female to the position act of a say this could market turning point for women in a male dominated society. i did research reports in the eastern city of eula. i. this is a moment female activist in nigeria have worked for a woman from a major political party becoming a candidate for governor. and she is a frontrunner. i should have been any overcame religious and cultural bodies in the patrick of society to get to you. she says it's been worth the struggle. it gives the woman it gives, so a daughters and gives us says to the anti val, why does the confidence that to yes or sole, ah, to war men can walk towards buying what ever elective position the desired. although women make up half of nitrous population, they have long been on the fringes economically and politically. we know also by

virtue of the 11th of education, particularly in this part of the come to the men out been at the disadvantage compared to men. ha, but actually say changing attitudes and their strength in numbers could work for them. this time. it's really time for women. and we don't, we don't want to miss this opportunity. we don't know when we get this opportunity . i guess niger is general election later this month is being keenly contested and closely watched women activists across nigeria, i beat the election of a female good, and dickinson, exclusive from that office. if that happens, they say the process he could be within reach the outcome of the vote won't be known for weeks. but for now, our supporters are celebrating what they have already achieved on say, momentum is on this site. i'm at it, reese al jazeera eula. i'll leave you with some of the images from the earthquakes,

inter kia and syria, as we continue to mark one week since the disaster. ah

ah, oh turkey money into african go. but exclusive owners who investigation coming soon? i with hello, i'm molly inside of this is counting the cost on al jazeera,

your look at wells of business and economics. this week, the race for green subsidies is accelerating. the you have set out a plan to boost the production of electric cars and renewable energy projects. accounting the block, keep off with the u. s. in china. also this week, brazil's president is loosening the past strings and he's threatened the central bags autonomy demanding lower interest rates. a will littler de silvas economic plan work class. hong kong is facing its highest rate of homelessness in a decade. we explore how one angio is helping people sleeping in tunnels or on the streets to find shelter. ah, the international energy agency estimates the global market for mass produce clean energy will triple to around $650000000000.00 a year by the year 2030. now the wells biggest economies want

a slice of that growing industry. the united states recently announced the inflation reduction act. this includes billions of dollars in grants and loans to boost financing and deployment of new clean energy projects. but it sparked a trade dispute with its allies in europe, and now the e. u has set out its own plan to compete with the us as a production hub, the green products. it includes redeploying more than $270000000000.00 remaining from the east pandemic recovery fund. european commission has also suggested relaxing state aid rules to allow governments to pump cash into green industries. implants to make approvals for green projects, foster and seal trade agreements to secure supplies of critical rule materials that he also wants to create a european sovereignty fund to invest in emerging technologies. so why is europe so threatened by american inflation reduction acts?

well, they fear that the aisle, 8th, $369000000000.00 subsidies for electric vehicles and other clean technologies could put companies based in europe at a disadvantage. for example, many of the tax breaks only applicable for products manufactured in north america, which could of course encourage european firms to ship production to the u. s. on the plan also provides tax credits to consumers who bought electric cars made in the u. s. which could again make european made electric vehicles less attractive to bias. but even with the biggest ever climate bill, the u. s. lived behind china's green spending last year, the energy research group, bloomberg any f says almost half of all global energy transition investments were $546000000000.00. while in china, they use as chinese subsidies have been twice as high as those in the block relative to g d, p. the u, as a single entity came 2nd at

a $180000000000.00. while the u. s. spent a $141000000000.00 from brussels. i'm joined now by milan elk about milan as a research fellow and head of the climate policy program at the center for european policy studies in brussels. thank you for joining the program. is the right to be threatened by the u. s. is inflation reduction act? well, yes and no. on the one hand, be inflation reduction acts of a very general subsidies and the subsidies are combined with some other measures related to the components that need to be used in the production of goods. and these are really a challenge to european industry. but on the other hand, no, because the inflation reduction acts still really as overwhelmingly a good thing. it is the 1st time that the u. s. pastor, they

a comprehensive federal climate policy, which for the 1st time also target the greenhouse gas emissions coming from the industry and all these investments that the subsidies promot will lead to increased economies of scale and deaf also lower costs for low carbon technologies. and that is really a good thing for all countries around the world. until now, industrial policy in the u has been restrained by very tough competition laws in order for them to have their own green tex pledge europe is going to have to change that. how tricky is that going to be for them? this is indeed a very important but difficult issue. what we should keep in mind is that these competition rules called state rules have been in place for a very long time. it actually goes back to the late 19 fifties, really the beginning of european integration, but then they have been also a lot more relax since the beginning of the mac. and the reason why was because due

to all the last dance, really extensive support to businesses that have to close wasn't necessary anyway. and it's relaxed, the rules are still in place today. now there is a risk death if we keep those rules, very relaxed that we get a subsidy rates between the members. and that's the very best thing within the european single market. so that definitely have some interest from european policymakers also to make sure that we still have some degree of competition rules between the member states. but of course, they should not be so strict that the countries and the you as a whole, cannot respond to this challenge coming from the us. so what do you make of the use green proposals? it has quite a few components. it's really not just only about subsidy,

but also really look at what the bottlenecks that exists today that can slow down the role of, of clean technologies. and there are some things be on subsidies that are very important. one of those, this label, market skills in the labor markets and a lot of european countries are very tight that moment. another very important thing relates to permitting renewables in particular are very economically competitive. already costs have come down enormously. so it's not really a question about money, but you can have all sorts of rules by local authority for people who would not like to see when turbines in the neighborhood. and that can slow down the role of knowledge as well. for foster permitting is also part of it. that's a good thing really when it comes to the subsidies europe has

for a long time already supported industry quite extensively, but it has done so in a very different way from the us. because the u. s. well, a saint or country with a single fiscal policy, so it can really provide money very directly in the you, it's much more dispersed across different programs. and one of the most difficult things about the european approach is that we have a lot of administrative processes, certain outcomes for companies. the strengths of the us approach is that companies know exactly how much money will be able to get out of the inflation reduction act . so one part of the european response is also really about simplifying the rules. i'm making them more and more, but if that is a very good thing, it's interesting that you mentioned that point, that it's not just about spending, because when you look at the numbers, the u. s. the spending almost $370000000000.00 on subsidies. china subsidies are

double that of europe. so how do you see europe competing with the u. s. in china when it comes to the green economy? to start with, maybe. if we look at this number of the us, the 370000000000 us dollar been reported very extensively. it's a staggering some in some way, but it's also for the 10 year period. so as a percentage of the u. s. g, p is all not that much. and a lot of this money is also for things like renewables or transport emissions reductions where europe really has some very serious and successful policy for the last 10 to 20 years already. so part of the american money is also for catching up to europe. then another 6070000000000 will

really be about industry. and this is where most of the discussion is euro in europe as a box, because the industrial sectors are about traded goods. and this is where the competition can really play a role in europe has also supported industrial innovation quite a bit over the last decade. but it has really focused on the early stage innovation, basically research and development. what the u. s. is doing now is providing direct funding for, for production and for investment. and that is something that we in europe do not have yes. and what we need to address in the future. so that the, our yeah, clear incentives. invest the technologies that are still more expensive. a funny, how do you see consumers benefiting from all this, from the subsidy race and the investments going on around the world in the green

energy front ultimately over the long term. as we have seen already with renewable such as maybe or on shore. and i feel wind. if you increase the scale of production in a certain technology and a certain product, the costs tend to come down. it's not a rule that will always apply, but in most cases, if you can increase a skill, then things will become more affordable and that is a good fit for the company around the world. milan really interesting to talk to you about the subject milan, about from the center, the european policy studies in brussel. thank you. iraq has re valued its currency as policy beneatha to stabilize the foreign exchange market . the cabinet has approved the decision to set the exchange rate at $1300.00 dina's per us dollar. now the rocky dina had been selling at 1470 dina was against the

greenback before the us introduce tighter controls on transactions by commercial. iraqi banks made up through what he has more from back that prices are going golf heaney, rockies tours. since mid november. the denado has declined against u. s. dollar. losing about 10 percent of its value. a bought on it says he double. it checks the price tags every time he comes to the supermarket, i'm to said in there, i will madigan let us do it, alpha shopper and his blame it on the dollar exchange rate because most of the products are imported. in this case, the government should pay our salaries in dollars mod since november, the u. s. has tightened the rules on international transfers to prevent money laundering. it's reduced cash flows to iraqi banks by about 80 percent. lou are the 100 for guided entity key. it's cleared

u. s. federal reserve scrutinizing foreign transfers from iraq, and especially to those countries unfriendly with 2 u. s. army, such as iran, lebanon, by syria and yemen, others. consequently, iraq steel via transfers from the u. s. have been cut from $240000000.00 to only $22000000.00 on a day. the government has launched a campaign to combat illegal currency trading and promised to hold further discussions with washington to stabilize the exchange rate were hired out is one. this is one aspect of an economic challenge that requires a brave response and practical solutions to end the wrong financial policies inherited by the current government. in the mean time, the prime minister has extended credit to small businesses by half a $1000000000.00. despite government promises to continue the depreciation, many iraqis are worried about an increase in prices ahead of the holy month of ramadan. especially in imports such as gas and wheat,

a number of currency exchanges have stopped trading anthony. that is more certainty about trees. some of the rockies blame the central bank for the shortage of dollars . others accused the united states of were promising the dollar. either way. it's the iraqi people who butte of the brand of the changes. brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef and the 2nd largest exporter of grain. yet tens of millions of brazilians are not getting enough to eat. the nations president made it clear that his government priority is reducing the number of hungry people. louise in us here, lila da silva has boosted spending for social welfare programs, but investors are worried that the measure could make brazil's debt more unsustainable an effect it's fiscal credibility. congress has suspended the government spending cap to allow lunar da silva to raise spending by an extra $28000000000.00 on social welfare and public works this year. the approval is

a political victory for lula who started his 3rd term in january. the markets have tanked after the budget was passed, the nation's finance minister announced to plan to more than half the government's deficit this year in an attempt to lay invested concerns. meanwhile, brazil central bank plans to keep interest rates at a 6 year high for longer than expected period. and as warned fiscal risks on the lula to silver says the current inflation target slows economic growth. and he threatened the central bags, independence, the chief of the central bank in 5th, the institution plans to act independently, adding that it's so tommy gives of the capacity to stabilize markets from mulligan, spain. i'm joined now by mariano machado. he is a principal analyst of the americas at global risk, various maple cross. thank you for joining the program. why all the government on

the central bank in brazil at loggerheads when it comes to brazil's economy. thank you for having us today. and that's actually the $1000000.00 question i did happening with other countries and in the world monitoring authorities decisions. this is the central banks and government positions in regards to spending ah, half create attention all across the world. in brazil has been no exception to this . just recently the, the ro between the central bank president, campus natal, i'm president of the country, lula silva as reached new heights. but despite technical discussions around interest, rayden and measures to tame inflation. there's also seem to be a political background. we tend to believe that this is because compost net, though the central bank president has been nominated by the previous administration, the jade or sonata of ministry. and there is reason to believe that there is a degree of mistrust between the both of them. so basically we expect this tensions to last a bit longer. live is actually threatened,

the autonomy of the central bank has any, i mean how, how far would he go with that? and how important is it to brazil that the central bank remain independent? that's an excellent question and actually where c lula barking, if you will, a lot. but the ability to bite it's, it's the real question here. so in terms of the independence of the central bank, in general data from the world bank and other research sources show that an independent central bank, it's that it's is actually an extremely useful asset in terms of rain in inflation and providing monetary and policy certainty ahead in the case of brazil, this independence in particular, was passed just recently in 2021 a couple of years ago that our boy encompassed ned to was nominated. at this point, we believe that the next stage of this potential escalation between the 2 actors could be, are the upcoming nominations for some members of the directorate of the central bank. and depending on who lays able to nominate to those places,

we will understand how this relationship mike or forward, but all in all one things for certain campos, no thought air can only be removed by conks and cont, congress has a choose for independence, so it will be a tough battlefield road led to handle. yeah, it's interesting because the last time lena was in power, he didn't even have the central bank and to deal with. so he, he's used some strong words at when it's when he's come to the central bank. he says there's no justification for the interest rate being at the current rate of $13.00. he says it's shameful and that there should be other tools used to fight inflation. do you think he's justified in those comments? i think the lunar has a top concern and our top concern is basically keepin the economy war. you cannot govern with an economy that is cool enough. and basically that could be the situation in brazil showing some of the highest interest rate net interest rates in the world perhaps. but in the end, are the true question is if the potential other ways to rain in inflation or at

some degree useful for law allows. well just to recap, you can think about, ah, a new fiscal plan to be presented to, to investment, to society. that is expected to happen in a couple of months. that was the announcement on behalf of the government. but laura knows that he cannot rule a kind of government an empty wallet. so was simply to see the fine print of that blunt and thoroughly, if you can think of something that is also useful in terms of vein in inflation beyond interest rates, good b r. a much expected along a way to tax reform. but that bending homework has been a phone on the side of every single administration in brazil for the best part of the, of the last 3 decades, including last 2 previous administrations. and generally, when you look at the markets, investors don't seem to be convinced at all about louis plans. there's not amount of political will that can make, ah, one plus one equals 3. so basically, yes,

there is, we are sienna. ah, if you want to call it a crisis self expectations between the testers, at least for the moment, local investors in the gaze of brazil and the government in terms of what's going to be the policy direction. recap in on a thing that i just mentioned when you have a central bank authority that has been nominated as independent and with a tenure that doesn't coincide, the stint doesn't coincide with the presidency. you face this risks, you faced, the risk of you can call a quotation, we in simpler terms, it would be having a, ah, less strict government in terms of fiscal and spend the measures and a, perhaps more strict sense for bunk authority. and this is the 1st time in brazil in which we are witnessing how policies be made with this 2 pillars interact and encounter interacting with each other. how much of a concern is the ad, brazil's debt situation, especially in line of new las plans when it comes to spending the seals?

death situation has been a issue of concern for a long time. now, this is not new to lula latest said. if analysis said that by 2025 bristles overall, our external death to g d p ratio could reach some one along the lines of 108 per cent of g b. so that's a, a backbone concern that has been persistent and so far, no solution has been found. in this particular case, we tend to believe that lou days focusing much more on, on the ground type of concerns. this is again, keeping the economy running to assured that he can deliver what he was elected for . he was voted for happier times and he needs to make sure he delivers to a degree happier times. and well, part of the reason he delivered happier times previously was because brazil had that commodity boehme in 2000 and t. this time that the circumstances are very different. given that do you think he can deliver?

is he aware of the challenges that he is facing? indeed it's a completely different setting for the last 3 bowling though, as we call it, a completely different from his to previous presidential incarnations. and we're already, if, if the region serves as an example, we're already seeing other ah, left leaning governments in the region such as argentina, sheila, to a degree even columbia with gustavo better recently elected last year. ah, struggling exactly with the same dilemma riding to office with abundant promises of deliver in economic prosperity. nonetheless, finding a completely different set in, in terms of governance, we're seeing weaker governance with inability to just steam roll. there are policy priorities. and on the external side, we're seeing a much shake your geopolitical context that doesn't allow for this promises to be a bank rolled in the way that they're used to be. ah, the inner circle of lula is very much aware of this. so one month and change into

his 3rd presidency, we believe that we're still seeing different elements in the coalition accommodating traditional reality. and perhaps that we have more clarity on the backend of this year. marianna may machado really get to talk to you or mariano, our principal analyst of the americas and global risk v risk map across. thank you for your time. a pleasure. hong kong is facing the highest rate of homelessness in a decade. it's one of the most expensive cities to live in, and rising inflation has sent the cost of everything from food to rent. soaring, jessica washington met some of the people in hong kong, forced to make the street their home. this is the image of hong kong that dazzles visitors, a bustling, glamorous city, but under ground a different reality appears. oh. busy there are many mosquitoes and bed bugs here. you see so many on getting fungal infections. he has slept here for 4 years and

looks to rubbish bins for left over food. in takeaway boxes, official figures released in november show the number of people experiencing homelessness. is the highest in a decade, and there's a sharp rise in the number if women experiencing housing insecurity. that report also said there's need for better services and more funds for hostile accommodation . as the situation worsens. this is a very wealthy city. you know, it's, it's extremely wealthy with one and 5 at this moment, or having food and security, the cannot afford 3 meals a day. you know, it's, it's an amazing city where you see the haves and the have nots and in your face all the time. impact h k is an n g o founded in 2017. so far they've helped around 500 people find shelter. they also welcome people into their community centers for hot meals and fresh clothes. over 90 percent of those individuals have no emergency contacts. they have no friend or found no member in their life. in the isolation, you know, plays a huge role in their, you know, step towards becoming homeless. he says,

emergency shout is provided by the government. don't address the needs of the city and a difficult for people to access. the hong kong government told down to 0 social workers give assistance to those willing to accept services. in tyco china, there are more than 30 people sharing this underground space. it's the middle of winter here in hong kong, and the temperature often drops below 10 degrees at night. people in this underpass of repairing for another night exposed to freezing conditions. alec used to be one of them. he spent almost 20 years on the streets. yes or no, now i have a place to live. i have food to eat and a job. i'm happier, more cheerful now. now he works in the community center, distributing food and essentials to people sleeping outside, helping them through the same dark days he experienced during his time on the streets. that is our show for this week. get in touch with us by twisting me out,

marlene site, and do use the hash tag a j d t c. when he j, or drop us an email, counting the cost at algebra dot net is our address. that movie online. out there a dot com slash ctc, that'll take you straight to our page, which as individual ports link in time for you to catch up on that is it for this edition of counting the cost money inside the whole team? for joining us news on out there is no excuse aah! and women run micro businesses are key to center goals development and to improved food

security. access to finance helps them succeed. since 2014, nearly a 180 micro enterprises, collectives and small businesses across synagogue received concession re financing . these loans were made possible by initiative administered by the q right good. will fund the q 8 fund partners in development. stores of afghans have fled their homeland since the taliban take over. in a specialty parker point $1.00 oh $1.00 east fall is to women. determined to build new lives far from home. on al jazeera, there are some of the media stories, a critical look at the global news media spread on al jazeera government shutoff access to social media. ah .