolve? well, now he was me. europe's economy is badly shaken. fundamental human rights have had to be temporarily, massively restricted to an extent,

unprecedented for our democracies. these are decisions that are among the most difficult and my term as chancellor. her pragmatism this time meant agreeing vast grounds to ailing european economies. she was brilliant and managing through all the crisis. but again, not in a very visionary way, this hardly a project. i could link to angela magazine. ok, this is where she actually implemented whatever topic were discussing, actually a great idea. so it's much more that she managed to, to get to all these crisis because it was the crisis she couldn't manage your way through alone. in her last days, as chancellor, the numbers of daily cases had record highs. now she had to give way to the incoming government leaders who vetoed her proposed lockdown. and as the new parliament deliberates, she is just a spectator looking on as the man who replaces her, does so,

having styled himself as a male, makin dominant king al jazeera berlin memorial, has been held to mark the 18th sound of our story of the japanese attack on the us naval base at pearl harbor, the prize bombing in hawaii, 941 killed 2390 americans. but us have been neutral in the 2nd world war until that attack president franklin d. roosevelt declared war on japan. the next day, indonesian president joker with doors promising to increase evacuation efforts after a devastating volcanic eruption. at least 34 people are confirmed dead but many more remain missing. after months scenario erupted on saturday, and actually bryan reports this muddy wasteland of broken homes and ash covered crops lies in the shadow of indonesia mounts the mirror volcanoes. it sounded to life on saturday, shooting clouds of ash into the sky,

swallowing homes and blanketing entire villages and gray survivors say there was no warning and that many people were killed when, after the iraq in my house was damaged to the ceiling destroyed, i opened the door it was so hot, so i closed the door, went into the house, but then i decided to many and now sheltering and evacuation centers where they given hot meals and a temporary roof over they have. but indonesia, president says a more long term plan is necessary, junko, widowed, or visited the disaster zone on tuesday. his government will now look into moving homes away from the volcano because of the threat of more or options that up the. we hope that once everything has subsided, that everything can start fixing infrastructure or even relocating those from places we predict or too dangerous to return to just now i received a report saying that around 2000 families need to be relocated immediately. mount

scenario is the tallest mountain on the island of java, and one of nearly $150.00 active volcanoes in indonesia. people are being told not to travel with an 5 kilometers of the crater, because the nearby is highly polluted. evacuees complain about coughs brought home by the dust and smoke, while many in hospital is suffering from burns from the searing hot lava. i had a i just when i came down from my truck i stepped in the loft. i ran and climbed onto the roof of someone's house. the volcanic cache and smoke was choking. i felt like i couldn't breathe for 10 or 15 minutes. i don't know, but thank god i was given a chance to live. others weren't so lackey, the body of a 13 year old boy was retrieved on monday. the rescue is a battling dangerous conditions. rain has turned debris into thick mud and the lava is hardening. for now once bustling villages remain empty and silent. people say

they're too scared to go home and case the volcano rose to life once more. alex or brian al jazeera are here, refugees in the u. s. s. seeing facebook parent company meta accusing it of failing to acts against hate speech targeting them. the $150000000000.00 in damages. they say facebook's algorithm encourage users to express extremist views. more than 24000 can have been killed and me and mine. since the government crackdown in 2017 hundreds of thousands fled to neighboring bangladesh and turkey have signed several cooperation deals in the agreements covered trade, investment, health, and media. and they were signed with a quarterly amir turkeys president, was on a 2 day visit to the golf country. the united arab emirates is cutting. it's working week to 4 and a half days and moving its weekend to saturday and sunday. the hard to say this

shift is aimed at improving the countries competitiveness. the new work week will come into effect in the beginning of next year. the u. e, as traditionally observed friday and saturday that we can't like most middle eastern countries. ah, this is audra 0. these are the top stories concerns about a new conflict in ukraine and said to dominate talks between us and russian leaders . later on tuesday, vladimir prudence denied that an invasion. this planned, blaming nato, for the need to position his military as a buffer against his expansion eastwards. our white house correspondent kimberly harker has more from washington dc. the lingering question has been from white house reporters to the by the ministration. what about the military option? should russia invade ukraine.