people that's close to one in 8 voters and we have to start looking at how do we expand the electorate. and by giving 470000 people, their voting rights back is how you explain that and like to read and again, and i think, you know, if and when we do that, that will have huge political implications. but the marches here wanted to restore the vote to 10 times that number more than 4000000 people in 48 states who were prevented from casting a ballot last year in the wider political context. it's also above the struggle between those who want to reduce voting rights and those who want to increase them . it's not just about congress, it's about who controls the court, the police stations, and the scoreboards. b. u. s. has over half a 1000000 elected officials and the demand in this crowd on this day is that they represent all the countries people. not just some of them. my cannot alter sierra washington.

ah, you're watching al jazeera, these are the top stories. despite the, the full evacuation of the city, the battle for back moot and ukraine's east rages on nearly all 70000 residents of left. but back road remains the key target for rushers. the military intensifies its assault in the city. ukrainian authority say there is little hope of finding anyone else alive in the rubble of denise pro apartment block hit by russian missiles. at least 40 people are confirmed who have been killed in the attack, but dozens more of missing school for the way of one girl is in grave condition. she's 19 and now in the emergency ward, not one with you. and there are 3 people in the world, including the girl boy, they were admitted with wounds after the explosion, to have relatively severe conditions, including head trauma. valerie, some russia has begun 2 weeks of joint military exercises. they've held joint

drills during the past year since russia invaded ukraine. this time, the blushing defense ministry says the exercise is our defensive rescue efforts are underway in the pole to find the remaining 2 missing passengers from sunday's plane crash, a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder both been found. china's population is declined for the 1st time in more than 60 years. the shrinking numbers can have a major impact on its economy. and the world. chinese authorities say labor supply still exceeds demand. a preliminary hearing for a class action against denise is drug regulator, health ministry, and several pharmaceutical companies is about to start in indonesia. if the $200.00 children died from acute kidney failure last year, after taking tainted coff syrups, now $25.00 of the victims families are suing those who they say manufactured and supplied. the medicine protests against president dina bell are to continue to

spread across peru, demonstrators. in the capital, lima are calling for her resignation and new elections. weeks of violent protests broke out last month after 4 president pedro castillo was arrested for attempting to dissolve congress. okay, you're up to date those. the headlines. the news continues here in al jazeera, after counting the cost a with us for that. in 2021, the turkish security services arrested 15 suspected spies, allegedly recruited by israeli intelligence, the most sad to report on arab palestinian islamic figures. santa barbara, sometimes a recruit. you and you don't even realize you've been recruited. al jazeera well explores a doc surveillance underworld beneath a diplomatic sentence. more sardine stumbled on al jazeera ah.

with another i'm the cloud. this is counting the cost on al jazeera jo looked at the world of business and economics this week. china is at 0 cobit policies over despite a surge in cases the country has opened its doors to the rest of the world. will that help revive the economy and what are the global implications also this week europeans have been bracing for a difficult winter because of the energy crunch, but gas storage facilities are almost full and prices fell from record highs. site did europe over come? it's energy crisis plus we explore why savvy young's in, baldwin graduates, a trading a seat at the board room table for chance to work the land. ah. so 3 years of city wide looked downs and border closures in china have disrupted

supply chain squeeze businesses and cause widespread economic damage. now as bay jane joins the rest of the weldon adapting to life with the virus, the lifting it strict kobe 19 policy is bringing both relief and uncertainty. rolling back pandemic roles is meant to revitalize the economy. but it's also lead you outbreaks. factory activities shrank in december at the shop is pace in nearly 3 years. as cove infections, sweat through production lines across the country. china has been struggling with a drop in retail sales consumers spending and record unemployment rates. but virus curves weren't the only factor dragging down the chinese economy. the country's property sector is in crisis and trade, which makes up around a 5th of china's gdp, took a hit from the global economic slowdown. or the countries reopening could have huge implications for the rest of the world to among the sectors expected to benefit

from the lifting of restrictions on. foreign travel is the global hospitality sector. but while some countries offer travelers coming from china, a warm welcome, others impose travel requirements? 20 j, as is now from bangkok. o ruling out the red carpet on it. yes. 3 ministers and a host of senior government officials, welcome passengers on a flight from sharmen and southern china gift bags and garlands. but for the tourists, it was reward enough to be able to travel overseas. and people are very friendly and the with here and here also help you repeat it, interest and everything loud is the tourist moved through the airport. neither they nor any of the other arrivals were required to show vaccine certificates. the civil aviation authority that hardly announced all passengers will be required to show

proof of vaccination or immunity from cove at 19 regardless of their country of origin. and but the health minister backtracked thailand is dropping vaccine requirements, despite concerns that an influx of chinese tourists could bring new variance at the bars. we find not imposing, restrict, speaking to al jazeera, getting the minister explained. he wants to do everything, so to encourage visitors to come really rally at the risk as an opportunity together. and you, i valuation is that there is no risk de still risk, but we have things to overcome those risks. even the financial risks of not inviting people who are the way you mean the find the economic risk of norfolk southern with this abrupt you said is an indication of the fact that tyler wants tourist arrivals from anywhere in the world. the fact they're hoping for $10000000.00 arrivals from china by the end of the year. it's also an indication of how reliant thailand is now on arrivals from china. other asian nations are also

hoping to leo back chinese tourists. japan was one of the most popular pre pandemic destinations for chinese travelers. although now they'll have to show negative cove at 19 tests. but no entree requirements for barley like thailand, indonesia has dropped all current bars curbs. although it expects visitor numbers will remain low. thailand however, needs to get back to pre pandemic visitor levels. fast hardy unhappy, the chinese tourists are coming back. we haven't been able to make a living. we all suffered while they were gone with only a 1000000 chinese arrivals expected in the 1st quarter of the year. that might be wishful thinking with the patient government lifting all travel restrictions. many asian countries will be hoping chinese visitors make the most of the new found freedom. so let's take this on from london and joined by shirley z. you who's a senior practitioner fellow with the ash center of harvard kennedy school and are

visiting senior fellow at the london school of economics. shirley, welcome to the program at so 1st up, china's reopening is a big deal, isn't it? do you expect to quick economic recovery or, or might it be hampered by the surge in infections? good morning, nick defection rate has hard to 80 percent in most of the economically developed regions in china. and the buyers will continue to spread are in the rural regions in the coming month. however, because of the fafsa, dads, and most of the industrial supply chains are spread across china's economically connected regions to. so the supply chain recovery itself will be pretty quick and pretty strong. the government always investing infrastructure to give the economy some needed a dose of boost. however, consumption is really 68 percent of the chinese economy. so unless we see the consumer demand to pick out, we do not really see the signs are fe sustainable,

a structural recovery yet. right. and that's the thing is that because consumer and business confidence has been really hit by the covert pandemic. so how will that the government's set about trying to restore that confidence? i absolutely agree with you. i think of some consistency in the government. the policy setting be crucial to boost their consumer and business confidence. so chinese consumers have saved 17 truly in our being 2020 to nick and that's roughly almost close to 3 trillion dollars. it's because humans are really opting for saving rather than investing or consuming. and i think i talked about consistency in the past couple of years. we have seen a lot of policies that have not been consistent. first of all, it was out to crack down on the real estate sector and now she rescued a sector. it was to crack down on china speak, take and not supporting the be tag. and it was a 0 call the containment for a couple of years and, and all of a sudden, overnight is changed. sure. letting the viruses spread as quickly as possible. so

no matter if you are a consumer, a business entrepreneur, you really don't know what's going to happen next. and so i think the government really has a lot of job to do to send a strong and consistent message to the public. and one of which is a to be pro private business. i think the chinese president has recently openly supported the legitimate row of chinese private companies. jo, john governments, the government where hi ali babe's headquarters actually visited the company and established a strategic partnership there. and i think above all, it is really important for the chinese government to send a message out and at that expresses d, a consistency that economic growth rather than this ideological or a political struggle will continue to be china's over our change priority for the foreseeable future. right, another area that the government has had to focus on is, is trying to revive the property sector has its own enough to think never enough. it's on the road because we haven't seen really the us stabilisation of the really

say sector yet. does sector really face? is he structural demographic challenge? china's new birth number in 2022 hit a new low. so there are just simply too many homes for increasing the fewer populations. but the purpose of the government, today's really not so a inside and matter. ira alpha hi rose in the real the sector. it is really trying to of, we're avert a systemic financial. isis is trying to say the banks, the banking sector is also trying to save the local governments who are not only heavily indebted today, but they are heavily re lines on will be say, land sales revenue for their fiscal receipts. and so really what the government is trying to achieve here is to avert a spill over from the real estate of crisis into the banking sector. the really see factor is not likely to see high levels of growth for a very long time, but will determine be able to avert a systemic financial collapse. i think so,

i think the government's though has a lot of towards both monetary and the fiscal to deploy a needed or what about money coming in from overseas foreign investments? how thought shape. mm hm. that's the area that said been, i really contentious. china will always welcome foreign direct investment, but given the structure of the chinese economy today, nick, the f d i, the china tried to lure a william increasingly b, leaning towards the high end sectors. a high take i, in manufacturing, finance and the public health accenture. and the recent past loaded negotiation that broke down between the chinese national are you sure the provider and fights are really shows that we understand the china inquired about the possibility of pfizer developing. we're producing a generic version in china of for the chinese consumers. and so as trying arrived was up to the global tech funds here. i think the concerns will remain that as

china becomes more and more powerful in technology, china will try to come up with a domestic version of the western counterparts. and that are put the western kind of parts at a disadvantage to china, trying to reconnect with the rest of the world. but at a time when it's relations with the u. s, but not great, are they and the global economy is continuing to slow. so what impact will all of that have on the economic plan? i think we have to re nation the next to arrows globalization. i think our sat, the original comprehensive economic partnership that was established between the r c r countries and the rest of asian neighbors. or will continue to generate a chew or trade and economic integration in the asia pacific region. china is clearly express the interest and effort in trying to apply for a membership in the c p, t, p p, which is

a higher bar regional trade in economic agreements. and i think and today we're starting to seem of increasingly with clarity that the u. s. and the chinese forces are trying to mutually exclude each other from their own industrial supply chains, particularly i, the high and, and so i think the next era of globalization, we're starting to see 2 parallel systems of globalization with the chinese and the u. s. a. economies at the center, and then there would be a 2 parallel forms of globalization, of going on at the same time in across asia, europe and the increasing the africa. so finally, to severely does rewinding back to this reopening of china's economy. the is come sooner than expected for, for many golden sucks for once, just that, that will lead to supply chain issues. is that a problem to think? i think goldman sachs has been warning about short term supply chain disruptions

and balance. i think of china's re opening and rejoining the world as he said, is a positive for the global economy. and obviously another concern on the horizon is how will the pick up in chinese consumer demand. and also the production capacity of from within china is going to add to the results of global inflation. so there is quite a lot to consider. there are surely the use is great to have your analysis. we appreciate it. thanks very much in clinic. ah, so it's being considered year it's worse nightmare. in decades, the energy crunch caused by russia shutting off gas applies was expected to get worse and even spiral out of control in the winter. factories did go dark and that heating was turned down as europe in households and businesses, or the brunt of hefty energy bills. but after months of striving to secure supplies and lower the cost of switching on the lights and cooking males,

europe's fortunes may have turned natural gas prices in europe. and the united states fell to their lowest level since russia's invasion of ukraine, wholesale european gas prices, as measured by the benchmark. dutch futures contracts have fallen to $77.00 per megawatt hour early this month. and they've sold to an all time high of $364.00 back in august. well, energy prices rocketed after russia stop the flow of gas through the north stream one pipeline to europe, citing technical problems. the e u is accused moscow of using energy as a weapon in retaliation for western sanctions imposed on russia over its invasion of ukraine, of the block boosted imports from norway to replace rush and gas and snap top supplies. if liquefied natural gas mostly from the united states and qatar, they also raise to build facilities needed to receive l. n. g by ships and converted into gas that can be transported through pipelines. european nations

filled up their storage facilities and encourage consumers to use less gas by setting a voluntary 15 percent reduction target. some nations have shifted back to colon restarted nuclear plants and rolled up ambitious renewable energy plans all the while. russia has increased gas exports to china in an attempt to reduce its dependence on the european market. well, joining me now from vienna, as your highness beneath your highness is the chairman and executive officer of j. b. c. vienna. you welcome to the program. first up. so there we were ferrying the winter of soaring prices and in fact, gas prices have slumped. is that just down to the war weather that we've had across europe so far this winter or indeed action taken by nations. but it's a combination really expensive, and this of the gas supply has motivated many of the consumers, many of the industries to reduce their demand. some of the businesses simply have

shut down. they prefer to make money by selling their natural gas. others obviously are reducing their consumption because it's so expensive, but they were also lucky because the winter weather surprise been fairly mild. and let's face it. we have seen still supplied from russia, which has prevented divorcing to. and so there is reduced supply from russia. they managed to fill the inventory beforehand so, so far they were lucky you use the phrase as i fall twice, in particular, referring to the, the winter weather. i'm it and it could be a big freeze. would that change things radically? well, it won't change anything for this year. i think for this winter we are over the top of the most difficult time. the inventories are reasonably cold, so they will manage to go through this winter. the problem comes in the next he think, season,

simply because you have to bear in mind in 2022. a lot of the natural gas that is on inventory right now has still come out of russia. and because the supplies were still working fully until the middle of the year. now this, you know, stream one, you know, at least currently it's, it's unlikely to operate and stream to could in theory operator. but that is politically not very, very easy to, to handle. so this year is going to be very difficult in the refill process. we talk about this, the drop in prices, but the consumers aren't seeing that, at what point will they see the dropping prices to their energy bills. and then the question is in whose interest is it? the government's really trying to motivate the consumers not to maintain demand on the island on. now, once prices decline, obviously the consumers don't feel the pressure so much and they would maybe increase consumption again. so i think right now, you know, it's in the interest of the governments to motivate the consumers to consume more.

that's why it's going to be very funny. if you see it prices dropping, that would be unusual. how long do you think governments can continue to intervene to keep prices down? i mean, right now the winter should do most of it. thereafter, when prices are falling, obviously it's going to be a bit more difficult for them not to to allow that price drop to. so right now, you see a lot of motivation for everyone, not dr. consume as much as before. but i mean, we have to face this, this decline in process is not only are you repeat in sphere, right? europe right now, it's benefiting from 2 factors in the market. apart from the weather. number one is said that china is not yet back on its feet. and number 2, simply because the high natural gas price is not only have motivated you repeat, consume list of consumers. we have seen a whole bunch of asian countries that are turning away from coal in using more

natural gas, basically to revert back to coal. now that means they were priced out and this is basically, to some degree helping the pin supplies iteration. he mentioned china. what are the implications of china as reopening on its energy market? where it's dramatic, i mean, china and the last couple of years has become globally the biggest player on the island. she market. it has successfully reduced the share of coal image and the energy portfolio. basically increasing the gas element in it. now we have seen the last one to years, particularly the year 2022. there was no increase in consumption in terms of natural gas in china. us for obvious reasons compared to and that you cannot make slow down. and now, you know, doesn't matter to whom you speak, everyone would expect this year. there will be a come back now. that may be happening, may not. but if it happens, clearly,

china is a dominant player, and d and d, she market and it would be then, you know, compete was europe that put them price at dr. price is higher. right. and, well, that benefit russia, because china would be a climb of russia. right? well, i mean, right now the funny thing is russia doesn't sell so much pipe gas to europe, but it's for the balance sheet to europe. it's so funny. i mean it's, it's the, the strategy in terms of factions in europe is not very well well balanced. but right now, rusher is making more info to deal and she market. of course, the pipeline supply into china is one topic. but there in mind that takes many years to go because of building and expanding pipelines that wants to die in place right now have been basically approved and built into investment decision would take me 5 to 10 years ago. so whatever happens right now has been decided many

years ago. so this is not one day to the of the exercise, but yes, they will in the medium term, build more capacity iteration. and what happened finally, as it has inspired a change in the approach, the renewable energy build across europe is not going to continue. do you think and will it gain momentum? we see that right now, the pin commission is basically meant i think, member countries to accelerate the approval process for renewable projects. many countries that are now executing that thing in australia. they chose to prove it. and that means that you can build to wind park solar pugs faster than before that will help. but bear in mind that it is not an immediate solution. this is going to take a couple of years till that is translating into more energy independence. in the meantime, what it'll, what is happening is that the relatively low amount of carbon dioxide does that

is in natural gas, has been swapped against a higher amount of carbon dioxide in coal. because you see everywhere right now in europe that coal is helping out to provide energy. and that basically comes with the cost, not only in asia, right. what i mentioned before, but it comes to the cost also in europe in terms of moving away from fossil fuels and high carbon energy. yo has been ye good to get your thoughts. thank you. thank you. all right, the soaring cost of living and rising interest rates, curbing consumers, appetite shiny electronic devices. samsung, which is the world's biggest manufacturer of memory, chips, smartphones, and t. v. 's says it's profits for the last 3 months of 20. 22. plunged by almost 70 percent, that is the lowest level in 8 years. well, the south grand company has been struggling with weak demand for memory, chips, smartphones, and displays. as consumers tamped down on spending. samsung as

a latest major technology company to be hit by drop in sales as concerns grow about a global economic downturn. well, unemployment is high in zimbabwe, and most of the population of 40000000 is working in formerly to make ends meet. many young graduates with degrees and business and more in finance, in technology, you can't find a job in their fields as switching to farming to try and earn a living. hiring mathias reports now from the gra munsey district in eastern symbolic way. unicoi giacomo has a master's degree in international trade law, but finding a job in zimbabwe is difficult. so in 2018, he became a farmer and now employs several people. the 30 year old is one part of a new generation of educated youths who work the land to create livelihoods. but navigating the country's farming industry isn't easy. the biggest challenge we've

got is an issue for finance or capital and or for even young people to be able to walk into a bank. you've got no collateral. you've got probably no history. or you've got more studied lane to tell how valuable your business or your idea is. and also even the excess to, to lent the state some banks and the private sector help finance farmers. but many say they can't get the help they need to get started. this country has a lot of fertile land, but since landra fallen when commercial farms was seized from white and given to blacks and barbarians, some of that land is not being fully utilized. more young people here say they can help increase productivity in another part of the country, valerie mozilla and her husband are preparing to export watermelons to the middle east, zimbabwe. strategically located because most of this product read getting it from

australia and brazil. seen bob way is just 21 to 28 days to do by. whereas when you look at brazil, they're looking at over 35 days on water. old infrastructure, electricity shortages and, and inflation rate of more than 200 percent. are some of the factors holding back the bobbies farmers, it really depends on the performance of the economy, whether you are going to be successful. it really depends on the performance of the economist input economy improves. so at the profit prospects of farmers, valerie believe farming could be one solution to the countries unemployment problem . but young people say for that to work, they must have access to the resources they need to thrive. alex is, i'll show for this week if you'd like to comment on anything you've seen, you can tweak me at mcclark al jazz using the hash tag a j c t c, or drop us an email, counting the cost at ubs 0 dot net is all address but there's more for you online

at al serra dot com slash cdc. that'll take you straight to our page, which has individual reports, links and anti episodes for you to touch. so that's it for this edition of counting the cost. i'm to clock from the whole team. thanks for joining us. the news on al jazeera is coming up iris, robert chillies and full justice charged against each other in the french capital where dish demonstrate is around. we have to forty's response to the attack on friday, which kill speed refugees. they want answers from the police. why did it take so long for them to respond to the attack? why have they not designated this? it better is to attack. and why wasn't security provided to the punch you sent to offer it had earlier asked for we the kurdish women are still asking for justice. and now again, i'm glad is spilled in france. we are angry and the french state is responsible for

the protest have come down here in paris. the police and security services are out in wards clearing the protest. but the anger in the streets of part of the killings have touched a nerve among frances, my good community protest in other cities as well. they want to know why an attack on a minority community isn't being designated a terrorist attack. singapore talk drug lead to a string execution, devastating families and walking where protest one on one investigation on the al jazeera ah ha, fall curtain. doha, the top stories and al jazeera, the battle for buck moose and ukraine's east rage is.