on to have access to central health services. now, more than ever, the world needs w h. making a healthy, a world. the youth for everyone ah, signing the alarm, the w a jo says half of europe's population could get the alma chron, variance of covered in the next 2 months. ah, hello there i'm have are here, dean. this is al jazeera live from dough ha. also coming up under fire coals for

the u. k. prime minister to step down after a leaks email reveals his office held a party during the height of the corona, virus lock downs. warning of a lumen catastrophe in afghanistan, the un launches the biggest appeal for aid. for one country. hearing half the population is at risk of accused hunger loss. this is world defining moment earlier, civil rundridge yard and fighting for voting rights. the u. s. president, rally support for legislation to counter measures. the critics say targets minority voters where we begin with a warning that europe will face a tidal wave of corona virus cases. the world health organization says more than half of all europeans are likely to be infected by the omicron variance in the next

2 months. it's urgent governments to prioritize vaccinations, including booster shots at this rate. the institute for health metrics and evaluation for posts that more than 50 percent of the population in the region will be infected with on the chrome in the next $6.00 to $8.00 weeks. because of the unprecedented scale of transmission, we are now seeing, raising covent 19 hospitalizations. it this changing health systems and service delivery in many countries where oregon has spread at speed and threatened store overwhelm in many more. well, despite few cases in china and young has become the 3rd city to go into locked i and as authorities maintain a 0 covert approach to the pandemic. and health facilities in the us are feeling the strain of omicron with more than 140000 people in the hospital. that's the

highest since the pandemic began. will get more on all those stories and just a moment, 1st though dominant cane as in berlin, if more on the situation across europe, on the face of us, a very bleak assessment. indeed that's 50 percent of the population. depending on which numbers you go by and the you more than 400000000 people live here in the u. around 700000000 around the you, it's periphery countries and that sort of thing. so we're talking potentially hundreds of millions of people that this individual from the world health organization is saying might well find themselves falling foul of the immigrant variant of the corona virus in the course of the next couple of months. remember, it's deep winter here right now. and so all those conditions which militate in favor of further transmission are in place. it's cold outside people tend to congregate together inside if they're not wearing appropriate masks as we were

hearing from the w h o. in another part of a statement made by the individual concerned that it's masking vaccination and that sort of thing in the absence of those. and it's very clear that the world health health organization is making pretty difficult and dangerous suggestions here. hundreds of millions of people might find themselves as a se falling fall of on the kron in this deep winter phase of 2022. that's the really fundamental question here. right now, has only cron managed to dislodge. the delta vary the preceding particularly dangerous variance of covey that had been running right. what like wildfire across the continent, here in germany, the latest estimate suggests somewhere around 50 percent of all cases are of ami chrome, but in other parts of the continent. then on the corners really taken hold and it's starting to really push delta to one side. a sink into china. now we're 20000000

people are no confined to their homes. as a 3rd city is placed under lockton. katrina, you is more from don. jo in hina, and province, and young's 5000000 residents have been ordered not to leave their homes until they get tested the coven! 19 non essential. businesses have been closed, and all private vehicles have been ordered off the roads. mass testing is underway in the city. now the province of hernon were announced as he is located his home to about 100000000 people. they've been facing an outbreak of primarily the delta variance since the beginning of the year in the city of and young. they've identified since the beginning of january at least $400.00 cases. but what sparked concern is this weekend was the discovery of at least 80 cases of me, very infectious on the chron variance. now these cases have been linked to students who traveled from the port city a tinge in another city in china, which is under defacto locked down. now,

authorities are very concerned about the 10 gin cases because this city borders bay, jing and officials there have promised to see loft hanjin in order to protect the capital. all leaders in china are under enormous pressure to prevent any infections from reaching the capital baiting before the beginning of the beijing winter olympics, which opens on february the 4th. and this is a very dangerous time for the virus here in china. we're just heading into the lunar new year period or chinese new year, where typically many people travel across the country. there are hundreds of millions of trips made here in china as people travel home to see relatives for the most important public holiday here in the country. now officials have discouraged travel this chinese new year because of these outbreaks and officials are saying that they are staunchly committed to maintaining time as 0 tolerance approach to the pandemic. despite the fact that already 20000000 people here in china are

affected by very severe locked downs or pandemic restrictions. and u. s. senate committee is meeting to hear the federal governments take on how it's handling the pandemic. president joe biden has said he has confidence the country is on the right track or representatives from the centers for disease control and help us infectious disease expert anthony funky or among those speaking u. s. is experiencing a massive surge in co, with 19 cases with more than one and a half 1000000 new infections on monday you shorten quarantine guidance because too many people would be out of work. was that because of science or was it because you now know that locked down shut down, some school closures come with a significant downside impact. you asked the american people to trust you quite frankly, you've lost their trust. what political haine is in calverton, virginia will have more on how hospitals are coping in just

a moment. at 1st though, that's join at russell in georgia and she's in washington d. c. and following that, hearing for us. what's, what have we learned since the hearing began? well, basically, there seems to be this perception among members of the u. s. senate who are conducting this hearing, that the biden ministration has a messaging problem that the administration has been giving out, conflicting, and confusing information on how americans can best protect themselves from the cobit 19 of virus and in particular from the alma chron variant. now, while congressional democrats of tried to be more sympathetic to of the challenges of trying to manage the pandemic and trying to end it. senate republicans on the panel this morning are basically attacking those who are testifying, notably, dr. rochelle will lensky who is the director of the centers for disease control and

prevention and doctor anthony foul. she perhaps the country's best known public health expert. this is a, a contentious hearing where they are basically accusing the administration of failing the american people and having lost the american people's trust. however, paula, we have seen dr. will and skiing, try to be diplomatic in her answers as government officials are trained to do when they testified before congress, dr. foul, she has a been accusing senators of trying to play politics with public health policy. and it's made for some interesting fireworks. now whether or not this all clarifies what's going to happen with the administration's response going forward remains to be seen. ok, ross jordan, ebay has not since 8 a from washington d. c. it was. thank you. let's as being naive political haine, she's outside a hospital in counseling and in maryland's we've got this as senate hearing on going at a in the capital. but keith,

tell us what it's like on the grounds right now, because there are reports that hospitals in the us to coming on to real pressure. incredible pressure, more pressure than they been since the started this pandemic what 2 years ago now. so there's the politics of the hearing, and the each side is going to try and score political points. but what the priestly matters here is what's happening in places like this. this is a hospital behind me in maryland several times in the last couple of weeks they've had to simply send out a notice to ambulances. you can't come here, try to find somewhere else. we're simply out of beds. one of the big problems has been staffing during the 2 years of this pandemic. we're seeing lots of nurses, doctors, therapists. they're simply quit, they're burned out, they can't do it anymore. so there's a very much smaller pool to choose from, and now they're getting sick. and the cdc, during the hearing, it admitted that it was because of the hospitals, the hospital said look, if you keep the quarantined to 10 days, we are not going to be able to staff our facilities. and they admitted that that's

part of the reason they moved it to 5 days. busy they said the science back that up, but it's a real concern about having to shut down. teachers are getting sick. students are getting sick, everyone's getting sick. and one of the big problems and what they're focusing on that hearing and what you can hear anywhere anyone you talk to in the community is testing. there are no tests. and the frustration is the by the administration knew the holidays were coming. they knew their very own guidance, said, if you're going to get together with extended family, you have to test 1st. you have to test several times before it's safe to gather in doors. so when the holidays approach, what you saw were hours and hours of wait times just to try and find a p, c r test. as far as home tests, which they now say that they're working on getting to every american, you can't find them anywhere. you can't find them in stores and pharmacies on line . you're getting some luck. but there are some questions about their accuracy, and they're very expensive. so people just aren't testing. in the meantime. the

virus is spreading like wildfire at this point. people, you know, it's probably better to say who doesn't have cobit than who does as. so it's a really dire situation and it doesn't show any signs of a betting. there are so really respected forecasting group that says, possibly by the end of february, early march, we'll start to see these cases drop down. that's a really long time. and there's a real debate about whether or not the hospitals are gonna be able to hold out for that long. okay, patty, cool. he in there, bring his out sedate from, i'd say, the hospital in maryland. thank you so much. patty. now, britain's prime minister is facing renewed coals for his resignation after new revelations about a garden party held cheering lockton feminist divorce. johnson has repeatedly denied spreaking locked and rules, but a leaked e mail, unfortunately shows his private secretary inviting around 100 government staff to

the party. you know, position labor party says johnson must go because of his repeated lies. as he baba is in london, he says this is some fat luke for dining street. it's about trust. sit about consistency and it's about truth telling. and it really is remarkable. if you see the contents of the email which has been published by british broadcasts during the last 24 hours, owns the contents of which the government have not really complained about or rejected. let me just read you a little bit of it. we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distant drinks in the number 10 garden this evening . bring your own booze. that was from a close sir. advisor of prime minister bore his johnson on the 20th of may 2020 during the 1st lock down that same day his coach or secretary oliver dowden had gone on television and told the british public that apart from their own household, they shouldn't mix with any body except for one person in and outdoor setting,

the police issued similar guidelines that day. and so really the question is, what did they think they were doing? certainly, there are witnesses who've come forward to say that bars. johnston attended that gathering in the garden at 10 downing street and the fight that number 10 hovel deny, eat the content of that email, that it went to a 100 stars. all reports that dozens of people actually attended along with bars. johnson and his then fiance, carrie really is causing a lot of her eyebrow raising at the moment. so hes on out to sierra switching off for lanka while feet. why fears a grilling of ruling power cuts and pumping investments into the heart of tripoli? a civic pride as being restored along with the ancient part would be his capital

city. ah well things of quiet and dance throughout raving friendship throughout iran and mr . levant in the last couple of days. but it's bad to get a bit stormy. can the remains of a few shall seem likely in the mountains in western side, he may be down in western yemen as well. this bit of cloud hinting across the middle is no more than that and seeing because the focus has got to be elsewhere. there's a low in the only and see at the moment is drifting slowly east. it's been suddenly gin on wednesday. that big circulation means it's drawing cold into a stumble across the gym with snow on the northern hills of turkey. significant starting for the east and rain, and yes, flooding is likely on the south coast of turkey, probably cyprus, and then running into the coast. there is a, syria and lebanon. this is like to be

a progressive system that moves slowly eastwards. so the picture on thursday is that right, be somewhere in northern serious snow at height, oversee and coming into western side of iran. east of that it remains quite a pa, for a few showers may be showing the northern powder voskus or northern pakistan which are a rarity. it's going to be fine, which is the normal for this time the year. but that rainy stuff is moving down through the mountain, so the round probably showing itself in queue wait coffee once again central saturday. ah, gotta one of the fastest growing nations in the world news. bonnie, cato needed to open and development whole into national shipping company to become a p middle east and trade and money skilfully knocked down 3 key areas of development filling up front of connecting the world,

connecting the future. wanted cato causes gateway to whoa trade. lou ah, this is al jazeera, quite reminder, all the top stories for you this are the world health organization says more than half of europeans are likely to be infected to buy omicron in the next 2 months. 7000000 new cases of current virus were recorded in europe during the 1st week of january. china's government has ordered the lockdown of a 3rd city to stem the spread of covered 19. at least ac you cases of on chrome are reported in an young and her non province over the weekends. nationwide some

20000000 chinese are confined to their homes and more americans than ever before are in hospital with corona virus. 1.3000000 cases were registered on monday. worldwide. daily records. the u. n. is launching its largest ever humanitarian appeal for a single country. it needs more than $5000000000.00 and $8.00 for afghanistan and half the population. some 23000000 people faces acute hunger or christine jap, sinners regional communications advisor at the norwegian refugee can. so he says, the needs in afghanistan is urgent and immense. we have an absolute desperate situation here. we have a bitterly cold winter. and at the same time, we have millions of people going hungry to read every single night. and off this, we have a high number of people up to 89000000 that are just on the brink of famine. and

this is just the top of it. apart from that, we also have an economy in free fall. a lot of people who rely on small income, they make on the streets by carrying food stuff around by cleaning houses and before then the take over of the taliban. and before the sanctions, they could usually rely on earning to $3.00 a day enough to buy some food. but now they make much, much less and sometimes absolutely nothing. money is simply not getting in. we're trying all we can with different very creative methods to get funding in to, to the country. but it's only coming in very small drips and not nearly enough to provide the assistance needed for all the millions of people in need. so we recognize, in the know, mentioned referred to cancel, that there's lots of political will to actually solve this problem. the un security

council have also issued a declaration with unitarian exemptions. so in principle, does the political will to solve this problem. however, we are not seeing the funds coming, and the problem is that those funds they're needed now. pharmacy, northern sudan have blocked the main road link with egypt leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. they protested in tucker for a 3rd consecutive day against tyre and christy prices. well, the ruling military cancel is promised to review the changes to parrot harris and the morgans falling developments from the capitol cartoon. well, will protest as are asking for it for the government to reverse a decision they made with the thought of the year 2022, which is an increase in the cost of electricity. now, previously a person was able to portrays electricity for about a dollar or $2.00 just enough to supplies their needs. but would they used to get

for that amount? now they have to pay the $6.00 times more. and for farmers in the northern state, they say that will affect productivity. so what they've done as for the 3rd consecutive they, they love the highway that needs that connect this to them. and the northern states to the border crossings in egypt. and that is going to affect trade and that is the point they're trying to make. they want to show that the government decision is going to impact their productivity and their farming season. and therefore they will try to stop the government economy as well. so to dance government has formed a committee to look into this price hikes that has been imposed by the government itself and to see the impact to have on the farmers and to try to come up with a way to try to subsidize electricity specifically for farmers so that the farming season is not affected, but the association informed the calories in the northern state right now say that if the government is not review that decision and rebirth it or at least set

a different rate for electricity, for farmers in the northern stayed they will continue to blog the highway that connect to that in egypt, affecting trade between the 2 countries. sir lanka is imposing ruling power cuts because the electricity board can't afford to pay for few. worsening economic crisis is led to the rationing of gas food supplies and petrol. mel fernanda says more from colombo, some people are looking at the possibility of power cuts a one hour a day, according to what has been announced by the salon electricity board. that the said electricity provider, the headquarters, that you see are just behind me. now, the government is very conscious that this is going to be inconveniencing people because the power card will be coming during peak demand and that's during the evening hours. we had the minister yesterday saying that there will be no power crowds, but a few hours later we had the former law official shadow of power caught being

released by the electricity board. now, the government is conscious that this all comes at a time where people are being essentially wacked by all sides are the prices of angel items are skyrocketing that are shortages of mid powder of gas. and this is all been exacerbated by a huge foreign exchange prices that the sri lankan government is facing. it does not have foreign currency for import. ah, and that's to, ah, they've got to stretch and manage with what they do have. so in terms of the 2600 or 2700 megawatts of power, that your longer users urine jo. ah, they do have the electricity board has a massive debt to the state fuel provider. and the said world provider has said they're going to stop essentially supplying the electricity board. or we do have basically coal fired power plants, but the majority comes from fuel fired power plant as well as hydro power. so the

fact that we can source a lot of fuel to drive those majority fuel power plant is an issue. but in general, the electricity board engineers have said that one of the issues is that we have not been adding new power plant that year on year 150 megawatts also is increasing in demand. but we just don't have the capacity. the u. s. president joe biden is on his way to the battleground state of georgia campaign against laws. he says, threatened to limits voting rights. this is was to find a moment really, is it gonna be just word i before were they, after the vote actually got a judgement that got the question. and so the risk is making sure people are the same found for this. well, reynolds explains ny will the fight is all about we won the election twice.

inspired by former president, donald trump's false hoods about widespread fraud in the 2020 election, republican controlled state legislatures in 19 states have passed 34 new laws, restricting access to voting. there is an assault underway on the very structure of our elections and our democracy that is carrying forward to assault that we saw on january 6th of 2021. i'm united states capital president joe biden called out from in his january 6th speech, a former president and a supporters had decided the only way for them to win, suppress your vote, and subvert our elections. for example, in the swing state of georgia, new laws make it harder to request mail balance, bar election officials from sending applications for those ballots, restrict the number of drop boxes and polling places in heavily democratic urban

areas and make it a crime to offer food or water to people waiting in long lines for a chance to vote. states including georgia, have gone further passing laws that would undermine non partisan election agencies and officials, and even allow partisan officials to reject election results entirely. battled senate democratic party leader charles schumer says he will introduce 2 bills this month. that would allow the justice department to undo state restrictive voting laws. republicans have blocked those efforts before using the parliamentary maneuver called the filibuster, which requires a super majority of votes in the senate, if not abode in rockville, it's i, sprawling sweeping takeover of our democracy. schumer says if the republicans block it again, he will try to eliminate the filibuster for voting rights legislation. if this continues, the only option left for democrats is to explore and propose reasonable fixes to

restore the senate. so we can get these critical pieces of legislation passed into law. trump's big lie about the 2020 election amplified by right wing media has had an impact. in january of 2021. a poll showed that 59 percent of americans that they trusted, that elections represented the will of the american people. by september of last year, the majority had slept to where now 52 percent shade they do not jot is a threat to the very fabric of our democracy. another recent whole shows. 34 percent of americans believe acts of violence against the government are sometimes justified. 2022 will be a crucial year with congressional elections in november. trauma will hold his 1st rally of the year in arizona this week. and former 1st lady michelle obama announced her voting rights organization will lead a drive to register 1000000 new voters. this year,

rob reynolds al jazeera cripple, his own city is rich in history and culture. historic kerio than the been capital was established more than 3000 years ago, and later to felons spoil the romans that had spent neglected for decades. however, that is starting to change as mounting china reports. bob, as the deed is to western entrance into the ancient city of voyer, it means new door, but it dates back thousands of years. oh yeah. was established by the phoenicians, nearly 3000 years ago. it then came under roman control and flourished in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, a d. it was conquered by the russia dune caliphate, and was renamed tripoli in the 7th century. it's one of 5, eunice, go world to heritage sites in libya that are on it's in dangers las while it's been

neglected in recent decades. that foreign to change local authorities with the hope of residence have begun to renovation campaign to save the old city. there are the mallet salesman and he old city as a symbol for all of libya, city hasn't seen renovation since 19 forties. all the governments that libya has seen since then neglected the city. it was on the verge of collapse. but thanks to the association and the residence, we're seeing new life put into the heart of tripoli. hello, the bab! and she did entrance has just re open to the public with a new look. and shop owners like alamo brook couldn't be happier. shereka before there weren't many customers, but after the renovation the market changed. new customers are coming in, then people are visiting because they want to see the non look come to rely on about all that had. yeah, hannah is on the board of directors of the old to the association and has been supervising the renovation work. she says it's been her dream to breathe new life

into triple is old city. yes, and so proud. of course. i mean, it's something, oh, it's a dream coming to. and not even mainly my father used to work in this organization . my father died want to tell him, you know, i hope his looking, you know, same kissing you, we've done what you always hoped. so personally for me, sir. yeah, it's a big, it's a big thing. i'm very proud. conceal how the entire vile, the old city has changed with these new renovations. and locals now have a sense of pride in the cities which history and a renewed sense of hope that it could return to its former glory. i'mma used to live in the old city. she found out about renovation on social media. if i brought my grandchildren to see the history, this change is amazing. i hope they ran away the entire city. 40 years ago when i lived here, the roads and homes were falling apart. this is a great beginning. libya has seen relative calm since

a nation wide ceasefire was signed last october. people here hope the hard one piece won't be short lived. so we're.