it's global headlines inside story on al jazeera, i know, covering all of latin america for most of my career, like no country is alike and its my job to shed light on how and why ah the u. s. in europe report record cove, it 19 infections, but more evidence suggests the aldacon berry and his milder than other strains ah. columns the harmony watching over their life. while headquarters here in doha, coming up in the program. south korea's government pardons, form up president park gay ruin, who's been serving a 22 year sentence for corruption. please cindy, i have begun an investigation into a video showing hindu religious leaders calling the genocide against muslims. and

as christian celebrate christmas eve, wherein bethlehem and the occupied with bank to see how the pandemic is affecting the shares preparations, ah welcome to the program. we begin in the united kingdom, where old christmas eve prime minister boris johnson, is urging the public to get a booster shot appointments for cove 19 vaccines are being made available for christmas and boxing day johnsons, law. she resisted calls for title restrictions for the holidays despite the fast spread of the on the chrome variant. though the time for buying presents is theoretically running out. there is still a wonderful thing. you can give your family and the whole country that is to get that job, whether it's your 1st or 2nd, or your booster. so that next year's festivities are even better than this years.

and in the meantime, i thank you. i wish you all a very merry christmas for a challenge proposal from louis. but i think the, the main messages of forest johnson's christmas address were, as he say, get boosted thanks to everyone that's been toiling in the national health service. and that he hopes that this christmas will be better than the last in many ways. this was a classic johnson speech. full of johnson isms, may may be kind of we're familiar cultural references or ambitious rhetorical segue . he was talking about the families who might need a bigger turkey this year. have more sprouts to appeal, need more washing up to do. he said, that's all to the good because that means that more people are able to get together with their families and with their loved ones. he's talking about if you have more scrum pulled up wrapping paper again. that's good because it's shows that people

have been giving each other the invaluable presence of vaccines which has enabled them to get together more than they were last year. he interesting rhetorical segue as well. perhaps in saying that that, that jesus would have wanted us to get vaccine or something along those lines. that loving your neighbor is something that jesus would have would have recommended, did recommend. and the vaccines are way to love one's neighbor. we also had the christmas address from pakistan, who's the leader of the labor party, the opposition, a bit more somber from him. he was talking about that too much suffering too much loss being experienced. that too many families have one fewer chairs at the christmas table. is he again he thanked the n h. s. this christmas definitely is better than the last one. last one was canceled the last minute. but with on the chrome searching, there is still a big shadow hanging over the sensitivities. so far,

the data suggested alma called his milder than previous variance, the case health security agencies, as people with the very interest bates to be up to 70 percent less likely to be admitted to hospital. imperial college found people infected with omicron of 40 percent less likely to be in hospital for a night or more compared to the delta variant. and very early data from the university of edinburgh indicates a 2 thirds reduction, the risk of ending up the hospital. on tuesday, studies from south africa show that people infected a 70 to 80 percent less likely to have been admitted. professor cheryl cohen is a senior author of that south african study at the institute of the national institute for communicable diseases and has more on her teams findings. when we look at this finding that we have offered you severity, there really are 2 possible explanation that i think it's likely both of them contribute to. the one is that potentially the virus is actually intrinsically less

than there are some early data to dump all the parts of the body that a target in the line might be different and contribute to it actually being intrinsically less likely to cause severe disease. but the other important contribution is the role of pre existing immunity. so in south africa, more than 70 percent of people have had source covey to before. and many people have also had vaccination. and so in the, the people included in our study and then we know me, crime is more likely to cause a breakthrough infection. so many of the american patients will actually have had previous conviction over explanation. so. so part of the reduced severity might actually just be that in many, many people, they've already had it before. they have some level of immunity. and when we compared those current patients in the early wave to people in the delta wave. so the previous wave, we also found a mass hospice about people. they were 70 percent less likely to develop severe disease. and, and importantly we really waited from the time of diagnosis. we gave it

a whole 3 weeks for those people to actually have got severe disease or got admitted to hospital so. so, you know, the vast majority of those people would have had a severe disease if they were going to get it so, so we feel that these data are not quite about at least $39.00 people have died after a very cold phi in bangladesh. dozens of others suffered injuries rescue teams managed to save some passengers. for local sources, say the death toll is likely to rise. the ferry was over crowded. with any 500 people on board. south korea has pardoned at former president, pug, and hay, who's been serving a 22 year prison sentence for corruption. park became the country's 1st democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office in 2017 alexia brown reports hockey, and hays removal from office and erased in 2017. was a dramatic fall from grace. let saw her go from south korea's president to prisoner . she's been serving

a 22 year sentence for corruption that the government's pardon will see her released on december 31st along with around 3000 others. how are you putting on your credit score? we have included former president park and he and form of prime minister hung shook to the list to overcome unfortunate past history and cries of covert 19, but realised peoples unity and provide a chance to take a new step forward to the future. we will park is currently in hospital and analysts believe that's played a part in her imminent release. i think it's really heard dancing age and her health issues. she's her physical and mental health issues since impeachment i'm, i'm, she's pretty clearly not going to have any kind of meaningful political role in korean life she's allowed, got home is appears going to happen. hawk was one seen as political royalty, the daughter, a former president part young. he, she served as acting 1st lady after her mother was killed in 1974. jo,

you young sir? yes, i got one young head. oh, in 2013 parkin. hay became the country's 1st female leader scoring a decisive victory for her conservative policy. but she suffered a sharp drop in public support after more than 300 people, mostly children ground when a fairy capsized in 2014. just 2 years later, another political scandal engulfed her administration after an old friend choice and so was alleged to have used her influence over the president to meddle in state affairs. hundreds of thousands of people gathered every weekend to demand parks resignation. there was celebrations when she was impeached, thrown out of office, and later jailed for collusion with joy to receive billions of dollars from major companies. the scandal also landed heads of 2 conglomerates in prison. what

occurred in the blue house during her reign was unacceptable. ah, but there are corruption indeed, but o overall i, i personally didn't feel that she was deeply involved into these into the entire scheme and so on. she has been jailed. she's in poor health. i feel like the time is right to let her go and give her the pardon. at the moment of the family, i feel upset as a citizen, i feel that it's regrettable. at such a disease, miss made all of a sudden when it would undo what was achieved through the candle lit vigils. almost all of south koreans, former presidents have been implicated in corruption scandals lame young back. the only living ex president aside from park, is also in prison. he didn't receive a pardon, alexia brian al jazeera police in the northern indian state of oregon to have lost a hate speech investigation following a beating of hindu religious leaders. videos from last week's of n showed them calling for genocide and use of weapons against muslims. it sparked

outrage on social media after the footage went viral. barbie with al has more from new delhi a week after this event. the police has reduced to case against one person. now the event in question was a concave of thought, organized by villages him the leaders in a template town in order in the other tom is considered to be wholly by many. now after. ringback this event, many inflammatory features were made the call to genocide similar to what we saw on man mar against they will have. all of this is on tape. the features went viral. so the police has evidence of video, graphic evidence, but nothing else has actually been done. in fact, the, the organizer of the event is a repeat offender. this is not the 1st sign that he has made and 2 minority, or rather anti muslim statements statements. in fact, he recently gave an interview saying that he's tons by watson says,

and is not afraid of getting arrested. and the reason is that many of the leaders who are there and may enjoy our support and friendship of members belonging to prime minister in the range of the political party that is opposed to just the party or the b j b. interestingly, the one person who, against whom the case has been registered. if someone who recently converted he was muslim and now goes by him to name hundreds of refugees sled across the me. the more bold into thailand on friday after fighting between the me and my army and the current national union fighting has been going on for more than a week following a raid to seize distance opposed to the military. coups. but it now seems to be growing in intensity, those tiny chamber poles the video posted on social media from message on the board with me on my gunfire. so loud, it's clear. fighting is very close elsewhere,

video shoot. people playing towards thailand that some put heavy artillery in the background. here the river is relatively easy to cross an obvious route for those trying to escape the fighting. overnight hundreds had left on the cover of darkness to be met by the ty army time media reporting that had come on the aerial and artillery bombardment. fighting in the town of lake a go broke out last week after the me and my military rated the town looking for suspected dissidence. the ethnic korean national union that controlled the area are reported to a full back ferociously. since then, several 1000 people have crossed into thailand, many with only the clothes on their backs, your bags, my child, and ran immediately across the river. i'll tie soldiers told us to run fast. tie soldiers have allowed the refugees to stay. unlike during clashes earlier in the year when they were pushed back and thailand's prime minister said,

provisions have been made for others to come as more fighting is anticipated along the border. the qur'an, in particular, i have been harboring, ah, formerly, or, or informally, and some of the resistance groups that have been set up to counter the cou. i think b, m r army is going after them are with some bigger. and these are the lucky ones. safe for the moment inside thailand, with basic food and shelter across the border, 20000 more have fled their homes, with fighting intensifying, they to may try to seek sanctuary inside thailand, tourney chang, al jazeera. well still ahead. hill and al jazeera repair and rebuild. it's been 5 months since germany was hit with severe flooding, but some people have not been able to return home. unwilling words to the girl slam poetry competition is empowering the youth and her voice. ah,

ah, look forward to brighter skies. the winter sponsored my cattle airways. hello there . here's your weather story for asia. good to see everyone. we're going to begin in japan, northwestern sections of whole kado jets, a winter wall up here. could pick up to about 50 centimeters of snow that wind day is whipping around the stars. so knocking down visibility. we've got to talk about this bitter call this while. let's paint on their colors. the darker the purple, the lower the temperature making its way to shanghai as a height of 4. but if we look at the 3 day forecast for saw, okay, it's a short lived shot of cold air. you're back above freezing on tuesday with a high of 2 degrees. the ne monsoon, once again, doing its thing, steering that rain into central northern portions of vietnam were also seen some rain overhang on saturday as while of her se asia, the rain is really piling up southern sumatra,

west java. we've got some thunderstorms in the forecast. a call them poor singapore jakarta and bali with a high of 33 degrees. no rain to be found across india, but we do have a bit of a foggy start to the day for roger stein, a, but there is the risks. we could see some rain for new delhi in the days to come. this would be out of season rain. so i'll take a peek at the next 3 days here, but a 30 percent chance. 40 percent chance on monday with the hive $21.00 degrees, which is actually below average for the sum of the year that show up the c. as in for the weather sponsored by katara, always in the country with an abundance results for foreign want indonesia whose firms for me, we move pool to grow and frank, 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 be part linda. this is growth and progress. invent indonesia now.

ah ah, welcome back. you watch you all to 0. at least the whole rob lawanda of all top stories, u. k prime minister boris johnson is urging the public to get a boost to shalt over the christmas holiday. johnson has largely resisted calls for types of restrictions over the festive period. despite the fast spread of the all mcclellan buried south korea's government as pardon to former president pod good, hey, who's been serving a 22 year vis. incentives for corruption? the justice ministry says the decision to release her after almost 5 years behind boss is to help heal national divisions and police in the north and indian state of

ultra come and have launched a hate speech investigation. following a meeting of hindu religious leaders, videos from last week's event showed them calling for janice side and the use of weapons against muslims. christmas celebrations have begun in bethlehem the biblical birthplace of jesus christ for the outbreak called the new cove. 19 baron tal mccollum has meant fewer events this year. the town has been almost as a deserted as israel, which controls travel to the occupies westbank, respectively suspended, falling towards it because of a pen that it did. abraham is lying for us in the main just square. have you been able sort of to gauge the mood this year leader? it's getting more 1st there by the minute you can probably hear the sounds of the south rule. in marching, i brought the mangers where and people are it,

more people are coming in, so that means you're where. but if we got beer this situation and more to last years, many people would tell you definitely work best, better people weren't allowed even last year to car. my part is that bid them with the event and even many put it in the christmas eve, midnight's math. but it's been 2 years for palestinians living. here we go, there have been able to have some in israel, obviously got all the borders and they've been bad in the front make because of the, for one of our spend that make. and i want to talk more about this situation with edmund than euro the lutheran pastor in here about lab has the 2 years been for people here been really very difficult to years. you've got the

morbid reality, their health and the way so many people died because of it. and i got more that we were not good and it's really hot. it didn't work. they impact the economic impact of the people that misses that down. that entirely depend, i don't know, but all of that, keep in mind, we all don't up your mind to people with questions. so when you put all of these factors together, you can imagine that it has to be very, very hard. when you find home and live up these difficult circumstances. well, we palestinians are very that it is lilian people. i look at these scouts group, young people who put on month practice just to be in the marketing. we want to live and we just to live in this life. and in this christmas season, also keep in mind that the dental pope, i think the christmas story that like jesus do what's going on that

occupation. he was born at that time. then i mean to assemble an ability and weakness. i dictate that tried to kill them, but they defy dollars. and they all that game and from that they're down game a message will be sent home the well. so we want us to look at jesus, that's one of us. and from him we got it and pump, and hope has prior been have you been able to conduct the prior to leaving up with obviously we have not been could not do it. so it's mainly that people of this down now celebrating thank god, on a senior government mate vaccine available. the most people don't most, it will not vaccinate a bit more than what i even now develop. and he'd like it wouldn't up to celebrate in both them. but this year we are celebrating, i've been telling me that because this is danielle, you know,

we live in everywhere. thank you so much. that listed as copies read read in the past. are off in church here in bethlehem. many people here with tell you that there is a lot of anxiety film. there are a broadway cases of the one of ours that make many here have been telling me that they want the son of right. this is the place where jesus has believe to have been born, that they are probably saying that this is the capital of person. they, they, for him in bed. thanks very much. the polling stations in the bureau closed where along the way 2 presidential elections were due to be. how well the training is out of school and the capital tripoli were voting was meant to be taking place. on friday, this school and the heart of tripoli was supposed to double down as a police station today. there should have been crowds of people gathered to cast their ballots in libya, the 1st round of

a presidential election put that election has been postponed. on wednesday, the high national elections commission suggested that the vote be postponed until january 24th. and, and really the question is, how do you feel about it? now we've spoken to quite a few people here in western libya, and there isn't any disappointment really, most people are relieved that the vote isn't taking place. they feel a presidential election will only further the division and conflict in the country . now, libya has been engulfed in violent and political divisions since the revolution that toppled mall morgan duffy 10 years ago and will be as when they rose up in that revolution. they called for a democratic and free country. and now, and now with this election looming, people think that without a constitution, you can't really vote for president. there's no constitution in place. so live is want to want to be able to identify the ruling powers. a president has before they

vote for someone who they believe will move the country forward. so now what we're seeing is people calling for parliamentary elections and any constitutional referendum followed by a presidential vote. the saudi led coalition fighting in yemen, says they've destroyed 9 locations where the rebels are storing weapons strikes, took place across the capitol center. these pictures show the aftermath, the forces denied accusations they had weapons and bolts complex rebels have repeatedly launched drones and missile times into saudi arabia. the conflict began in 2015, 5 months after floods devastated towns, villages in germany. many people have still not been able to return to their homes because ones come under criticism for its response with volunteers stepping in to help set the vast reports now from the german town of ed of iowa, 5 months ago to be shot left his business as an event organizer to help victims of

the lot. you want to insure those literally left in the cold after flood damage their homes. didn't have to stay that way for too long. with his team of fallen peers, he started to collect air conditioners, can be used as well with the temperature dropping below 0 until ground floor destroyed. daniel coatings over has been camping in her bathroom. the happened who said to you all we have is this room. we sleep here, we cook here. everything happens here. downstairs, the situation has not changed since a night in july when she and her 3 children had to escape from the water. she has no insurance and the governments off off help us yet to be seen him and have him of you to run a tug of them on the days when you think things are going well and it's moving forward. but then something happens and you have these days when you just fall apart than everything comes back and living in this construction site where

freezing and it's always the r valley in the western part of germany was hit by floods after days of torrential rains. almost 200 people were killed was a virus of the floods. winter has not only brought darkness and cold, but it also as we find there too much memories, while thousands of volunteers have held them to cope so far due to lack of government for 4th, many here feel 5 months on have been forgotten or to be shot flames this on long and complicated government procedures. gill, i'm lang portez kept for the government has a lot of iraq receive. so it takes too long to provide help quickly. we have an immediate help program from the government, but that takes too long to reach people. the thought immediate help means that if someone calls us for heating, we have to install it the next day. we need to reassess disaster protocols in germany. more than 100000 fallen p. s came to help they build a camp where hundreds of people receive meals, have access to a laundry surface and got mental health support all paid for were donations. for

now, we talk about round about 8000000 euro only we get from what go. busy everywhere from germany, we have to say now from everybody or something from switzerland, from netherland, from looks of book it's the power social media around 1000 heaters have now been oh sure. mentalist have learned again about humanity and solidarity and sticking together. so i have a lot of hope that the pilot project in our town can be spread through germany, and it can be spread throughout the world. it's one of the high dinah coatings over it means winter will just be a little bit warmer. fish. fasten al jazeera and now the u. n. is looking to raise at least $6500000.00 in humanitarian aid for

those worst effected by typhoon rye. in the philippines, at least 375 people have been killed and millions are left homeless. present, rodrigo detective has declared what equal the state of calamity in regions were. hundreds of thousands remain cut off from essential services. now slum poetry in sending our lives getting nationwide detention. let's take a word, competitions or a blend of hip hop music and politics and is popular across french speaking africa . nicholas act reports from the capital duck. a moment of hesitation. perhaps stage fright before delivering a message from the time. i remember a 16 year old mama do says when she was like the earth to me like a father to me like the ocean to me. she love and when you protected me before suddenly disappearing an ode from his son to a mother that left the earth too soon. in this national school slam poetry contest,

teenage students speaking french of arabic, were mixed of all of them. there is no barrier of language, no theme or rules to follow, no mistakes to be made. number, this is slam poetry, movement to your freedom of expression. all of her chummy g ring gave a declaration to announce her love for god, for women, for the city and her ancestral libra culture only by a common thread. faith trust into her words, speak to her riveted crowd of hundreds of teenagers who for a brief moment are not distracted by their phones. but captured by poetry. the got you to judge or famous lamp, which you already know my love, just as the crowd grows into the night, silence spread is broken by the echoing voice of poets beneath the car's monument

of their own. nissan slam poetry is about the delivery, the diction and the depth of the woods. i'm really amazed the level of these students is pretty impressive. senegal, 1st head of state lou bolted us anger known as the poet president, a prolific writer. sanger devoted a 3rd of the national budget to arts and culture, despite most people living in poverty and being illiterate, sank, or was following the countries long tradition of using poetry, music, and art to transmit knowledge and faith. though it is just necessary to promote the some portrait stood at computers. hm. that can help them develop beer, mitigation that edition in their talent education develop their right to school and best we can still. over a 1000 students took part in the event with only a dozen left and competition. the judges have to decide a winner and runner up. oh mama do is announced runner up, leaving the trophy to 18 year old, chummy ging gary,

good me, slam is democratic poetry. she says it allows our soul to travel a gift of simple words for the masses to just be present and feel the moment. nicholas hawk al jazeera de carr ah, your job as a rogue me said robin a reminder of all top news stories u. k prime minister bars johnson is urging the public to get a booster shot over the christmas period. johnson has lost we resisted calls pertaining to restrictions over the festive period despite the fast spread of the on the chrome variant. roy challenge reports are from louis.