as governments have grappled with soaring cases, contact tracing, and huge data collections are causing concern amongst civil rights activists. people in power investigates the ever increasing powers of governments and businesses as they access peoples most personal data. and asks, what is being done to regulate the flow of sensitive information under the cover of coven on a jazeera? ah, this is al jazeera ah hello, i'm rob matheson, this is the news our life from dough hobb coming up in the next 60 minutes. president joe biden chairs a summit to promote democracy. but some countries accused the us of cold war mentality, talks to salvage the iran nuclear deal are underway in vienna. iran says it's

serious about finding an agreement a perilous winter. the u. k is warning that it could see a 1000000 cases of the i'm a con, colbert variant in weeks, and austria is stepping up measures a guilty verdict for 3 pro democracy campaigners in hong kong. they're charged to taking part in a band vigil. and on t to symmetry the sports news, australia continued to dominate the ashes, cricket series against england and barcelona, and miss out on the knockout stage of the champions league for the 1st time and 2 decades following a 3 know defeat to buy and munich. ah, the vice president is wanting the democracy is on the decline and confronting the crisis is the challenge of our time. joe biden is hosting a virtual summit to address the issue. the meetings is set to begin shortly. more

than a 100 countries are taking part, but russia and china were not invited. both countries have denounced the meeting and accuse washington of cold war mentality and stalking divisions. beijing has gone as far as calling the summit, a joke, while our white house correspondent kennedy hawk is joining us live now from washington dc. there's been an awful lot of criticism of this summit. kimberly, why does the president believe that he needs to hold one? well, the president is delivering on a campaign promise that he would try to bolster the foundations of democracy and use his position as us president and as a global leader to do so. but you're right, there has been an awful lot of criticism about the moral authority of the united states to even hold such a conference. and also the gas list questions about who was invited and who was not . and there's also a question about what can even be accomplished by virtual summit. ah,

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 in the u. s. and elsewhere, it's no secret that there is democratic backsliding happening around the world. that's why u. s. 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. divide 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, where 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 has also raised eyebrows. countries like india and israel have been invited to attend. they've been criticized internationally for their authoritarian responses in 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 were invited, were 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. now we should point out in terms of the gas less who is not invited, china is certainly one of those nations. in fact, we should point out that china is holding its own democracy summit to point out the flaws in us democracy. still, we should point out that the united states is pressing forward, specifically, joe biden saying that what he wants to talk about is how the world can collectively counter some of the challenges to democracy. including not being able to hold free

and fair elections and even corruption, also humbly acknowledging that the united states has its own challenges as well as you were pointing out before. kimberly, it's not enough to just sort of acknowledge that there is an issue. you have to do something about it as well in the it's the practical element of this, that it really, everybody is going to be watching for, isn't it how these decisions and statements are translated into practical action if at all exactly, and one of the points that is being made is how anything can be accomplished through a virtual summit. and will there even be the ability to find a joint statement coming out of this? these are real questions that are being tackled. and also there's the question, again, which cannot be underscored enough about the u. s. his own attempts to try and inflict jeffersonian democracy around the world, namely in the last 20 years in iraq and afghanistan,

certainly nothing to tell success. so there are some concerns about the u. s. as ability to be a leader in this area. and there are also concerns about us democracy itself. in fact, we should point out that a think tank here in washington. freedom house has noted that not only has democracy slid globally about 15 percent in the last 20 years, but when it comes to democracy in the united states, so surprising nations rank higher, including believe, mongolia and romania. so these are the challenges that us present faces. still, he said this is something that he wanted to do as president and he's making good and that promise. kimberly, thank you very much. indeed. that's our white house correspondent, kimberly hall that of course we're going to be bringing you coverage of that summit as it happens. but i think you china has accused us of political manipulation for going ahead with the summit. katrina, you has more what beijing had to say. 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're 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 authoritarianism on friday. now, recent days over the past week staging and its 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 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 trying to has been routinely criticize or it's a treatment of, for example, muslim wiggers as well as people working in the media mar, had the news are including for military honors for india's defense chief, was killed. and i had called to crush, we're going to have more in the investigation into what may have caused it. and why nato is refusing to train a group of fighters who want to help defend ukraine against russia. for the hosting i had a blistering century puts estrella inform control the 1st gosh assess against england . ah, we'll talk reviving the 2015 iran and nuclear agreement of resumed in vienna. after

last week's negotiations maids little headway and ron's top negotiator says to her on, is the serious about finding an agreement. while the you says there's a renewed sense of urgency at the talks on those are bodies in vienna. she's joining us not a life or may be a new sense of urgency, but that doesn't seem to be a great deal of optimism that this runs my achieve anything well, according to the hosts of these negotiations, they, your foreign policy chief just spoke to the crest a short while ago, and he said since the break, that was 5 days that the participants took to go back to their capitalism, consultant, about what was delivered by the arena. there seems to be a renewed sense of hope. after they've come back and resumed the discussions here on thursday, the deputy for mr. the radio deputy foreign minister arrived in the austrian capital and he held trilateral meetings with the russian and chinese delegation. and as the foreign policy chief stress that day joint commission mets as well. and

in that meeting, it was clear that everybody really wants to move forward. and that time is of the essence. there is a sense that these talks cannot go on forever. foresee renews, have proven, have put forward to a proposal for the americans to discuss one about the sanctions they want relief, as well as the technical aspects of their nuclear program. we are waiting to find out when the americans will deliver a response back to the american envoy for iran is supposed to return to vienna over the weekend. in the meantime, as these talks will continue here. now, joining me to discuss further what is taking place here is hans gartner, a professor at the university of vienna. thank you so much for joining us here on al jazeera. can you tell me what you think of this round of talk? so far, delegation suspect that seems to be a feeling as to continue and commit progress to lots of workers to do. there have to discuss the 3 proposals that that key, which has been negotiated, been spring, i can choice, but to do additionally,

any antics. supposedly they said amy and fixed upon the text of what has been discussed in spain. much has been a chieftain already. so i don't think that the text of things will be discarded because it would also not be advisory board for the iranians because they gave more or less to least about the $1000.00 sanctions use economic impacts on it, on an economy. so it would be unfortunate for to keep this up hive, of course, here in the textbook they proposed if they want to go beyond this icing by funding negotiations. but much will depend on the definition of sanctions. so which kind of sections that only $2.00 to $3.00 native know clearly elated by the tensions are which has been imposed of 2018 that has to lots of almost minova to discuss hip out and yeah, i'm of course cambridge about 40 expense. so it seems that they could seriously,

and this experts not only include experts from the oil industry from the energy economies, but also found an atomic energy agency. it means that, you know, on is point out those to talk about its nuclear program, which is a pop of this that can post a day favorite that they bring here. oh, and of course there are other things to pay on that order of sanctions should be lifted before it will go back to its own commitments that's not to be posted real cause high by india, maybe a 6 ounce. they have already developed some mechanisms how to do it, so they can shape packages so that no one spouts has to stop 1st face saving. so damian's, of course, we check it step by step solution, but pictures that picture to solution would be

a possibility. thank you. so much for joining us here analysis of course, these talks will continue. they are going to be extra meeting alongside various european officials for all the rest of thursday as well as they will continue to meet in smaller groups and technical groups to discuss various aspects of the g. c, p. o, a on friday. and we will find out whether or not the, the talks will continue into next week. for now, all sides are hoping that they will come to some kind of a conclusion in the near future. there are so thanks very much dosage a value for us in vienna. ok. wanna bring you more on our top story. us president joe biden is opening that virtual summit on the state of democracy. his warning that democracy is on the declines and says, confronting the crisis is the challenge of the time. let's listen, my voice is that seek to fan the flames of social division and political polarization. and perhaps most importantly, and worrying of all most worried of all by increasing this satisfaction of people

all around the world with democratic governments that they feel are failing to deliver for their needs. and my view, this is the defining challenge of our time democracy. government of the people by the people for the people can at times be fragile, but also is inherently resilient, is capable of self correction and is capable of self improvement. and yes, democracy's hard, we all know that it works best with consensus and cooperation. busy when people in parties might have opposing new sit down and find ways to work together, things began to work. but it's the best way to lease you and potential and defend human dignity and solve big problems and stopped us to prove that democracies are not all the same. we don't agree and everything, all of us in this media day. but the choices we make together are going to define and my view the course of our shared future for generations to come. as

a global community for democracy, we have to stand up for the values that you notice where the stand for justice and the role of law for free speech. pre assembly, a free press, freedom of religion, for all the inherent human rights of every individual. my life friend, congressman john lewis was a great champion of american democracy and for civil rights around the world. learning from and gain inspiration from other great leaders like gandhi and mandela with his final words. and he will dine to our nation last year. he reminded our country, quote, democracy is not a state, it's an act. democracy is not a state, it is an act. for the next 2 days. we're bringing together leaders for more than $100.00 governments, alongside activists trade unionists and other members of civil society. leading experts and researchers and represented from the business community. not, not, not,

not to assert that any one of our democracies is perfect. or has all the answers. but the lock arms and reaffirm or shared commitment to make our democracy better. to share ideas, learn from each other and make concrete commitments of how, how to strengthen our own democracies and push back on var. terry is fight corruption. promot protect human rights of people everywhere. to act to act. this summit is a kick off of a year and action for all of our countries to fall through on our commitments and report back next year on the progress we've made. and as we do this, the united states is going to lead by example, investing on our own democratic, our own democracy, supporting our, our partners around the world, the same time for the early days of my administration. we presume we pursued abroad based agenda to prove that american democracy can still do big things and take on

challenges that matter most. that's why we immediately passed what we call the american rescue plants to get shots and people's arm as fast as possible at home. and around the world to get this pandemic under control and stimulate inclusive and lastly i can, i'm a recovery. it's also helping to drive global growth. last month, i was proud to sign a bipartisan piece of legislation, a true active consensus between democrats, republicans, and our country, the infrastructure investment jobs that this legislation will make a generational investment to liver. what people need most of the 21st century clean water safe road, high speed broadband internet is so much more, all of which strengthens our democracy by creating good paying union jobs. that will translate the lives of opportunity and dignity for working people with better access to the tools and resources they need to try and soon. and so i hope i hope

to sign a law, a bill we called a bill back better plan, which will be an extraordinary investment in our people. and our workers give american family just a little more breathing room to deal with their problems and their opportunities. our domestic agenda has been focused on delivering for the needs of the american people, strengthened in our democratic institutions at home. my 1st day in office, i signed an executive order to advance racial justice and equality. and my administration recently released our 1st national strategy on gender equality and equity. were fostering greater work or power because workers organizing union to give them the voice in the workplace, in their community. they want you to 0. we're bringing you the opening remarks by us president joe biden, out of virtual summit on the state of democracy. we were reporting earlier that he was wanting the democracies on the decline and confronting the crisis. is the

challenge of the time that all about a 100 countries who've been invited to take part in this event. but there are some notable exceptions i want to bring in our white house correspondent, kimberly hawkins joining us life now from washington, dc. the president there, lots of it was talking about his own efforts, bringing in the infrastructure bill for example, that he was talking about in the u. s. and so on. but earlier, he was also talking about protecting freedom of speech, freedom of religious beliefs, and so on. essentially setting out the plan for the talks that are due to becoming but this isn't going to make everybody happy. is it? no, it's definitely not. in fact, i could think of with every point that the u. s. president made about how the united states wanted to lead by example, whether it was justice, whether it was freedom of speech or whether it was bolstering as sort of divides in political systems. the u. s. has not been able to tackle those challenges itself.

so when the u. s. president says it that he wants to lead by example, i think that many of the audience may be listening to that and wondering whether the u. s. president should cast his eyes on his own country 1st before offering advice to others. quickly, some of those examples, the u. s. president saying this is a, a defining challenge of our time in terms of all of the world, but that democracy is capable of self correction. and that, that can be done when parties sit down and work together. but we've seen division in this country that has only been exacerbated with each election. notably, of course, january 6th, when many conservatives in the united states attempted to overturn the results of the last u. s. presidential election when it comes to justice and rule of law that the u. s . president says needs to be upheld around the world. we see gross racial and equality, socio economic inequality and a widening wealth cap in this country. and when it comes to freedom of speech,

the u. s. president is talking about how his administration is upholding that. but i can tell you, i asked the administration directly and the u. s. justice department about why than they're keeping the trump era charges against julian assange, who published and exposed war crimes by the united states in iraq and afghanistan. why they are continuing to prosecute a journalist and they had no comment. and these are the points that many people around the world know very well they know about the failed efforts of inflicting a jeffersonian democracy in iraq and afghanistan, and the failures of, of the united states in afghanistan. and, and that disastrous withdrawal that took place as a result a so there is really going to be a challenge by the u. s. president, we should point out that absent from this democracy summit is china. that is, in fact, making note of all of these inconsistencies that are being made by the united states in their own democracy summit which is being held concurrently. kimberly,

thanks very much, cindy. that's kimberly hogan our white house correspondent. i want to bring in my one was shot up who's all does it as a senior political analyst who's joining us by skype from paris? good to have you with a small one. as always, they say that the 1st route to solving a problem in the thing that you've got one, but it sounds as though from what kimberly was saying, the u. s. problems are so great that perhaps it should be looking to itself 1st. yes, that's true. but i think we're also forgetting that jaws that job. i didn't warn the elections. i mean, let's cut over and exaggerate the progress that the united states is facing in comparison to the rest of the world. democracy is in the coin in a big way around the world. ready not as much of the states the united states remains a strong, strong, liberal democracy. despite its many problem, some of them are quite chronic a problem when it remains

a strong constitutional liberal demarco's. the problem is, how does it use its power around the world? how does it instrument allies, democracy for each on july political interests are in the world. the problem with democracy, per se, has been, it's misuse and abuse. in the sense that as the united states is losing a jew, political competition with china, it is suddenly bringing up the question of democracy as a way to squeeze and corner and put china and russia on the defensive. so why joe biden had just recounted all the things he's trying to do in order to reverse what his predecessor has done meaning, strengthening american democracy. and by the way, we are not. we are yet to distinguish between democracy per se and liberal democracy the american way, or what kimberly called g jeffersonian democracy. but me that as a me, i think his diagnosis is correct or about america and the rest of the world. there

is a general malaise around the world and of the united states about democracy because democracy has not been delivering over the last at least 20 years while sh. some of the authoritarian regimes like china has been delivered in on the economic front. and i think that particular issue of democratic recession in various parts of either west or the rest of the world are leading to more populous more nationalist, more authoritarian or a teams. and that is leading split. the quite the question was again, is what do you do about it? and here while the diagnosis is correct, i think the prescription that we are hearing from a present by then is vague still why? because once again, again, the united states is the instrumental eisen to assure democracy in all to what from the record, at least if you look, for example, over the past 10 years in the world and in the middle east, in general, the united states has been quite hypocritical in terms of its lack of support for.

busy the arab or democratic, good march, if you are during the, at up spring during beach, that will credit a peebles in the world. marlin, thank you very much. indeed that saw mar one, bashar al jazeera senior political analyst. the i'm a con variant is overshadowing the upcoming holiday period with countries worldwide stepping up restrictions to contain the spread of the new coven 19 stream south africa as approve. the use of the pfizer vaccine boosters shot the w h o says the country has seen a 255 percent increase in cases in the past week. then loc has moved to impose a series of tough new restrictions, clothing, and overnight curfew and a ban on indoor gatherings. and austria has outlined its plan to make corona virus vaccines, compulsory. it includes a fine of about $4000.00 for those who refuse the jam. we're going to get more from pharma to miller on the situation in south africa, just

a moment. first, let's go to a dominant cane who's got the latest on the new measures that austria's just unveiled, dominic, it sounds as though austria is really taking a very hard lane when it comes to these vaccination boosters. yes, rob, there are some in indiana and in austria who say these measures are draconian particularly severe. what we know is that these measures will come before parliament, where there is, as it were, a built in majority in favor of these measures passing because opposition parties principally will vote for it as will the government. and that at some point in february, it will then become mandatory for everyone over the age of 14, in austria to be vaccinated, or they will face a fine of potentially more than $4000.00. this because austria has for some considerable time in really suffering in this latest wave of corona, the delta variant ravaging through many of the provinces of austria forcing the

hand as it were of the austrian government. the government has faced that. remember that has been losing leaders over the course of the past few weeks. first, mister caught the chancellor. that mister shalon back the chancellor. so this new government is trying to act decisively. it believes by forcing this mandatory requirement through which will take effect in february of parliament degrees. obviously you're talking to us from berlin, a new government, new certain political situation in about and just talk us through what their the covered response is there at the moment. new governments, but same corona virus problems rob, no question about that. the figures remain particularly high. so this morning, the robert cock institute, which, tabulate the numbers of covey cases. and that sort of thing saying once more, $70000.00 plus cases announced which cumulatively cumulatively,

over the course of the past 7 days, has been averaging more than $50000.00 cases a day. the death rate is averaging in the course of the last few days of this week . more than $500.00 a rate that is higher than any other stage since february. and so what is this new government doing? well, it's only been an office for the best part of 24 hours. and it already is facing calls for potentially locked downs from many of the states prime ministers in germany. but also people saying, well, with maybe the austrians have it right, we should be trying to impose a mandatory vaccine requirement as well. lots being discussed. but because i've already been in office for 24 hours. they have been able to do a great deal, but they will be talking about corona and what they plan to do in the course of the next few hours. no question. danny, thanks very much. indeed. donny came talking to us from berlin. well, let's go to find a mother whose life for us injure johannesburg. as we were talking about before, the numbers in the south africa really seem to be climbing.

they have continued to climb. there was a slight, up earlier in the week and a and many occasions we've spoken to experts have said that generally is attributed to a weakened lag in terms of data. but the latest figures show about 19000 new infections and 36 states in the last 24 hours. what is of concern to experts? is that there's a positivity rate of 26 percent. and that means for the people who are going out to get tested for coven, 19, almost a quarter more rather more likely, more than a quarter, have a positive result. what is comforting, i think, at this stage for experts and, and a health authorities in south africa is that the hospitalization rate remains low. just barely 6 percent of intensive care unit beds are being used and preliminary data we're hearing shows that disease may be mild compared to previous.