while suspected to have on the crone, and as you said, the number of all mcclung cases in germany is rising every day. it jumped 25 percent within the last day and the authorities are bracing from a crown to become the dominant variant. of course of also being today as some announcements about studies about how dangerous omicron might be. and indeed some encouraging suggestions that it might be a slightly mild at leading to a few or hospitalization. so it's going to be really important as the government tries to protect the health care system. but certainly this, 1st on the kron death suspected here in germany. it does show that even on the crone, of course, can be very dangerous. and how do all these developments that you've just been reporting on? how do they impact all the decision by the government to implement and measures after christmas? well those,

those measures the tie thing of measures across germany. it was the, the response to the expected arrival of an omicron wave. and certainly, you know, that's the strategy that most of following. but we are seeing some divergence berlin, the city state government here in berlin has been announcing to day it's plans for large events outdoors. it was expected that things like football matches would have to happen in front of an empty stadiums. no spectators. bert's at berlin is saying, are up to 2000 people, can attend events, indoors and up to 3000 outdoors they've. they said they've weighed up the um, the damage to business and culture and sport. and they say that, you know, allowing a few spectators is better than effectively requiring these events to be cooled off

entirely. right. semi ann reporting a, simon is our political correspondent. thank you so much. why aren't you? how many millions of people are preparing to celebrate the christmas holidays, against a backdrop of the cove at 19 pandemic. tighter rules on social gatherings will come into place next week, as simon has just been reporting with the country bracing for a 5th wave of infections fueled by the rapidly spreading. i'm a kron variant. we gauged the mood among people and asked how it's impacting their plants. the bags are packed there, our presence to wrap and trains to catch at berlin's main station. the christmas get a we is on. and travelers are reckoning with looming restrictions and household headaches . reforming calls, i am looking forward to celebrating with the kids. i just have to sort out our christmas tree stand. it can only hold trees up to 2 meters,

but our tree is 3 meters. i have to figure that out. now. that music is not lose is cloud, i think you're alluding to whether the corona situation is a burn. and of course this is a depressing situation. but there are plenty of other world events that don't make you feel happy the i madness furnished unless the highly contagious omicron variant has cast a shadow over this year's celebrations. and made the journey home on busy trains. fraught with risk at the lexia christmas market, nearby corona continues to loom large, but it appears to be no match for glue vine and festive spirit. and let people like it when i show this one filter. freedom like polymer had to contend with the threat of consolation as markets were shut down elsewhere in germany death . that one is very popular. there's also another version of your own. and he then

this is in for that. we are glad that we were allowed to be open, that we were allowed to sell. i can't complain. everything is great spot for this, jen maker. the market caps off a rocky year. problems and global supply chains forced him to rethink his business . oh, yeah, we had to change a lot. were we now we manufacture in germany completely. um and we do some, a craft men's work on our own. so we, we manufacture goods on our own completely now to make sure that we can deliver all goods all over the market. stories of people making the best of the situation. the good on the anger, the children and grandchildren are far away. of course, that's a bit sad. that's why we came to the christmas market. the silk of the atmosphere was well enough naughty last 2 of us at christmas before the family is quite large,

but all far away. and so we make ourselves comfortable at home in the bush as germany and the world hedge into another year of uncertainty. one thing seems, indisputable. no one knows when the cove at 19 journey will end. on his studies from the united kingdom suggests the alma chron. corona virus variant may in fact be milder than other very and specifically delta. but scientists say their findings must be treated with caution. hospitals could still be overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases. and it comes as the u. k recorded more than 100000 new daily cases for the 1st time. there's no christmas rush in london this year. the number of shoppers and taurus down dramatically on even a few weeks ago. alma, crohn's rapid spread and a record number of infections. keeping many people at home, britons newspapers,

summing up the mood but the you case health minister gave weary britons a glimmer of hope by announcing the purchase of millions more antiviral pills to combat omicron alongside the booster program. these sup, pharmaceutical defenses, you taken together are a huge new way to defend ourselves against cove it, there's no need for any further restrictions before christmas. we will certainly keep the situation under review, but across the u. k. conditions very while england has reduced the number of days, people with covert have to isolate from 10 down to 7 wales scotland. a northern ireland are introducing restrictions after christmas. what they do agree on is that vaccine boosters and reducing contacts are the best ways to reduce pressure on a health care system stretched to the brink days. so we know there's lots of cases in the community that actually people are not getting say fake, but there are still people being admitted to hospital and they are still getting very unwell data private pneumonia. and,

and that's quite stressful for us to be looking after all that i think the much better now that we have more keats most offer another holiday season overshadowed by the cobra. 19 pandemic. another new year on the horizon filled with uncertainty . been taken out to london to dig up your correspondence a shallow shall some pill, charlotte. a very grim, a record fair of 100000 cases in just 24 hours time. how strange is the national health service absolutely learn just to set that into a bit of a context for you. that is a record, as you say, since my testing began, essentially since the start of the pandemic that said that infections are fact higher than those confirmed case numbers. so it could be far more severe than the numbers reflect. we know as well, that confirmed cases are up 59 percent weak on weak. so a big big ride that now there is

a lot of consent by the health service that has been a slight take in hospitalizations. but the main issue here and now is the number of stock shortages or stock who, off isolating there is real consent and already stretch already tied how service could really struggle in the day. the head is more and more people catch this virus and all sick evidence from the you can suggest that the alma called variance may not produce as severe symptoms as delta, but there's still concerns about it being highly transmissible. right, so these 2 new studies that have come out from the u. k, one from scotland, one from england, both of them suggesting that the on the cross variance is less severe results and few hospitalizations than the delta barian. so to give you the, the study that's come out of england, it found that 40 to 45 percent, that was a 40 to 45 percent reduction in hospitalizations, lasting one light or longer when compared to doses. so quite

a market reduction math scientists, experts here are saying it's encouraging, but the rules i really stressing caution. hey, this is very, very early data that is still emerging at that i'm lot still isn't known. and crucially, even if this is less to via the shit, number of infections of cases could still mean that the health services on the very intense pressure and how much pressure is the embattled prime minister bores johnson feeling for mama crohn that's currently gripping a great burden. well, he's resisted more restrictions coming in to a place said that he doesn't scotland, northern ireland and wales have all announced that the measure is off to christmas . the prime minister here is rule that out over the christmas period. he says that needs to be more information on the severity of on the crown, on those cruise that crucial hospital data. he's instead relying very heavily on the u. k. boost to program in here in england. they promised to offer every adults

that boost a job by the end of the year time, clearly running out that they have massively stepped up the number of jobs that are being given a almost a 1000000 on tuesday we're given and it's not that the u. k. government is redefining its heights on 32nd. charlotte. so how challenging time is this for people in the u. k. very challenging. i think the staff shortages is the biggest concern at the moment, particularly in hospitals emergency services, as well as we know just a couple of days till christmas, people here in the u. k. and around the world facing some very difficult decisions on how they best buy, celebrate christmas and protect their loved ones. return times and do, did every correspondence or charlottesville, simple reporting from london. thank you very much. like to tell you now, but the other stories in the headlines around the world, china has long down the city. if she on home, 13000000 people in response to just over 200 coven 19 cases. china has pursued

a 0 k strategy. measures come just weeks before busying will host the winter. olympics. government is urging olympians to get booster draft. belgium's government has agreed in principle to shut down the country's existing nuclear power plant by 2025. the willing coalition reached a compromise deal after long negotiations. but the prime minister says you may ultimately decide that some reactors should be kept open if the countries energy security can't be guaranteed. the un security council has adopted a resolution to enable sending humanitarian aid of gone astonishing. the u. s. proposed resolution allows funding and goods to flow without violating sanctions. on the top on i've gone, has done plunged into a deep economic crisis since the told us went back into power earlier this year. russian president vladimir put in, says the west must provide guarantees that nato won't expand eastwards to include

ukraine, nor deploy weapons there. on this comes against the backdrop of weeks of international concern over russia to build up on its border with ukraine. president putin was speaking at a 4 hour news conference, in which he addressed a broad range of issues. and on the topic of ukraine, he accused the west of building the tensions. yet no one knew we were not wanting to. these is what we were told in the 1990s. and what happened when we were duped? mad, we were brazenly jiro to the mag ala money. there were 5 waves of nato expansion, or should in another. and now these missile systems are appearing and poland, and romania, but where you will earth. that's what we're talking about. what the true moody you have to understand to. it's not us we're threat lamb, which deliberately today we didn't come to the borders of the u. s. or the u. k. daniel group you came to us that was president put in speaking earlier today.

like to reach out now to hire ted whittaker for he is a green member of the european parliament and he sits on the foreign affairs committee, sir. thank you very much for your time. i don't know if you had the opportunity to listen to that sound bite that we just played from president vladimir putin. he does not see nato as a force for good for him. this is an existential threat. when you listen to what he say, do you think his rhetoric is justified? the resurrect that president putin has been employing is very interesting. because he seems to imply that russia wants to reverse the developments of the last decades. when he talks about poland and other countries being integrated into nato, it, it seems as if he wants to pursue a policy to reverse that,

to change that historical result. and of course, that is not acceptable. and it's, i think it's, it's also very, very interesting that even though the immediate pressure that he creates is against ukraine by massing troops on that border. but obviously, he is trying to pursue a policy that would divide the security of europe and effectively give russia a dominating a, controlling influence over the security of the eastern half in europe. and that is certainly not acceptable. let's talk about a germ israel. the white house and other eastern european leaders would like to see germany take a stronger carrot and stick approach our francis with the north stream gas pipeline project with russia. your air party is now part of the government. and will we see

that i have just returned from a visit in washington? and my understanding indeed is that in the case that president putin won't move forward with his aggression against ukraine nodes shame to would indeed be on the table or you it. but it would be a reaction to any offensive that he launch launch as well. obviously, we hoped to deter him from that course of action so that the signaling is being done in order to prevent that sequence of any wiggle events. now, sir, germany has a new leader and he is very experienced at all our shots. is he likely to take

a very different approach when it comes to vladimir putin than what we saw with the previous chance, such as ongoing miracle? my impression is that president putin is charging a new course and in responding to that, we also have to look through the challenges that he is posing. so just continuing the course that had been pursued before, would certainly not be adequate. all our neighbors and allies next day from germany, that we play a reliable role. and i'm quite convinced that this government is going to do exactly that. you want to run at a reinhardt said, the ticker for green, a member of the european parliament to committee on foreign affairs. so thank you very much for your time. thank you for having me.

turn our attention now to france. that country has just opened previously classified files linked to the algerian war of independence. the files could shed light on the alleged use of torture and extra judicial killings. i french soldiers during the war which was waged from 95421900. 62. did have a new spoke to one algerian who fought on the side of france and is part of a group known as hockey's agirri and bone cells. carol felt incredibly proud when he started to work as a translator and intelligence adviser for the french colonial army in eduphoria. in the 1950s. he'd never have thought that in 1962 france would leave our keys like him, just behind yaki shifter op amelia resorted his army. the french took all weapons away and abandoned as aft keys. it was a disgrace. how france behaved satilla all dull of horse. lucky paris or too many

of us were arrested by the nationalists till they wanted vengeance and tortured us . come back on with you if hernandez or this was deval. jones. sash narrowly escaped execution in algeria and fled to france. but there he was far from welcomed with open arms. the appeal due to no sort of horses, an officer told me that i had lost the french nationality. the army had given me, and i replied was so when france needed as our keys, we were french, and now that we no longer needed, we no longer french knocker up repairs were done. during the 1st few months, i unloaded freight carriers at the train station. i could just about afford food. most of the time i slept in the carriages. it was so disappointing that france didn't help me. after all that had gone through graham soon gone. this have shot

emmanuel, my client, the 1st president in french history recently apologized to sash and other archies and bassier woocommerce, don't abandon me to the combatants. we abandoned to their families who suffered the camps that a prison. the denial, dinny, i ask forgiveness of them. we shall not forget, nobly hamper president my car also promised a new law to acknowledge francis historical guilt. but this historian doubts, this will be enough to make up for the archie's suffering. elizabeth only the fall says also orange white additions have often said vague and superficial things about the axis. that part of our history still needs to be told in detail. yet, if we all learned what happened, that would provide some peace of mind to leap or to the archies themselves with their children and grandchildren. who are they all traumatized? why do they pass? young sash often participates in common durations and has received many national

decorations. but he's now asking for concrete actions such as free elderly care. he says that's the least france can do for the, for the levels. it's all frances fought. her answer. bond on this is on for france, abandoned its children. and by abandoning them it sentenced them to death. oh, lazar been gone. and his own way are m sales hopes that the new law will help him finally feel accepted by a country that abandoned him when he maced needed its support. that report rally similarly sentenced. now to the wild waters of madagascar and an even wilder story, a government minister sent as parts of a rescue team was forced to save himself. after his helicopter crashed into the

ocean 1000 julie and another passenger survived the impact. but the really miraculous part was to follow the pair, swim 12 hours to reach dry land. hagerman who set out before dawn spotted some one in the water. exhausted and still in his wet uniform, madagascar, police minister recorded the message. uncle, them hidden, i'm alive and well. in 24 hours. i can be back at work and i'm not injured, but very cold. my doctor, i'm thankful to the people of mumble for saving my life and taking care of me. lending and figure. the fisherman brought that 57 year old, safely back to shore. after he spent 12 hours at sea, and other survivor and air force mechanic managed to swim the entire way to the beach. the body of one other man and the helicopter has been recovered. but the

pilot remains missing and is presumed dead authority say the cause of the helicopter crash has yet to be established. the minister says something suddenly destabilized the helicopter, potentially causing it to go down. eaten was your name that he didn't leave you though my omission was over. we saw the accident and we were about to go home. but like all accidents, something unexpected happened, did on our helicopter, may have been caught in a gust of wind or something. and fell. the helicopter was one of to taking part in a search and rescue operation. after a small cargo ship sank on monday, an official says the ship was overloaded from carrying too many people. are markle story conservators in the u. s. state of virginia have opened a time capsule, which was found buried for more than 130 years under the statue of a famous civil war. general 3 water damaged books, a cloth envelope and

a silver coin were among the things found inside the sealed lead box. it was found embedded under a statue of general robert e. lee, who commanded the confederate states army of northern virginia during the us civil war. a statue was removed as it was considered a symbol of racism. in washington w. news. the top story that we are covering for you right now, jeremy has reported its 1st arm across related death. it comes as over 3000 cases of the new variance have been confirmed. cases searched by a quarter in single day. health minister, carla talbot says he expects alma prompt to become the dominant varies in the coming weeks. i'm going to leave you now with a look at how various cities around the world have dressed up for christmas. it's all about the lights, lots and lots of lights. ah,

ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah, with

ah! with the plight of the refugees and kelly. despite the freezing cold thousands of

migrants or where you came here, their destination britain many pay for the journey across the english channel with their lives. finally, france and england want to focus on europe next thought d w. oh, well go to the dark side where intelligence agencies are pulling the strings. there was a before 911 and and after 911, he says after 911, the clubs came off. were organized crime rules were conglomerates and make their own laws. they invade our

private lives through surveillance. hidden opaque, secretive. what's true, what's vague? it doesn't matter. the only criteria is what we'll hook people up. we shed light on the opaque world who's behind benefits and why are they a threat to whistle? open iq worlds. starts january 5th on d, w ah, with hello and welcome to focus on europe and most people here in europe share just one which during what is.