ah, this is brad a ah. ready on the con, dampens holiday plans. hundreds of flights are cancelled just before christmas. is current, a virus infection serge, globally? ah, you're watching all 0 like from a headquarters. and so what i'm getting obligated also coming up and overcrowded very catches fire and bangladesh kili at least 39 people were in bethlehem in the occupied west bank to see how the pandemic is affecting this year as christmas celebrations. plus i was out of a job aid in a mongrel forest,

just off the reviewed seat. and i'll tell you how the lack of fresh water is killing species of mangrove with hello more than 2000 flights globally have been cancelled on christmas eve. and the latest blow caused by the highly transmissible army kron variant its left would be travellers stranded as the holiday season kicks off, live towns delta and united airlines all saying the virus is affected, their flight cruise over in the u. k. the prime ministers urged the public to get booster shots during the festive season and other countries like france nostril, you have shortened the wait time to receive booster shots as they rushed to stem the tide of infections to talk us through the trouble chaos were joined by gabriel, he's on though he's joining us from newark airport over new jersey. so what is the situation like where you are gabriel?

well, the micron variant is not only affecting people on the ground, but it's affecting people that want to get in the air to get bored flights. to go see loved ones and it's holiday season. you mentioned hundreds of flight cancellations. here in the united states, primarily delta and united airlines to the biggest carriers here at newark liberty international airport in new jersey. we've seen long lines of several of the carriers and you can see people have just been waiting. some people been waiting in line nearly 2 hours to check in. we've seen several delays here and a few cancellations. but it's primarily hitting a lot of other airports. even harder. united airlines is even sending out text alert messages to some of their customers and the alerts say your flight is cancelled due to an increase in cobit cases, limiting crew availability. all the carriers here are saying that that's exactly

what it is. they're saying there's all sorts of operational issues, but they're point thing to the fact that i'm recalling very, to spreading very fast and pilots rampages to flight attendants are increasingly calling in sick in the last 48 hours. and so that's why so many airlines are simply having to cancel flight. they're also canceling fights going into saturday now as well. move tanza international move, tanza cancelled over a dozen long hall flights to the u. s. and we're now just hearing about flights being canceled in australia as well. this all comes during the busy holiday travel season just here in the united states. a security officials of the transportation security administration say, in the last 24 hours thursday, if you will, a screen more than 2100000 people traveling through us airports in the last 24 hours. that is an increase from pre pandemic holiday travel in 2019

gabriel. the president joe biden, however, has listed some travel restrictions. what can you tell us about those yet, somewhat unrelated to what's going on today, but somewhat related as well as november 29th. the job by instituted travel restrictions on 8 countries in southern africa is now the administration is now lifting those travel restrictions for those 8 african countries will go into effect on january 1st. and they will be allowed to come back and travel freely back to the united states. those restrictions were implemented due to the army crime variance that 1st was discovered if you will, in south africa, 8 countries now that are affected, that the restrictions are going to be lifted, or south africa, about swan as in bob way nivia the so so s where he t also known as was the land mozambique and my law, we, again,

those restrictions will be lifted and they go into effect on january 1st, the administration saying that the cdc recommended that those restrictions be lifted because it's now been shown according to the cdc, that the vaccine is very strong in combating extreme illness to the new i'm returning variance. all right, thank you so much. gerber. at least on reporting from newark airport in new jersey . over in the u. k. the prime minister board johnson resisted calls for title restrictions for the holidays as cases surge to record highs. day the time for buying presence is theoretically running out. there is still a wonderful thing. you can give your family and the whole country that is to get that jap, whether it's your 1st or 2nd or your booster. so that next year's festivities even better than this years. and in the meantime, i think, you know, she will

a very merry christmas where a challenge has more on johnson speech. he had basically peppered his speech with lots of rhetorical flourishes. the kind of things you're familiar with. if you listen to borrow stones and speak often, he says that, you know, if you needed a big turkey this year, if you have more brussel sprouts to peel. if there's more washing up to do, if they're a big piles of wrapping paper underneath the tree, then that's all to the good because that shows that you have been able to spend christmas with the people the in love as opposed to last year when effectively christmas was cancelled a very short notice, and lots of families had to stay by themselves. no mingling in large groups at all. so the message from boris johnson is that this year it's different. and if you get your job and drilled that home again and again to get your job the next year is

going to be better still. he went even so far as to say, it's probably what jesus would have wanted. he said that getting a job as a community might have thing to do. you not just thing if it felt you're doing it for everyone who live knew you and that's what jesus his message was as well. of course, he's right to say that this christmas is better than last years, but with all micro rampaging through the country, everyone knows multiple people who have cobit at the moment. many people are having to isolate so that the virus is still costing a big shadow over this festive season. add it as it did last one as well. at least 39 people have been killed in bangladesh after a fire read through a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers. felisa broke out in the engine room in the middle of the night and quickly engulfed the boat. burnett spent reports this overnight ferry was packed with up to 800 people heading out of docker for a weekend, away with friends and family. many would have been sleeping in these crowded cabins

as the fire took hold in the engine room. oh, the engine had been running for about an hour while on fire. later, the fire probably spread from the engine to the earl tanker and his tongue with a loud bang at this spot where he is standing right now about that it was not as flames whipped through the fairy. many passengers jumped into the river to escape, according to police. they believe the engine carried on running for an hour as the fire took hold, no one, many survivors of suffer terrible burn injuries and the death toll is expected to rise. i was on the 2nd floor. suddenly the engine exploded and caught for it had be malfunctioning from earlier on. but the negligence of the fairy authority resulted in the fight the ferry, with coveting curtains, all the heat from the explosion was trapped inside. and that he'd made everything firm, dozens of bodies have been recovered so far, very accidents, a common in bangladesh, usually blamed on over crowding,

and lacks enforcement of rules. fairies are a main means of transport and a country that's criss crossed by more than a 130 riddles. the government to set up 2 committees to investigate the fire. they've been ordered to report their findings in 3 dates. bernard smith, our jersey christmas celebrations, have begun, and bethlehem the biblical birthplace of jesus christ for the outbreak of the crown variance has many fewer events this year. the town has been almost deserted as israel, which controls travel to the occupied west bank has effectively suspended for and tourism because of the pandemic. abraham was in bethlehem a few hours ago. all these people here of gather to welcome the latin battery out of jerusalem. yet the septic, the bad is arrival here and now says that beginning of the christmas celebration here battle i have, this is the sound we're may balance. it is with value is like way to lafayette to

be because many believe that the supply was going to hear and back. now back to last year, numbers of people been allowed to enter here. the major square is much more. it's a more festive season. last year, people weren't even allowed to attend this celebration here in the square. now, one element many palestinians would tell you is missing is tourism. this is a city that has long depended on tourists coming in. but the bad that make the board does have only been open for just 2 week. israel is the one who control who has access to the occupied by bank. it's very nice to see some people around here. however, this is only the 10th of what used to be here normally is. this gives me a little bit hope that things will get better hopefully in the, in the, in the, in the near future. we still need some time to recover fully. keep in mind, we are not the white people within

a very bad resilient people. jesus was born on that occupation. he was born at the time that i mean to. i spent a lot of fun ability and weakness. i dictated, tried to kill him, but need to fight a lot. and they all that game and from this that down game a message will be sent home the rest of the world as a palestinian. i do believe that they have a palestinian identity. i have like this is my city, this is my country and i'm not, i'm not really able to move. it was like it was freedom inside my country. my fiance goes many years. they that they are lucky. no. celebrating with the still ahead on al jazeera, south korean government pardons. former president park on hey, who's been serving

a 22 year sentence for corruption repair and rebuild. it's been 5 months in germany was hit with severe flooding. so i have some people not unable to return home. ah, we may see some rain across the gulf states. hello everyone. let's talk about that right off the bat. it all has to do with this ribbon of cloud draped over sections of saudi. we'll go and for a closer look, i'll put this a day for now and we'll find ourselves on sunday. could see those showers through buffer rain, and i think probably the northwest of cats are maybe not don't specifically, but there is certainly the risk for it. and those winds will still be crank into about 50 kilometers per hour. next for go into pakistan. enjoy. well, you can, because temperatures here will be falling in the days to calm that includes for the

hor, so for now cloudy day at 19 degrees. temperatures however are going up in is stumble, but it comes out a bit of a cost. you can see there's winds pick up a through the boss for is central africa. we've got our plentiful storms here where we would expect to see, especially around late victoria here heart tomb a bit below average with those winds out of the north 29 degrees. and as we look toward the south, we got some rock in storms across in bob boy, central southern portions of mozambique. still wet weather for eastern portions of south africa, just south of derb in the other day. we scooped up more than a 100 millimeters of rain and still feeling like summer in cape town, 30 degrees. the for you on saturday. enjoy. that's it. we'll see again soon. the frank assessments this crisis where you continue to recon luca shanker, even though he believes in the beginning that it was informed opinions,

i think on addition will now be under incredible pressure from the young people. that is one of the most types of things come out of this critical debate. do you think a should be facilitated? not sure. okay, it's a great. it's a really simple question. let's give me a child. once. inside story on al jazeera. ah ah. hello again. the top stories on al jazeera this hour more than 2000 flights have been cancelled globally on christmas eve. the latest blow served by the con variance of the current of virus who towns all united on delta say the virus has

taken a toll on their stop. at least 39 people have died after ferry caught fire and bangladesh rescue teams managed to save some passengers, but local sources save death is likely to rise. the ferry was overcrowded and was carrying up to 800 people christmas celebration taken place right now in bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of jesus christ. but the outbreak of the on the con, variance has meant far fewer events this year. south korea has pardon former president parkin, hey, 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. alexey o'brien reports, park young hays removal from office and raised 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 former prime minister hung shook to list to overcome unfortunate past history and cries of co 19 about it realised peoples unity and provide a chance to take a new step forward to the future. 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 had both 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, gomez appears going to happen. hawk was one seen as political royalty. the daughter, former president, part young. he, she served as acting 1st lady after her mother was killed in 1974. you young sir?

yes, i got one young. 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 middle and 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 and prison. what occurred in the blue house during her reign was unacceptable. ah,

but there are corruption indeed, but um, overall i, i personally didn't feel that she was deeply involved into these into the entire scheme and so on. she's been jailed. she's in poor health. i feel like the time is right to let her go and give her the pardon. it doesn't have the palm on me. i feel upset as a citizen, i feel that it's regrettable that such a decision was made all of a sudden when it would undo what was achieved through the candlelight vigils. almost all of south koreans, former presidents have been implicated and corruption scandals lame young back. the only living ex president aside from park is also in prison. he didn't receive a pardon alex there brian al jazeera, the saudi led coalition fighting in yemen, say they've destroyed 9 locations where whole the rebels were storing weapons airstrikes, to place across the capitol, sunup. these pictures show the aftermath who the forces deny accusations. they hid

weapons in a sports complex. the rebels have repeatedly launched drones on miss alice oxen to saudi arabia. since the conflict began in 2015 polling stations, and libby are closed, where long awaited presidential elections were due to be held. malik trina is at a school in the capital, tripoli were voting was meant to be taking place on friday. this who in 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. 5 months after floods devastated towns and villages in germany

. many people have still not been able to return to their homes. the governments come under criticism for its response with volunteers stepping in to help stuff us and reports in the germantown of our valor. 5 months ago to be a 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 volunteers, 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. hoppel, 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 and have him of

those on top 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 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 support. many here feel 5 months on have been forgotten or be shot, blames this on long and complicated government procedures. gill, i'm lang 5 people, so the government has a lot of bureaucracy, 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 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 k to help they build a camp where hundreds of people receive meals have access to a laundry service and governmental house support all paid for with donations. for now, we talk about round about 8000000 euro only we get from go everywhere from germany. we have to say no from everybody. we have something from switzerland, from netherlands, from, looks and book. it's the power social media around $1000.00 heaters have now been and i'm sure mentioned skype nor 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 spread throughout the world. it's one of the thank goodness, over it means winter will just be

a little bit warmer. fish that fasten al jazeera in a rawson court has fine to the world's biggest tech companies for failing to delete content. the country themes illegal. google has been fined nearly $100000000.00 and metal just over $27000000.00. they're reviewing the ruling. it comes as the government has introduced several new laws targeting online platforms, migrant sand. refugee is stuck at the beller as poland border say. their situation is becoming increasingly desperate. hundreds of people have spent more than a month at a temporary shelter and bell roofs hoping to cross into the you. temperatures now have dropped below minus 10 degrees celsius, some of the migrant se they may brave the forested areas near the border. in the hope of finally making it into poland, police in the northern indian state of which are a kind have launched a hate speech investigation. following a meeting of hindu religious leaders,

videos from last week's events showed them calling for genocide and use of weapons against muslims. it sparked outrage on social media after the footage went viral. poverty, metal reports from new tele, a week off to this event or the police has registered a case against one person. now the event in question was a conclave of sword organized by religious hindu leaders in a template town. in northern india, the town is considered to be wholly by many hindus. now this. ringback event, many inflammatory speeches were made, they called for genocide similar to what we saw in man mar against the linger and all of this is on tape the us peaches went viral. so the police has evidence a bit of 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 stands by what he says and is not afraid of getting arrested. and the reason is that many of these leaders who were there and made the speeches, enjoy our support and friendship of members belonging to prime minister in the reins, mo, these political party, that is the part to join the party or the b j. b. of interestingly, the one person who, against whom the case has been registered, is someone who recently converted he was muslim. and now goes by a hindu name. in pakistan, tens of thousands of people have had to move inland. a sea water encroaches on the land and underground water. it's largely due to raising sea levels or warnings. the country could have 2000000 climate migrants by 2015. some a. bon jovi reports from southern pakistan a 600000 hector forest is focused on natural defense. again, salt,

water intrusion and rising sea levels. this is that he generation neutral region nation conservation to say the number of trees and forest cover in the industry were delta has increased in the last decade. the diversity and focus on mangrove as dying. most of the 17 major creeks from the river no longer provide fresh water. that means no filled or new soil, a necessity for the carbon capturing roots of the mangrove plant. the climate vulnerable since provinces successfully rehabilitated hundreds of hectic mangrove. but it's not enough. a lot about jo mcgrooves get ballet. i bet. previously we had 8 species of mangroves, but now we are left with just for ccs due to fresh waters not being available. 2 of the surviving species only made it because they adapted to sailing water line. the fresh water creeks which provided a fertile delta, are now sea water, creeks, dams and excessive water use upstream leaves little water for the south. despite laws and treaties,

the river agriculture is destroyed by sea water. parkinson's rank among the world stopped in countries and a threat from climate change. the climate action network believes by his son could have around 2000000 climate migrants by 2050 in coastal communities. a 1000000 people are believed to be at risk from the decrease in fresh water. people here have been telling us the thousands have left it and says 2 homes. due to a lack of water. and villages like this are slowly dying. f. c, water encroaches drown water tables for hundreds of kilometers. people angry at the government's lack of solution. see they can only pray for rain while i jo. bonnie: i'm of the water is a huge problem and our children have to walk 10 kilometers to get it because of this out of a 1000 homes, only 4 or 500 are left and families are scattered all over the migration towards cities added pressure to bring water and lack of opportunities are causing social problems as well. women who work in the fields have children and run households are

under tremendous pressure. young girls have to pigeon to help their mothers. we couldn't speak to their mothers as in this remote part of back a son. we were not allowed to film the women. everything which can hold water is utilized here. but even that's not enough. why one is out, my god. i know that there is no water in the whole village and we can't fund drinking water anywhere. i have to come and refill multiple times a day. if i take one container from to swell, maybe we have enough water to cook, but there isn't enough water to drink. these much skippers, unimed phoebe as fish who in their attempt to live on land, provide nature's frustration for the mangrove forest. they've adapted for generations to the changes around them. but unlike them, humans and towns like gayety, but they have had to move multiple times because of encouraging sea water. and in less drastic measures that taken to replenish the river delta. the floods and droughts will continue to cross the pockets on the economy. an estimated bill

$1000000000.00 a year. some a majority delta 0 to suddenly park your car to for a special series on pakistan's water challenges a summer been job a takes us to the him, a layer mountains were melting glaciers. pose a risk for communities. you can watch the starting at o 200 hours gmc on saturday. ah, hello again. the headlines on al jazeera, more than 2000 and flights, have been cancelled globally on christmas eve. the latest blow related to the on the con, variance of covered 19 tundra united on delta say the virus has taken a toll on their stuff. gabriel is also has more from the newark airport delta. one of the major carriers here in the u. s. announced over a 125 cancellations on friday, united airlines to another major airline here in the u. s. over a 100.