ally hair until it goes spacious. finally, after 2 days of 36, there we make our 1st hey we both birds will join 14 other kiwi relief in the last few mom. it's a vital step in fading wild kiwi, which we're almost walked out across the region 2 decades ago. ah, a guilty verdict for 3 pro democracy campaign. as in hong kong, they're charged with taking part in a band vigil. ah, hello there, i'm this tells you, hey, this is al jazeera life from dar ha. also coming up tougher cove in 19 restrictions imposed and the u. k. of the government is under fire after senior officials are

accused of ignoring previous measures. determined to snuff out smoking new zealand unveils a plan to ban the next generation from lighting up. and we hear from families and pakistan who say the taliban killed their children. they are pleading with the government to call off talks with the group. ah, now hong kong court has convicted 3 pro democracy activists, including business tycoon, jimmy ly, over charges linked to an illegal vigil. last year, the trio pleaded not guilty to unlawful assembly. there among more than a dozen activists accused of organizing participating in and and sizing others to take part in the event commemorating the tenement square massacre. they haven't been sentenced yet. hong kong band that annual vigil due to the pandemic. tom grundy is the editor in chief and co founder of the hong kong free press. he says,

china is trying to raise all memory of the 1989 massacre. it was a short fashion today about a 100 people cuing of hot side. people in the public gallery waving and shouting, happy birthday to jim live, return 74 this week already behind bars, awaiting a security or trial outside court. there was a loan protest known as grandma ranga shouting for democracy slogans. and coming for the release of political prisoners and also lots of course, plainclothes, police, and uniform police, as well as probation protested, calling for a heavy sentencing. as we know, last year commemorative visual was banned on coven grounds. usually you would say a sea of people tens of thousands holding candles quietly in the city, the largest part. but today these 3 po, democracy figures, the only ones who have pled guilty were charged with convicted of on the rise

assembly. this case itself is part i would say, perhaps a wider crap down on the memory of the 1989 massacre textbooks have been censored, museum exhibits confiscated. visual organizers have been put behind bars and you can see this commemoration has been ban, let alone a monument to the gentleman massacre isn't the threats which stands on university, hong kong campus. but it's been about a year and a half now of hong kong under the national security law over a $120.00 odd activists in jail. the only 2 i've been put behind bars only to have actually been convicted so far, but many more set to go to court. now the bodies of 13 people killed in a helicopter crash and india being brought to the capital where they'll be laid to rest. the aircraft came down just short of its destination, which was a military training college in the southern state of tom, a lie do. the highest ranking, military official was among those killed defense chief,

general roland will be buried with full intellectual on an investigation. meanwhile, is on the way to determine the cause of the accident. elizabeth problem is our correspondent to new delhi. she says, investigators have already recovered the cockpit flight data recorder from the helicopter to defense minister raj not saying address parliament on thursday morning. and he went over the timeline of the crash. he said, the military helicopter took off from the salute air base in the southern states of some law due at 1148 a. m local time. it was only supposed to go a very short distance and landless and half an hour later, at $1215.00 at the wellington defense service, college web invalid was supposed to be attending an event. but at 12 of 8, the helicopter last contact with the air force base. and shortly afterwards, people who were living near couldn't know. so a very large fire and a forest rushed to the scene for the records of the helicopter on fire,

after which rescue was arrived at the scene and tried to recover as many people as they could and take them to the willing to medical college. but 13 of the 14 people on board died and the one surviving member is on live support. now, the bodies of all 13 and now making their way from summer to delhi that arrive on thursday evening. the investigation is very much underway with the employee team, actually reaching wellington and simon now do on wednesday evening. and importantly for that investigation, they had a cop to flight doctor recorder and be voice that cock recorder have also been recovered. now this involved with death, that death is being felt across the country. and that is because the defense services are held in such high regard and india. and he held the highest position and the defense services alter the pandemic now. and south africa has approved the use of the 5. the vaccine booster shot as it battles,

a 4th wave of the coven 19 pandemic. a 3rd dose can now be given to people who are 18 years and over. the country has seen a spike in cases in the past 2 weeks, driven by the on the con variant. well, let's bring in for me to milan. she's in johannesburg for us for me to. let's start with these numbers. new cases, i believe a now higher than the peak of the fast way. that's pretty alarming. well that it certainly is concerning for our authorities watching the, the spike in numbers in south africa. and they've said they do put to predict that this could possibly be the highest number of infections they, we've seen. well, the certainly the growth in numbers has been the highest that's been seen compared to the other waves. and they are saying that that's largely due to this new variance, and that's what their major worries. and this is why they're pushing for greater vaccinations in south africa with it's been about a 40 to 43 percent uptake. and so. 2 with people going out and getting tested at

the moment, they, the 26 percent positivity rates. and what that means is that of all the people who are going out to suspect they might have covered 900 and getting tested about a quarter of them are receiving positive results. so this continues to be a worry for the government. and experts in south africa in terms of to south transmissible, the few variances, of course, and for me, the country that's already struggled, as you suggested there, with the roll out of those initial vaccine. it says, what are you hearing about the roll out of this booster? shot what is interesting is that the south african government is saying we have enough stock. we don't have the same problem that many of the african countries are experiencing. we have access to stop, but people are not getting vaccinated at the rate at which the government would like they had hoped for 70 percent vaccination made by the end of the year. they are nowhere near that. and now they're saying you can come out and get

a booster shot to protect yourself against this new variant. we know pfizer has said that 2 shots shows that, you know, there is some level of efficacy. they're not too concerned about not being protected. that along with perhaps previous infection, but they're also saying that a booster shot will protect you even more. and so now people over the age of 18 in south africa are able to get a booster shot who had 2 shots of pfizer specifically already. but at least 6 months after that 2nd shot. and also the regulatory authority in south africa is also looking at mixing and matching. but it's not you said that that's something that they do in terms of vaccine use. so for now they is that allowance, but i think the primary focus is getting people who haven't been vaccinated a tall out there to get to their jobs. i mean a miller there with all the latest for us from johannesburg. thanks so much for me to her. meanwhile, england is returning to title corona virus restrictions as the omicron variant casts a shadow over the coming christmas period. and there are big questions over prime

minister barak johnson's authority and the measures were announced shortly after he was forced to apologize for a video of his own staff. joking about holding at christmas party during last year's lockdown journal hall report from london. deny deny, deny has been the strategy at number 10 downing street over reports of a staff christmas party last year when they were banned under cobra rules. the government says no rules were broken, leaked video recorded 4 days later, during rehearsals by senior staff for news briefing offers damning evidence to the contrary. i went home, old allan and cheese to see from mine. all right. this is recorded. inspection policy was a business means it's not just one of those involved has now

resigned. it recalled and perhaps eclipsed previous pandemic rule breaches like chief advisor, dominic cummings, lockdown family road trip, the former health secretary matt hancock's office affair, and the prime minister's own failure to wear a mask on a recent hospital visit at prime minister's questions on wednesday. or is johnson was under extreme pressure to step up his response. i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the way. this is speaker because i was also curious to see that and if you pick up, i apologize. i apologize unreservedly to the effect that it is caused up and down the country. and i apologize for the impression that he gave. he barely took the sting out of the opposition's attack. come must be the queen since alone would

she mark the passing of the man she'd been marked for 73 years. leadership sacrifice. that's what gives leaders of moral authority to lee the just the prime and to think he has the moral authority to leave off the british people to stick to the wrong. that question would be put to the test later. at a news conference, boris johnson announced new public health measures in response to the highly transmissible omit cron variant. i know this will be hard for many people. they include mosque, wearing in more indoors settings, guidance to work from home, where possible, and the use of the vaccine passports in large public settings. it is for the public now to decide if they will listen things in by making his statement and offering his apology in parliament. far as johnson will have hoped to move events on in a story that has the potential to do him great damage. the problem is that

a new conversation may now emerge one about the public's willingness to follow new measures in the face of the army, chrome variance, and whether this government has the moral authority to enforce that. jonah, how al jazeera london still ahead here on out there in the u. s. is hosting a summit with global leaders on the decline of democracy will tell you who's not invited and what they have to say about that. and why nato is refusing to train a group of fighters who want to help defend ukraine against russia. ah. hello there. welcome to your world's weather report. we're going to begin in australia. we've been talking about that exceptional heat, that's ward the west. so pers, coming off, it's warm, it's night of any month,

and about 8 years dipping down to $27.00 degrees. now for the other coast, we've had some pretty violent storms in this sidney suburb. wind swept to rain. look at this just now this energy is now coin to pivot further toward the south into a c t and also victoria. so here's what we're up against me. a just saw but about 200 millimeters of brain over 2 days. those when 75 plus kilometers per hour and for coastal sections waves of about 4 meters high. now for new zealand we've got warm and humid air mass here, so that's triggering some thunderstorms across both islands. wellington, it's got a high of 20 degrees for indonesia, is lombok island. just east a bali. it's been nonstop brain here. so we're seen these scenes of flash flooding . and as we head toward the friday, still plentiful storms across this region. but i want to take it to the philippines because got rain come natur, both for the east and the west. this batch of what weather moving in from borneo and now for china were seen increasing cloud in some showers for western areas of

the gang. see. and also the yellow river valley. shang joe has a high of 7 degrees on friday with the end of the country with an abundance of results. great and won in denisia firms, woman, we move full 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, investment. let me pa going to lose his growth and progress in indonesia now. ah

ah hello there, i'm natalia tando home. let's remind you of our top stories here. this, our 3 pro democracy activists and hong kong have been convicted for taking part and a band vigil last year. media type, when jimmy lie is among them more than a dozen people were charged for involvement in the event commemorating the gentleman square massacre. the bodies of 13 people killed in a helicopter crash, and india are being brought to the capitol, where they will be laid to rest. the highest ranking military official was among those killing new englanders, returning to tycer karone of iris restrictions as the armor kron very, and cast a shadow over the coming christmas period. there are questions over prime minister boris johnson's authority. after league video showed his staff joking about holding a party during last year is locked down. now, the new zealand government has announced one of the world's toughest anti smoking

laws and plans to effectively ban smoking by progressively raising the legal age for buying tobacco products. the level of nicotine and cigarettes on sale will also be reduced at law is set to come into effect in 2027. critics though say it could boost the black market for tobacco. while alley i spoke to doctor, are you cheryl? she is new zealand associate health minister. she says vague being isn't included in this new law because it's considered a safer alternative to cigarettes. there is very strong evidence that tobacco is an extremely harmful and addictive substance. and yet the evidence we'll have on pipes is fairly bad. definitely a cipher old finished. so we're taking a reduction approach by banding to best price will future generation. but making sure for current market to quit the iraq attention. $4000.00 new zealand just died each year from tobacco and we must take action on it. we made a lot of progress,

the cause of that regulation seating with allowing right to quit. so we made the biggest decrease we had in history in watching, right. the last year on. so we think that might freak out is within reach a european population, as is seen to make it as i reach that goal, as we need to take bold action to make sure all parts of the community get there. and because we're not prepared to lay past the community behind. now the united states is hosting a 2 day summit with more than a 100 countries discussing the decline of democracy wild wide. as i'm experts have criticized who is on the guest list because they have questionable human rights records can be how can reports now from washington dc. the images are unforgettable . supporters of former president donald trump last january, attempting to overturn the results of the u. s. presidential election, it rattled a nation that prides itself on being a model for democracy. since then,

many americans have come to believe democracy is under attack him the u. s. and elsewhere, it's no secret that there is democratic backsliding happening around the world. that's why you as president biden is holding a virtual summit this week to bring together more than a 100 countries to promote democratic ideals like voting and human rights. combined in administration, points to threats to taiwan from china and ukraine from russia. as just some of the examples of how democratic governments are being tested, it hopes to rally global leadership to stand up even confront those authoritarian forces. but critics say the u. s. lacks the moral authority to hold such as summit . we directly arm and finance some of the most authoritarian and inch democratic

governments around the world. the case that comes to mind over and over again is saudi arabia. we continue to sell arms in the millions, billions of dollars to a government that who stated goal. he's not to support that democratic re foundation. the guest list for the summit. housing also raised eyebrows. countries like india and israel have been invited to attend. they've been criticized intern nationally for their authoritarian responses, kashmir and the palestinian territories. meanwhile, turkey and hungry, both nato allies are excluded. it does not mean that we are invite that every one we're inviting. we're giving a stamp of approval on every democracy is a work in progress. divisions over the 2020 u. s. election. continue led by former president trump, who has still not accepted the results or his defeat. democrats say that

sentiment has motivated republicans to change voting laws in some states to restrict access to the ballot box and potentially manipulate future votes. given the divisions over what democracy looks like in the us and abroad, the democracy summit will be a task for president biden. will he be able to push world leaders some with their own authoritarian tendencies to take meaningful action to change? kimberly health al jazeera, the white house, while meanwhile, china is accusing the americans of political manipulation for going ahead with that summit hosted by the u. s. president and 3 and katrina you. she's in the chinese capital, katrina, obviously this war of words just seems to continue. that's rightness. does a ton is foreign ministry has been highly critical of this us democracy summit at

a press conference today on thursday. they said that this wasn't about international corporation or even global democracy, according to beijing. this summit is about promoting us self interest and making sure that the u. s. stays on top of the world stage. now, china has many reasons to be angry. one of the foremost is that it was not one of the more than 100 countries or regions invited to attend this summit. and they took issue with that. and they were further infuriated by the invitation, extended to taiwan, which china considers a rogue chinese break away province. another participant, they are not happy with is the speaker nathan law. and now he was a former hong kong legislator, a well known activist, and he fled hong kong before the position of the national security law. last year, now he's been invited to speak about his experiences. he will talk on human rights and standing up to a thorough terrorism on friday. now, recent days of the past week,

they doing and it's propaganda. state media has been on or va, dr. talking about all the flaws of us style democracy and saying that china has its own style of democracy, which is more representative of the interest of the people. but of course, the us, many other per democratic groups and countries would take issue without saying that trying to routinely denies it. citizens, human rights or basic rights. there is no individual voting and china has been routinely criticized for it's a treatment of for example, muslim we goes as well as people working in the media. katrina, you're that for us to envision with all the latest. thank you for trina, while meanwhile, the u. s. president is ruling out to sending troops to defend ukraine from the russian invasion, unless there's agreement from nato. after a rev video link summit with joe biden, russia's president that appears and denied that he has any plans to invade ukraine . biden is also there warning moscow, a severe economic sanctions, unlike any seen before. if an attack is launched,

nato troops are training ukraine's armed forces to better defend themselves against what alizae is russian aggression. but as charles stratford reports from the eastern ukraine and asia is helping hand doesn't extend to a highly effective fighting unit described by some critics as a neo nazi movement. that these soldiers are members of what used to be a pro ukrainian government paramilitary group, called the as off battalion. critics said, as of was a neo nazi group unit, started in 2014 as a volunteer organization and quickly developed a fierce reputation for fighting pro russia separatists. defending the port city of murray, awful december that year as off was incorporated into the ukrainian national guard . it now has over a 1000 soldiers. you recruit must pass

a 5 week basic training course that instructors say you so grueling. only around hall get through walkers offered fairly though christ. i am proud to be a member. we are an elite regiment. we have proven ourselves as number one and all the armed services. we are very motivated from the enemy, knows who we are and is afraid of us. the government supplies weapons, ammunition tanks and armored personnel. carriers like this one would around 80 percent of the men's kit. the material for this training camp is bought with donated money. its been 7 years since the as of brigade were incorporated into ukraine's national guard under the ministry of interior, but commanded here say that the unit is still struggling to shape a reputation of having far right or even fascist leanings. these allegations, the commanders staunchly deny, but they acknowledge that it's the main reason why nato forces refused to train

them alongside the ukrainian army critic say the underlying philosophy of the regiment has not changed. they say it's part of a far right movement led by this man, andre b litski, who was its 1st commander and who now leads the national cor, fall right. political party, accused of having legs, 2 white supremacist groups. i think it's completely absurd to claim that there is no relationship between the regiment and the broader as our movements. ukraine's primary western allies are all the western allies are very especially now attuned to the issue of member, far right extremists in, in the military. and any military, and they are very much not keen to be to associated with the as of badge resembles the wolf's angle,

which is worn by nazi infantry divisions in world war 2. there's been pressure in the u. s. congress to declare as of a terrorist organization. but the regiments leader says it has distance itself from politics and serves the crane in government and people. more. she's couple of the honda you meet, the russia propaganda try to discredit us because it knows we're combat capable and willing to fight to the end. russia tries to portray us to our western partners is incompetent right wing radicals. we've had visits several times from representatives of nato countries. we want to share our battle experience with them . we can learn from each other, slow b, o. but nato says it will not strain these men until the regiment proves it has no links to neo nazis. and that is proving hard to do for all stafford al, jazeera, ors of young east, the new grain. now a month long face fire between the pakistani taliban and the government is now ending. the information minister says all armed groups need to surrender if talk

thought to succeed, that families of children killed by the taliban. say they're angry about the government, so called mainstreaming of armed groups and some a bunch of aid reports now from chuck dora in northern pakistan. you but you want to give me my name. he asked, did the taliban keep your children? how can you talk to them? this is johan at a protest against her government's decision to talk to the markets, funding, dollar bonds. her son was among the 132 students killed at an army public school by the on group in 2014 by 7. say it's the markets funding. bonds said it was intervention for the military operations in tribal areas. the good may, will sometimes it gets a beloved though shawna is now angry at the bucket. finally, government and military for starting negotiations without punishing the culprits of that attack. so get the bose if she those are the how do i forget everything?

they say 80000 people have been killed. you're not the only one. i sympathize with everyone. but how do i forgot my dad? sorry about miss up kelly. do you this is wrong. they are criminals. how can you forgive murders? the goblin says the state has the right to talk, but the group will have to, in its words, bow its head before the constitution. in addition to releasing a large number of its prisoners of august line, he thought the bonds demands reported the include opening a political office in the country, reversing the merger of tribal areas with the northern cape province. and the enforcement of it's version of islamic law and buckets fund or move. and while let me go see ations that are under way law enforcement team say they are carrying out operations against what they call criminals and terrorists. this is not the 1st time the government is talking to the pakistan taliban or t t p. but simultaneously a database is being established or make sure they have the details of the

sympathizers, the supporters and the factors which belong to the group. now by guests on special security department says it's implementing a research based strategy to understand trends of terrorism. this new process it helping the police to carry out hundreds of targeted operations across the northern k p province. which is a border with a lot of on crime and terrorism has a lot of nexus also they do not have any legit rented or a structured organization. they keep moving from one, dennis group to the other and we've been able to double it and then give a guideline to our feel units. and they are now going for target competitions. but buckets on highest court is not convinced the strategy to hold talks, isabel, port out. it's already summoned, prime minister in ron hahn, and the judge of asked him quote, are we going to surrender once again? he was told you brought those guilty to the negotiating table, all the group individuals and you know,

the groups that have to surrender before any box can see. the government maintains the packets time you thought about have safe havens across the border in earnest on the latest, the slide was brokered by the off gone tyler bond, which used its influence with the pockets timing thought of on mobile cush, who look with the sun seek of the other, we are acting as an intermediary and we can only try. we will continue to do it so that the talk should reach to a fruitful and in between the 2 brothers or atomic as the murky talks. that under way, shall hon assures us the steam, who are sons, blood on his shoe, victims of the buckets, tiny lavonne, demanding justice before making deals with who they see as murderers. salma, bon jovi, those are the are tucked up northern buck a son. now, bush fires are causing an emergency in western australia. that's called stair includes a national park near the tourist town of margaret river homeowners. i'll be.