ah, ah, ah, ah, a new study suggests the micron covered 19 variances milder than the delta strain, but concerns remain over rising infections. ah, you want to know the 0 life from headquarters in delphi and any navigator also coming up. russia, as president says he wants to avoid conflict with ukraine on the west in his annual end of year news conference. a hong kong university removes the pillar of shame, a famous statue marking the gentleman square massacre. we'll hear from it sculptor

and the un relief and works agency says it's on the verge of collapse and can't meet the needs of palestinian refugees in lebanon. hello, thanks for joining us. the only con variance is proving to be less severe than previous strains of current virus, but people are still ending up in hospital with it. germany has registered its 1st death as cases increase rapidly. us health regulators of authorized and antiviral pill made by drug make her merc to treat those who have mild to moderate cases. the use of a similar pill by pfizer was approved on wednesday and health experts and the u. k . are cautiously optimistic about microns reduced risk, but still have concern over how fast it's spreading. and the study by africa center for disease control suggests the variance is up to 80 percent less likely to cause hospitalization than delta south africa's approved the single shot. johnson and

johnson vaccine to be used for booster jobs for ms. miller has more from johannesburg. so far, experts are saying that based on their observations, in terms of the number of people in hospitals and the number of people who all the desperate at the stage, they say that it's potentially on the car is less less severe illness. now what they're doing is comparing the numbers and the data they have available now to the 2nd and 3rd waves experience in south africa. they continue to say that yes, it's very infectious. and that the, the, the number of people contracting the cobra 19 continues to rise. in fact, the number, the fluctuated in south africa. but according to the africa, c, d. c, the increase the average increase in new infections in southern africa, alone over about a whole week period has been 203 percent. so yes, it continues to be that concern around just how contagious is variant is,

but because this of africa and sciences and authorities, i think few people in the hospital and when they are in all what they'll, they say for a very short time. and they're also seeing very few did the highest number at those point of the 4th wave in south africa has been 99 in one day and that is far less than what was experienced previously. so they all cautiously optimistic, but also there are say in south africa there's a particular context. it may be around the vaccination rate, which is at 44 percent, not terribly high, but you've also got people were previously infected and may have the antibodies to fight off the new variant, even though there was concern about an escape around immunity or current violence cases in new york have risen 60 percent in the last week alone. 12000 new infections who are reported on wednesday. health officials say more testing sites have been opened. hospitals on jails have implemented restrictions for people

visiting maribel to be blasio has yet to decide. people will be banned from an annual new year's eve celebration in time square or gabriel is on the joining us from new york with more on this story. so what more official saying and doing about the rise in cases in new york? in one word testing, they say that testing is critical to try to contain this new strain of ami kron here in new york city. new york city has become right now at this very time, the national epa center in the united states of the pandemic. all 50 states in the us have proven some cases of ami kron. but here in new york city, it is worse than anywhere else in america. the big issue is testing. there is not enough testing here in the city or state to meet all of the demand. if it's a state of 20000000 people and about half of which live here in new york city,

and with the cases rising so exponentially over the last week or so, there is a huge demand for testing. as you can see at this test site that we're at here on 42nd street in midtown manhattan. the lines have been at times hundreds of people they've stretched for blocks in some parts of the city. and you can see that it's not just right here at this testing site, but they're trying to open testing sites all over the city as fast as they can. in fact, if you look down a block here, you can see another one. they're just a block ahead all of these sites just of open within the last 48 hours or so. and even beyond that, another block, there are more testing sites, but simply not enough. many of the sites that were open during the height of the pandemic here in 2020, were closed down after new york thought that the pandemic was over. well, clearly,

that is definitely not the case. the numbers here in new york are staggering. 28000 new infections in 24 hour period in new york state of those 17000 just here in new york city. at a time when the busy travel season is happening here. and there is also, i should mention, a flood of tourists here as well that come for the christmas season, a holiday season here in new york as well. city and state officials are saying do not panic their messages. this is not the same as march 2020. they say the numbers might be the same in terms of infections. people getting infected by krona virus, but they say the city and state are much more prepared, particularly because about 81 percent of new yorkers are fully vaccinated. with that said, though, this is spreading very fast here. can you talk to anyone? and they all say it seems like everybody is touching on me right now here. and you

can see from these lines with the testing sites, there's definitely a demand for testing. thank you so much. gabriel xander reporting from new york to china. now we're more than 13000000 people have been ordered to stay home in the eastern city of gian dots after more than 200 cove in 1900 infections were recorded since the beginning of the month. the country is on high alert as it gears up to host the winter olympics in february or corresponding katrina, you reports from china capital, beijing. chinese authorities have imposed them most severe, locked down in almost a year. 13000000 people living in the northern city of she. anne have been ordered to stay home from midnight on thursday. only one member of each household is allowed out to get food every 2 days. and only certified essential workers can head out for work. here some of the measures prompted crowd to rush to grocery stores and markets earlier this week. more than $200.00 cases have been reported in the

city since the beginning of the month. the outbreak of the delta variant began with just 9 people and quickly spread, hulu. deep yoga trajectories of deny cases were complex involving transportation services and public places, including hospitals, commercial complexes, restaurants as goes. hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked as she an, a former capital and historic hub to see the terror caught a warriors every year. now, almost all transport in and out of the area has been cancelled. residence must apply for special permission to leave. the city authorities are currently conducting that 3rd round of mass testing. so far, no cases of the on the con, variance have been locally transmitted in china. but officials here are on my alert . the baited winter olympics opens in february, and chinese leaders have promised a safe and secure games where spectators will be able to attend or receive

spectators however warrant be attending. china has maintained it. 0 tolerance approach to the virus and borders has been closed since march last year. the outside during the winter olympics, there will be a large number of olympic affiliated in the reduce from different countries and readers come to trainer. there is a high possibility that a certain number of covey 90 in positive cases will arise. more than 80 percent of the country's population have received 2 doses of corona virus. vaccines. officials are now encouraging people to get a 3rd shot. but some studies are found that chinese vaccines have lower efficacy and protection rates against the on the chrome strain. baiting has not approved the use of some other vaccines such as pfizer or astrazeneca, katrina, you out 0, they doing look a government daughter her so and that someone testing positive will be on record. variance is up to 70 percent. less likely to be admitted to hospice or van if the

person had delta. but the health agency has worn that protection from a virus starts to drop off 10 weeks after a booster shots. almost a 120000 people tested positive in the u. k. on thursday, and that's a 50 percent increase from last week. ross as president whatever present says, it's impossible to have good relations with the current ukrainian government. he made the comments during his annual end of year news conference, who went on to choose ukraine's leader, president vote valez, amir zelinski, of being under the influence of what he called radical forces. it comes at a time of raising tension between moscow and nato and its allies over ukraine. paul brandon has more from london. very often in the west. we have been bothered with the media from our own region. and we don't always get to hear the perspective from the other side and over we have heard from president putin in snippets and didn't use conferences, not on the level that we've had in this news conference today. way for as he has

much more time to expand on on what his sentiment is and of all the issues that he spoke about, the ukraine and the possible expansion of nato. those are the 2 issues which really made him bristle. if i can describe it in those terms, you know, he talk about history, he said, look, you know, we were promised by nato back in the 1990, that they would be not inch further. they would go, they're all going to be talks between us and russian. diplomats in a week time after christmas about the situation in ukraine and on the border. there is a large military build up of russian forces that estimated between 70 and 90000. and with the us military analyst saying it could be easily ramped up to way of our $150000.00, a pretty short notice. so the potential for a mishap leading to a larger conflagration, is clearly that. but president putin,

very keen to say that, look it up to the west and to nato, to set out vestal, rather than for russia to count town under a christian office, the director general of the russian international affairs council. he says, president putin has framed russia, sluggish economy and a positive light. i think that i couldn't make, saw on the emphasis on the resilience of the ocean economy. i hear underscored, does the russian economy a decline job, but not as, as deep as many other economists and all the recovery turned out to foster that in many of the countries. so he sold it somewhat optimistic, a law of course, he should be concerned about a relatively low or girls of the russian economy. and about the structural problems that the economist who controls. i think that russians are used to listen

to latino, which in every year of well, maybe the interest is not as high as it was a couple of years ago because of course, the already used to it. and it's a kind of standard feature. all 4 of the curb and b r r. i think the definitely the right people who are still look white or engaged in these press conferences. but the majority of russian saw is more focused on the day to day fight for survival if not prosperity. stella has analysis or dozens killed in malaysia office, some of the worst flooding of recent times. we follow the clean up operation. ah and i welcome selected international forecast could catch some rain and cut out

this weekend. yep. that's the 1st time for around 7 or 8 months, so it will be notable. hang a hat on that basic line of cloud here. that is sinking further south with some wet weather. possibly on that is it made by the south, which was the temperature in riyadh dropping from around $25.00 celsius to around 17 decrease. we hang him on to that, sir. 25 here in doha. you can just make out the still larry of range started to push it out too much, but a chance to somewhat by the coming in as we go through the next couple of days, thought the north sprinkling of showers for some but nothing too much to speak a penny a shout. meanwhile, across the tropical belts of africa could even see some showers still wear into southern parts of kenya. southern areas of uganda, much of the democratic republic of congo, call seeing those showers northern angola. still very wet, wet weather. they're coming backed out across much of zambia, zimbabwe, and the shower starting to per part now for central and southern parts of mozambique. still a few showers there into the east side of south africa,

but the wet weather will tend to push a little further northward as we go one through sas day rain, really setting ines into central parts of mozambique. i'd also had a jessica with frank assessments. this crisis is continued to weaken luca shanker, even though perhaps he believed in the beginning that strength of informed opinions, lighting, politicians will now be under incredible pressure from their young people. that is one of the most of the things that come out of this critical debate. do you think it should be facilitated? not okay. it's a great, it's a really simple question. let's give samuel just wants that insight story on al jazeera lou.

oh, no. again, to swap stories on al jazeera, the sour, the euchre health agency says people are up to 70 percent less likely to be admitted to a hospital with only crohn than if they already had dealt off. but it's warren, that protection from a virus starts to drop off 10 weeks after a booster shot. more than 13000000 people had been ordered to stay home in the eastern chinese city of g. on 200 coven 19 infections have been recorded since the beginning of the month. china's a high alert as it goes up to host the winter olympics in february. president on represent her soul journalists, she hopes russia will achieve collective coven 19 heard immunity next year. he went on to reaffirm that the nato expansion into eastern europe was unacceptable and his eyes thousands of doctors in india have gone on strike. they're demanding the

government resumes hiring post, graduate medics. there's been a recruitment freeze due to the pandemic. and doctor se the delay has left government, run hospitals, understaffed and overwhelmed with global 19 patients. of natal reports from india capitol, new delhi, i thought the hence minutes being new daily where hundreds of doctors have been protesting for several weeks. these doctor, a residents belonging to several government on hospitals in india. now every year, more than $40000.00 residents appear on entrance exam. these results, they are a lot of changing supports in hospitals, but this batch of residents that process has been delayed by several months, but need was both boned on diploma 19 cases started rising in death and then it was a torch up. a separate petitions will fight in the supreme court, challenging the government's decision to resolve some of these trainings body was just wanting to go through. i did arm exemption,

man followed you short paid hosp producer on the stove. because more than $45.00 pounds, doctors who have cleared the exam are sitting at home, despite expectations of a 3rd covered, vapor to doctors are forced to sit at home. during the peak of 2nd, we have many medical students who are asked to work in hospitals. so qualified doctors are sitting at home while unqualified ones are working in the hospital. why resident say they have continuing to show off for works emergencies and covered 19 related duties. 7 hospitals, which are already on the staff, have been overwhelmed with patients waiting several hours. the treatment doctors have said they will continue to protest till the demands on magic. hong kong university has removed the statue commemorating the victims of the 1989 gentlemen square massacre, which is centered in china. the so called pillar of shame was made by danish sculpture to symbolize the lives lost during the military crack down. as a big report, taken down under the cover of darkness, boards were erected

a random monument, which was then covered up 8 meters tall. the pillar of shame depicts 50 torn and twisted bodies piled on top of each other. it's symbolized lives lost during the military crackdown on pro democracy protest. this invasion gentlemen square on june 4th 1989. but since october it had become an issue of dispute. the university demanding it be taken down in a state rent. they said the decision on the age statue was based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the university they added. the university is also very concerned about the potential safety issues resulting from the fragile statue and just like that, it was taken away and put in storage given up on the house and we moved. the hong kong airlines has gone to hong kong university students. union is also gone, and today, given the pillar of shame has gone,

maybe they just want to raise our memories of the 198910, i'm incorrect down. so we must preserve mannered inside against forgetting niggle while you're in previous years, students gathered on june 4th to remember the events in canada and square. authorities have now banned the lighting concerns about the coven. 1900 pandemic city would become his party wants to impose here is a kind of an age. yeah. what happened in china more than 30 years ago. the move follows a controversial national security low in hong kong last year. but that was the session to version terrorism and foreign confusion to intervene in the ticket. the fed. it's bach protest and criticism of basing for containing freedoms that were promised to hong kong when it was handed back to china by britain in 1007. for now, there is an empty space with a monument. one stood, but for many, even though the pillar of shame has been removed, the memory of what took place cannot be raised. i said bake 0 parts of the

philippines continue to suffer from the aftermath of typhoon right. at least 375 people have been killed and millions are homeless without food and clean drinking water. that is barnaby lo reports, the government has declared a state of calamity. move expected to get a to victims soon. one week since typhoon rice smashed into the central in southern philippines. some of the worst devastation is still being uncovered. far flung towns almost completely flattened. local say, the storm was reminiscent of typhoon high and in 2013. what is the most powerful in recorded history. but last weeks covered a wider area. hundreds of thousands of families across several provinces are now in evacuation centers, while some adapted to rebuild their homes out of scrap materials, president of regal paternity has declared what he calls a state of calamity in order to release of $200000000.00 in government. once the

declaration under state of columbia, the relation to the school and believed under habilitation edwards, of the government and private sector, this will also be unaffected. make a new sim doggone throw the prices of woods uncommonly dis, air and areas. horn governance have also pledged support with canada, the european union in south korea, each donating between $2.00 and $3000000.00 they noted states is providing $200000.00 in immediate assistance. more help is on the way to big them, some type one, right? but all indications are that recovery will take time. power and communication lines are slowly being restored, but there is an urgent need for food and lean drinking water. fine or below al jazeera manila rescue teams. immune mar, have recovered 3 bodies after a landslide, at a jade mine authority say at least 70 people are missing. they were swept into

a lake in northern kitchen states, the areas the center, me in mar, secretive jade industry, where miners often work in dangerous conditions. landslides have caused hundreds of deaths in recent years. the death toll from major flooding in malaysia has risen to at least 37. the floods triggered by days of heavy rain have also displaced nearly 70000 people. in behind state, several towns remained cut off florence to report some carrack malaysia's central peninsula. the water levels in this river in pa, hung state malaysia may have gone down, but the destruction caused by the floods is evident. water overflowed onto highways, making some roads impossible for days. per hung is the worst hit state. with around 40000 people displaced, some towns are still cut off, accessible only by boat. but in some areas, flood waters have begun to receive,

and people are starting to return to their homes to count the cost of the damage to rebuild their lives. the element, if you will, of course i'm disappointed with the government hasn't heard this. i'm relying on friends. what else can i do? water rose quickly and unexpectedly, leaving many with barely enough time to save themselves, much less salvage their belongings. the damage is extensive. vehicles have to be written off. furniture appliances thrown away. people here estimate ill take 2 weeks to clean their holes. and that task has been made more difficult because water and electricity supply haven't been restored. non governmental organizations, charities, and volunteers, have been turning up to distribute aid a plantation near by has sent its workers and tractors to help with the clean up. you know what i felt ago because in for, from this yourself, we know the people here. they're like our brothers and sisters. that's why we had

to help out. if we don't who will? the relief centers are full. some say they're worried about the risk of contracting coven 19. but there's nowhere else to go. i natural, jonah, 4 months pregnant with her 2nd child, says she's grateful. they got out alive for the aid night and provide us. and i do want to roast a chest level. i was really scared because that never happened before i messaged my family to ask them to get help to me, but they said emergency rescue as had been deployed to places, there were even more badly affected officials of warned that could be more flooding in the coming weeks with the monsoon season set to run through to february florence li al jazeera car up for home state malaysia, palestinians her taken to the streets of jericho and the occupied westbank to voice their anger at the palestinian authority. the protest took place after the funeral of la de la duffy. he died

a few days ago after palestinian security forces crashed into his car. he was reportedly carrying a ham last flag while he was celebrating a prisoner release. the palestinian authority is investigating his death tennesseans former president months of murder. suki has been sentenced to 4 years in prison in up center. the court charge marzano king who lives in france with assaulting the security of the states. and that's because of recent comments he made, urging france to end support 14 as the us government. the current president faces i had suspend the parliament in july, which was looking who's called a coo earlier, the former president told al jazeera he rejected the ruling. miss henry, among the other, this ruling is invalid simply because it was handed down by an illegitimate president who had subversive the country's constitution. he likes the capacity and qualifications to rule janasia. this rolling is null and void because it is the basics of any legal system as

a defendant should be summoned to the court to defend his case. and if the defendant fails to appear, he could be tried an ab, cynthia. i was not served any legal notice, nor was i summoned. above all, i had no attorney to lay my defense. it was a kangaroo court's ruling in the absence of defendant, the defense, or even valid pieces of evidence. we had a new un relief and works agency for palestinian refugees has told us his organization is on the verge of financial collapse. philip la cerini is warning owner. art can no longer meet the growing needs of refugees in lebanon. zina hud has more from bay roots in exile for decades. these palestinian refugees have long lived on the margins of society. they are among the most vulnerable and poorest communities in lebanon. their situation has been made worse because the economy is close to collapse. and now they're lifeline faces a shortage of funds the financial crisis of on one us being of an existential

nature. and it's often existence in nature because we cannot properly deliver our services anymore at the time to needs into come have significantly increase was providing access to education to all parties and reproduce the girls and boys in the camp and in the country providing assistance to more than 200000 people, we are providing primary health care. lebanon's. currency crash has hurt the palestinians as well. inflation lead to food prices increasing by 10 fold. i will go when people are just buying the basic that they no longer buying kilos, but in grounds for many help from the u. n. is vital, especially since the lebanese state denies palestinians basic services only provided occasion and medicine by the should give us more help because many people can afford to buy bread. a recent decision by the lebanese authorities to expand

palestinian right in the labor market is welcomed here as a way to deal with rising unemployment. but many tell us it's limited and what is needed is to grant the basic right life. i come to just in my truck, under my name, i can't even get a license to drive it. there are minimum rights which palestinians don't have. we think the minister for the new decree, but i don't resolve an incoming. so the palestinians have faced what rights groups call discriminatory policies since they 1st arrived in lebanon in 1948 successive governments, believe easing restrictions and providing them citizenship will encourage them to settle here permanently. that's why the majority rely on the informal labor market, but opportunities are drying up the most. if we don't work, we can. and there is a much work now with the of the economy crisis. even before the economic collapse,

lebanon's palestinians were struggling. it hurts him, pushed more into poverty. the united nation says it now has to find money so that the crisis won't have what it calls a devastating humanitarian impact center could there al shahida, beirut. ah, hello again. the headlines are al jazeera, the u. k. health agency says people are up to 70 percent less likely to be admitted to hospital with army kron than if they already had the delta variance. but it's warren, the protection from the virus starts to drop off 10 weeks after a booster shots current various cases in new york have risen 6.