[000:00:00;00] a guess with me this is al jazeera. ah hello, is the whole robin. you're watching the old. is there a news our life, my headquarters here in doha coming up in the next 60 minutes. now will be consequences occur goes in both those rules were broken. the u. k. prime minister

apologize is after leaks, video shows his senior staff, joking about holding a party during last year's lockdown rush. as president vladimir putin says that talks with joe by what positive, but the u. s. leader again, wards of sanctions. if ukraine is attacked. social democrat, olette shows, says sworn in as germany is new chancellor, taken over from england. michael india's defense cheese and 12 others have been killed in a military helicopter crush. i'm devin ash, with sport coming to live for love b for our cup studio as tiger woods and ounces. he'll return to competitive golf next week and a current of iris outbreak at toddler, with 13 cases detected at the premier league club.

ah, welcome to the program, the u. k. prime minister has come under fire after a leak to video showed his senior staff joking about a party reportedly held during last year's lockdown. at the time, london was under a top tier restriction with no social events allowed even within businesses. one of the advisors seen in the video has resigned. forrest johnson says he's furious, but has repeatedly denied any rules were broken. and he's expected to give a press conference shortly on restrictions to combat the armor, chrome varied. let's get more on this from andrew simmons who joins me now in london. it's been a very busy, furious and frustrating day for not just politicians, but for the public at large have been watching this story unfold quite unpleasantly . most certainly and very bruising day for the prime minister who faced really tough questions in the house of commons. rowdy affair with that or more and

more pressure being put on him, he kept apologizing, describing the situation as, as really, really a bad on the people of britain. because these were offensive, offensive matters, offensive acts and allegro stratton the, a former advisor, and spokesperson a to boris johnson. she has resigned. she was at the center of the whole thing, and he had said that people will possibly face disciplinary measures. these staffers from downing street, but sir, it has to be said that the leader of the opposition, the main opposition party, the labor party kiss darma. he said that there are more questions than answers in what forest johnson had said. he had a short everyone that that would be an investigation led by the cabinet secretary. and he said that he would cooperate with what is

a police inquiry now into the events in that video? as to whether or not they are evidence towards a breach in coven regulations at this party? or, as johnson denies the party took place, he says that that as far as he is concerned, there were no breaches of any coven rules. but as far as the opposition is concerned, they're saying this is a lie effectively. and the question is, where was boris johnson? at the time it was december, the 18th christmas was near. there was on that day a large number of covey deaths. it was only 3 days after phase 3 of the restrictions which were near on lockdown were introduced. so really difficult situation phase there. and now we have the point that sir, as the labor leader was making that how can,

or as johnson now have really the moral authority to make directions to the british public on what to do well now we way, well see, you are likely to see and hear new restrictions being made on the public wave cove it because our mc crohn is spreading rapidly. and there's one report, a leak report from scientists suggesting that there will be more than a 1000 people a day going into hospital at the n. h. s. the national health service will be under real pressure because of that. and so really a lot of concern about what will happen next. and of course andrena as we wait. and we can see pictures of his of dining street as you wait for the prime minister to take to the podium. you know, he's at a bit of a bashing in parliament today. we expect the press court to give them a hard time where he is right now, but more so i think there could be huge questions from the public in terms of, you know, they're so confused about the restrictions about what they're supposed to do,

what they're not supposed to do, businesses will be all so very concerned were in the run up to christmas. and this is a huge and very important time for the finances of the country and for those small businesses to get themselves into 2022 as a viable possibility. lots of people with lots of questions are, will be wondering what the price, what the prime minister is going to announce it in the next few minutes. that's why there was speculation that he will go for what termed plan b, which is really a sequence of measures, particularly of the vaccine passport. as it's known, controversial measure, you're seeing it right across europe. this sort of thing happening. but really, i sort of like touch to this. it could be just at night clubs in which these are, these are identification papers are, are actually used. all of that digital pass is used or it could be bars and

restaurants. that's not clear. but there is also a likelihood of the extension of mask wearing at the moment it's only on public transport and stalls. but it could be introduced right across the board. furthermore, social distancing and working from home. and i can just see now andrew, or was just going to interrupt that because the prime minister has taken to the podium, let's just listen to what he has to say. targeted in proportionate measures as a precaution, whilst our scientists discovered more and we're learning more every day. we don't yet know on the chrome severity it's exact rate of transmission, nor indeed the full effectiveness of our vaccines against it. but since i last spoke to you, it's become increasingly clear, the omicron is growing much faster than the previous filter variant, and it's spreading rapidly all around the world. 568 cases have been confirmed

through genomic sequencing across every region of the u. k. and the true number is certain to be much higher. most worryingly, there is evidence that the doubling time of one micron in the u. k. could currently be between $2.00 and $3.00 days. and while there are some limits on what we can learn from south africa, because of the different rates of vaccination, a different rates of previous infection, we're seeing growth in cases here in the u. k. that now mirrors the rapid increase his previously seen in south africa. and south africa is also seen hospitalizations, roughly doubling in a week. meaning that we can't yet assume that omicron is less severe than previous variance. so while the picture may get better, and i sincerely hope that it will, we know that the remorseless logic of exponential growth could lead to a big rise in hospitalizations, therefore, sadly,

in deaths. and that's why it's neither proportionate and the responsible thing to move to plan b in england while continuing to work closely with our colleagues in the devolved administrations. so we slow the spread of the virus by ourselves, the time to get yet more boosters into arms, and especially in the older and more vulnerable people and understand the answers to the key outstanding questions about on the chrome. so 1st, we will reintroduce the guidance to work from home guidance to work from home. employers should use rest of the week to discuss working arrangements with their employees, or from monday you should work from home if you can. go to work if you must work from home, if you can. all right. i know this will be hard afer for many people, but by reducing your contacts in the workplace, you will help slow transmission. second,

from this friday we will further extend the legal requirement where face master most to most public indo venues, including theaters and cinemas. there will be, of course, exceptions where it's not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising, or singing. 3rd, will also make the n h s k b pass mandatory for entry into night clubs and venues where large crowds gather, including unseated indoor venues. with more than 500 people unseated outdoor venues with more than 4000 people. and any venue with more than 10000 people, the n h s. k with pass can still be obtained with 2 doses. but we will keep this under review as the boosters rollout. and having taken clinical advice since the emergence of omicron a negative lateral flow test will also be sufficient. as we set out in

plan b, we will give businesses a weeks notice. so this will come into force in a weeks time, helping to keep these events and venues open at full capacity, while giving everyone who attends them confidence that those around them have done the responsible thing to minimize risk to others. as only cross spreads in the community, we will also introduce daily tess for contacts instead of isolation. so we keep people safe while minimizing the disruption to daily life. and of course, we will take every step to ensure our n h. s is ready for the challenges ahead. but the single biggest thing that every one of us can do is to get our jobs and crucially to get that booster. as soon as our turn arrives, one year to the day since the u. k became the 1st country in the world to administer a covey vaccine into the arms of margaret keenan. we've opened up the vaccine

booster to all those over 40, and we're reducing the gap between 2nd dose and booster to a minimum of just 3 months. our heroic and h. s. staff and volunteers have already done almost $21000000.00 boosters, including reaching 84 percent of all the eligible over eighty's. but we need to go further and faster still, because our scientists are absolutely confident that you're removing your immune response will be stronger if you've been boosted and while you're at it, please get your flu jab to. let's do everything we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones this winter, and to reduce the pressures on our, in a chess as we learn more. so we will be guided by the hard medical data around 4 key criteria. the f, efficacy of our vaccines and our boosters,

the severity of alma crohn, the speed of it spread, and the rate of hospitalizations. we will constantly monitor the data and keep it under review. and of course we must be humble in the face of this virus. but if and indeed, as soon as it becomes clear that the boosters a capable of holding this on the crum variant and we've boosted enough people to do that job of keeping on micron in equilibrium. then we will be able to move forward as before. so please everybody, play your part and get boosted. i'm not going to hand over to chris to do the slides. thank he prime minister at 1st like this. i wanted to situate this it initially on where we are with del silva, cuz what's happening is i was coming or johnson speaking there at downing street and handing the button over to chris,

witty the chief medical advisor there for the u. k. the at h. s. andrew, andrew simmons was there listening and obviously andrew, are the prime minister setting out the agenda really for this press conference starting really with telling the cotton, telling us all how many alma chrome cases that have been and how quickly it is spreading across the country. yes, sir, this plan be as expected as being rolled out in full that the guidance is to work from home as of monday. however, that's up to people to consider in the sense that if they feel they really have to get to work than that's permissible. and then from friday, most public indoor venues will be subject to people wearing masks right across the board at the moment it's only restricted to public transport and stores. furthermore, and it just cove it passes,

have to be used in night clubs and large venues. and there's a step change between what's described as a large venue for the numbers seated there, and what regulations will be impose there in terms of whether or not that mask can be worn or whether or not they can indeed take people on. now this is really a, a reaction to on the chrome with no doubt it serve the problem there. is he saying that every 3 days, every 2 or 3 days, the infection rate is going to double? and so this is coming at a fascinating time really the same day as this, a rather large political crisis has emerged over the christmas party, or whether or not it took place. and whether or not a corona virus restrictions were broken in the event. and whether or not a forest johnson can be believe when he says no,

this did not happen at all. and he would see the discipline action taken against the senior downing street staffers. if an inquiry finds them guilty of what appears to have happened. but nothing can take away a how damaging politically at that whole affair has become will, while learning st continues to offer the statistics to the british public, andrew will monitor what's going on there, and we'll come back to me sure. later in the day. thank you. not joe biden says, sending us troops to defend ukraine from russia is not on the calls that are made. putin and joe biden spoke on virtually on tuesday, about russia's troop builder on the border with ukraine. the u. s. warned moscow that it would to suffer south face pop me, severe sanctions if it invades no russia denies it. has any such plans by the and

said that the discussion between american and russian officials are ongoing positive that that for our team that it got that we hope by friday we're going to be able to, we're having meetings at a higher level not just with us but with the 4 of our major data, while i add russia to discuss the future of russia is concerned relative to dado writ large. and whether or not we can work out heavy accommodations as it relates to read down the temperature along the front. kimberly, how could jose be now all washington d. c. white house correspondent, kimberly certainly a more upbeat president when it comes to commenting on that to our mammoth conversation. positive in all respect. yeah, these are the 1st comments we've heard directly from you as president joe biden. about that meeting previously it was all through his either white house press

secretary or his national security adviser, but you heard there from joe biden that he thought that the discussions went well. he felt that it was very straightforward. and as we know, he did issue a warning that was expected to vladimir putin. that should he invade ukraine, there would be harsh consequences. and what did those look like? we know that isn't the form a very strict financial sanctions that would isolate russia from the global financial system. but what he also made clear is that in terms of additional us support, particularly military, there would be that support for ukraine. but what he stopped short of saying is that there would be us boots on the ground. in other words, when u. s. reporters asked the president, he left the white house on his way to kansas city to how does infrastructure plan, but why would they asked if there would be u. s. military support in terms of soldiers?

the u. s. president says that is not something that is on the table. now. you heard the president a moment ago say what he sees so far is a diplomatic path forward and the time table, very tight. getting started this week in terms of nato being the mechanism for moving those discussions and trying to resolve the differences with russia over ukraine. what we should also point out those, that the u. s. president was very clear. he said in his conversations with vladimir putin, in other words, warning russia that, unlike 2014, when there was the russian annexation of crimea, the u. s. said this time, the punishments would be much more severe if russia were to take that sort of action in ukraine for the update. thanks very much. kimberly. how can that all white house correspondent? well, russia's president vladimir putin said earlier that he hopes the u. s. on the kremlin can continue to talk, but of smith hospital from moscow not in a put in described long and detailed talks,

he said were constructive and subjective. and he said the most important thing is that we can continue us dialogue, so it generally positive tone coming from the russian present, who has been pushing his office in the coming, pushing for these talks of many weeks now. but he did still say what he believes nato is pursuing a clearly confrontational policy towards russia. he said, and book asked about if russia was planning to invade you crazy, cold. such a, just such a suggestion. provocative receipt. but it will literally be when your new political, russia pursues peaceful foreign policy, but it has the right to insure it security in the mid to long term, as they have said already. and we are discussing this with all our partners, including my dial up partner yesterday, president biden. we can only be concerned about the perspective of ukraine's possible admission to nato, because this will undoubtedly be followed by the deployment there of appropriate

military contention basis and weapons that threaten. there is the normandy grouping . this is made up of france, germany, russia, and ukraine. and it was set up to try and bring an end to the fighting. it has fail so far to do that. but russia is now saying there's no reason why the us shouldn't join this group. and that seems to come off the back of a suggestion by the us secretary state on sydney lincoln last week. but washington try is offering it services to try and facilitate toward facilitate talks to end the fighting. and we should also say that ukraine's foreign minister at the end of these talks between brought biden and putin. he described them a serving the per purpose of the terrans and de escalation. saudi arabia's crown prince, mom had been so man as indo, hard to meet the amir of qatar, as part of a regional, tall and others visit, comes ahead of the annual gulf leaders summit in re add this month. it's his 1st

trip to cut us in saudi arabia and 3 other arab nations imposed a blockade on the country in 2017, which ended earlier this year. let's go live to our correspond hush abra, who's therefore sir in doha monitoring events more than just a good will visit this hash. hm. well basically people here are saying this is quite a significant moment for both carter and saudi arabia because as you said, this is the 1st visit or the saudi from friends. my habit been said man to cutlass since 2017, when 4 countries impose a blockade or other. now they said that over, that's a turn chapter. the truly does met in saudi arabian algola, in saudi arabia earlier this year. and they said it's about time to move forward and to turn the chapter of the crisis of 2017, which was the worst political crisis in this part of the world. the 2 leaders met here, the hell tours and they spoke about different issues, security, diplomacy, original issues,

and the need for both at our and sandy arabia to move forward. businessman from both countries met earlier here than the day. and they're saying basically that they are willing to move forward and build stronger relations between the 2 countries, which they help with further extend and bring about a stronger juicy see her how she hopefully you're still with her said no, we can talk about also the fact that other things that they will be discussing on the table, where they perhaps vary in their opinion, are iran and yemen. and this is definitely going to give us an indication whether sandy arabia and kata have generally managed to move beyond the crisis. because now when it comes to they say that the intentions are there, that they are willing to move forward. but when it comes to the regional issues vast, where we have been having problems for quite some time. and i have to say that since the out of spring,

the 2 countries have had different views about how to move forward. and this was pretty much where pronounced when it comes to issues like libya where both countries have different views when it comes to syria. when it comes to e m n, and when it comes to dealing with iran, now this is a compress. mohammed been sentiment, 3rd leg of his visit to the gcc, who was in all man. he was in you a, his looking forward to build bridges with all these countries, so that when they meet on the 14th of this month in saudi arabia, they would be able to say, we are coming about as a one single, unified voice when it comes to all these regional issues, but i have to say they've never been on the same page when it comes to those issues . so i think is going to take them some time to be able to set aside their differences and more forward has robert into her. thank you. and from doha, let's go straight back to london where bars johnson is taking questions on the

resignation of some of his staff and also the issues of the christmas party on that at donning street. i want to repeat that the, the fundamental point is that i think the, the, the british public. um, notwithstanding the window, the point that you make can see the vital importance of the medical information that we're giving. and they can see the need to take it to heart and, and to act upon it. and that point has been proved time and time again. and it's no, be more conspicuous in the way that the public has responded to the, the vaccine, a roller in the way that they've, they've done the responsible thing. so i'm, i'm, i, i take my encouragement from the way the public have of dealt with it themselves. underscore asana, as of i t v i minister even really agree to an investigation into what

happened on december the 18th last year because of the video that emerged from this rain and electric fastens resignation seems to further suggest that a party took place despite the denials but we've also had serious allegations about parties on 3 other occasions. so i want to ask you why they aren't being investigated. is it because you haven't been caught out in those cases, or is it because reports are tray that you attended? some of them until the rest of your hair. can i ask how worried you are about whether this undermines public trust? because the polling suggests that it does dale and conservative and peace. i believe saying that it's very hard now to mandate the public to act that thanks. we're measure image guy, will i repeat what i said in the house and the earlier today the and the cabinet secretary will conduct an inquiry into the a into what took place on december the 18th. as for other events,

there are other dates that you mentioned. i as far as i'm aware, the best of my knowledge and we have followed the rules throughout and that is that is what you would expect. indeed, we followed the rule as far as i'm aware of the rules were followed on december the 18th as well. and i just, i just repeat that point, but it's clearly important that the cabinet secretary is able to get to the bottom of it. but in the meantime on your, you know, your, your sort of like your global rule, your big point again, and which is really the same as, as laura's, i think for overwhelmingly the, the public see, or the importance of the, the messages that they are getting by this medium, it is imperfect or we do what we can to explain what we think is, is necessary. i know it's contentious. i know it's difficult and i know that sometimes the, the messages are

a confusing or we do our absolute best to make it as, as clear as possible. and we do everything that we can do to protect public health . that's what we're, we're, we're driven by. but a kristen patrick euros, i mean the measures work with people, follow them, and that's been shown time and time again during this, that's incredibly important. everyone follows it. is everybody. it's was incredibly important throughout. it's going to be incredibly important going forward. and it only works if we all do it. and we're now facing a viral variant that's rapidly progressing. it's got the doubling time between $2.00 and $3.00 days. and measures need to be taken to try and slow the spread of that variant as well as and i think this is important to us all boosting our own defense is by getting a boost the job. so i think in the rules are there quite carefully thought through and given scientific evidence. now they're because they're important and they're there for everybody to stick to. yeah, i can just add to that. i mean, i think,

you know, we all know that people get very angry including colleagues and friends and when they feel that it's unfair, i'm not trying to say that and has comes. and he said it's your child is there alive. where of course chris was he and patrick violence, the medical experts there alongside the british prime minister talking about the exponential rise and increase of abra chrono. a. why the public need to take heed of the plan b, which has now been set into place because will continue to monitor what the british authorities say as the day progresses. here on out, there are things. let's move on to germany now. where 16 years of chancellor, and it's all over for her love sholtes from these social democratic party, has replaced angular medical and is now leading europe's largest economy. now he faces immediate challenges, a full wave of the kind of virus and security threats that europe is facing at its borders, set bass,

and has more from berlin. this is good bye to the woman. many in germany have called with the mother and welcome to the man with the tough task of filling her shoes. shriller duffy's mother love shows war to fulfill his task as chancellor after his appointment is rather stamped by m. p. now does so called traffic light, coalition of social democrats liberals, and believes him get the word choice of denial. scott, i'm looking forward to the new job, but i'm looking forward to everyone working here and today mark's a good start for a country on the stuff in charles, his hometown, hamburg, batch had all gone, celebrates his special day with a discount for an all of short haircut and little joke from the barbara who happens to be an old friend. they met each other when both are working for the s b day, the social democratic party, and toys, there was long for me. it does all of us at dark. why it's a special day because my good comrade, my very sensitive comrade, been in

a powerful position as chancellor and i will keep my fingers crossed the mud on the