it can be measured precisely, and yes, each person experiences it differently as if there are different forms of time, time, a phenomena, a dimension, and illusion. about time starts december 31st on d, w ah ah, you're watching dw news ally from berlin, kobe 19 cases search to record highs around the globe, omicron is quickly becoming the dominant variant. while delta is still hitting hard, real assess the threat with

a leading barometers. also coming up glade maxwell found guilty of helping sexually abuse young girls for a decade. their survivors say it's a step towards justice for the victims of jeffrey epstein. an south africans pay tribute to nobel peace prize laureate and human rights activists. desmond tutu, ah, and a warm welcome. 12 years round the world on michael. okay. the world health organization is warning that crone of virus variance could produce a through nami of coven 19 cases. that will put immense pressure on health care systems in europe, france has posted a new record with authorities reporting more than 200000 infections in a single day. italy, ireland, and portugal have also all announced record numbers of new cases. officials say the

sky rocketing infection rates are being driven by the highly contagious alma khan variant. a new national record for france here every 2nd more than 2 people are testing positive for the corona virus. your police patrols have stepped up in response. there was a bars and restaurants checking people's vaccination passes and for the still unvaccinated french authorities have a grim message, level patrols, who pretty there is really very little chance you can escape at this time. the virus is spreading too fast and unvaccinated people are more likely to get infected or very sick bugs in germany to is putting more pressure on the unvaccinated leading to several protests across the country. in munich, police initially banned a rally, but protesters came out any way by the thousands saying they're just out for a walk. there is also concern that germany is under reporting cases due to staff

shortages during the holiday season. it with her fossil, the under reporting is probably of the order that the actual incidence is currently 2 or 3 times as high as the incidence. we are measuring all, smithson, the u. k is facing a surge in omicron cases and that it's frustration that rapid test gets aren't available when to pick them up and there's none in the pharmacies. roy is non, they will got the signs outside the run outside. many people need a negative test to be allowed to work on gather to celebrate the start of a new south africa was one of the 1st countries to identify the american variant, and initially saw a dramatic increase in coven 19 cases. but now numbers are declining. earlier we spoke to virology, wolfgang chrysler, and he told us what the south african experience could tell us about what's happening now in europe. well,

it actually shows very much what we had seen here in cape town, where i had it in south africa where we can 1st spread throughout the country. we had a very steep increase to record numbers of infections. and we were extremely worried that over the 5th period because it started in late november here, we would didn't have frequent numbers of severe cases being admitted to hospital and, and very fortunately, our in fixed numbers have peaked. so we are now on the kid on board change and dead one has to be careful because of the long holiday weekend. so numbers maybe lagging behind, but i don't think that picture is going to change drastically. and luckily, our hospitalized ation rate has be lagging behind significantly. so we see a few of the via cases needing hospital treatment and in the previous waves. and of course, the reason here in south africa is that the majority of people who have had called

in during the pandemic over the past almost 2 years. i need addition, we have just short of off the adult population having had the vaccine as well. a lot of people are wondering whether there could be a silver lining here that is the rapid and wide spread. obama crown will bring us closer to turning covered into a more manageable threat. but it sounds like you're saying that the reason why amr con is not manifesting is dangerously as other variance is because to a large extent, people, particularly in south africa, may have had the virus are ready and therefore have antibodies. it's very difficult to tease those 2 factors apart. again, i'm cautiously optimistic that maybe only one is a bit less virulent than the previous strains, but we are still seeing patients dying from it. so you know it's, it's not a question of a common cold virus. it, it may be moving into that direction and that would be good news. but the bad news

is that i like what, what was said in france in your report that with this very and it will be next to impossible to escape infection. and we have seen the whole foss, it's grades and how fast the numbers rise. many patients also many infected people are asymptomatic, so not necessarily recognize that can still pass it on. so i would say that the next few months, the majority of the population will get it. and then it's really that they're both gang prize a really appreciate your time in cape town. many thanks. well, countries are still grappling with the rising case. number's health authorities are also under pressure to reduce the isolation requirements for people infected or in contact with a positive case. the u. s. recently shortened its quarantine period, and germany's health minister says he's considering a similar move. the w reporter joel door. roy joins us in the studio to explain

what's behind the race to reduce warranty. until recently, healthful thirties around the world have mostly followed, defined terrific recommendation that people isolate for up to 2 weeks after testing positive or coming into close contact with an infected person. but now as the army con, very, it kicks off a new way of infections around the world. more people are fighting themselves stuck at home. tracking data shows over 19000000 people have tested positive to cove and 19 in the past 28 days. and that has had an impact on the economy. some hospital schools and businesses are finding themselves short staffed recently, thousands of flights were cancelled us airlines demand a shorter isolation period to get people back to work. and this week, the u. s. center for disease control, cut the recommended isolation period down from the previous 10 days to 5 days for people without symptoms, spain, the u. k,

and others are also reducing isolation and other countries may follow, including germany, france, and italy. but how risky is this strategy? the cdc is own modeling, found that after 5 days of quarantine, there was still a 35 percent chance that a person could pass on the virus. now that risk reduces to one percent after 10 days. so why shorten the isolation period? well, previous variance had an average incubation time of around 5 days. however, some studies are showing that army current has a foster incubation period of around 3 days. infected people may develop symptoms more quickly and some are arguing that that could allow quarantine to begin and end earlier. but other scientists are urging caution wanting that there is still much we do not know about the impact of ami crohn. the decision to reduce isolation periods may be welcome used to millions of people stuck at home, but it's

a calculated risk that is being made to get people back to work. many thanks, joel, turning now to some other news. a jury in the us has found readers, socialite, elaine maxwell guilty of helping a late sex offender jeffrey epstein accuse underage abuse, i should say, under age rules for years. after 5 days of deliberations, the new york jury found maxwell guilty on 5 counts, including recruiting and grooming ab scenes, teenage victims. the verdict could see the 60 year old spend the rest of her life in prison, recruiting and grooming teenage victims and trafficking a minor. these are the heavy charges of which british socialite delayed maxwell was found guilty by the new york jury. the road to justice has been far too long. but today justice has been done. no one, no matter how powerful or well connected it is above the law. jolaine maxwell is

the daughter of british newspaper. baron robert maxwell, in court, accuser showed evidence of maxwell's close relationship to late fine and sheer and convicted sex offender, jeffrey epstein. epstein was child and 2019 based on charges of sex trafficking miners, but he committed suicide in prison while awaiting trial. in the current court case of killing maxwell, she was found to have helped epstein systematically procure young girls some as young as 14. the charges against maxwell were brought forward by 4 victims, but many more feel they have been served justice. this is a victory for all the victims of miss maxwell and abstain. moreover, i think this is a victory for all young children, boys, girls, women, and men who are victims of abusers like this. it will give them the needed push to step forward and to speak their truth and to hopefully get justice like these young

girls have with respect to miss maxwell, the defense as to 60 year old is being used as a scapegoat for other people's crimes. i. we firmly believe in glens, innocence. obviously we are very disappointed with the verdict. we have already started working on the appeal, and we are confident that she will be vindicated everyone the healthy, have a happy new year. how you doing, maxwell now stands to spend the rest of her life in prison. if she receives the maximum possible sentence of 65 years. let's get a round up now or some of the other headlines at this hour. police in hong kong have formerly charged to senior editors from the online pro democracy news outlet stand news with sedition. they've been identified in court documents as former stand news chief editor chung pew quinn and patrick lamp. the announcement comes

a day after authorities rated the office of stan news. strong winds in drought conditions in argentina have intensified wild fires raging in the south of the country. some $250.00 fire fighters and national park employees are involved in battling the blazes in the pedagogy region. officials say the fires have already destroyed thousands of hector's of forest. the boy of south africa's archbishop desmond tutu has been brought to a historic cape town cathedral where it will lie in state for 2 days. mourners had been lining up to pay their final respects to the revered cleric at saint george's cathedral, where $22.00 once preached against white minority rule. he had requested the simplest coffin and did not want any lavish funeral expense. you will be cremated and his ashes buried on new year's day inside his former parents. the anti apartheid icon and nobel peace prize laureate,

died last sunday at the age of 90. 0, every day at noon this week, the bells at saint george's cathedral and across south africa have chimed in. remembrance of the former archbishop flowers, a mass for desmond tutu. though he wanted no grand display of mourning. his daughter, known toby thanked people around the world for their support with his that has been such an outpouring of love and support and prayers that we, we are. we don't have enough mouth. there are times and we are laughing and sharing story. that sounds we are crying as we, we come to to leave life without dead cape towns. city icons are illuminated in the purple of 22 clerical robes. south africa president added his words to the chorus of tributes because he was the voice of the voice that

he was the one person who campaigned for justice for people living with h i v for out for the g, b, t, q i plus community. and for the detectives and the oppressed people, not only in our country, footage from 195 shows to, to calming an angry mob who had been beating and alleged apartheid collaborator. he was one of the strongest voices for peaceful resistance against the system oppressing south africa. black people, we know we know who we know. we got over he. he later traveled the world campaigning for human rights against time of phobia. israel's treatment of palestine and climate change. one of his last public

appearances receiving a cove at 19 vaccine, sending a message of social solidarity right to the end. saturday's funeral will be limited to just $100.00 guests inside the cathedral, but will be followed by countless more outside and around the world. coming up next is your business news. i'm mike local in berlin for me in the entire team. thanks for watching. take care and we'll see you at the top of the next out watching d w. i will

go to the dark side where intelligence agencies are pulling the strings, were organized crime rules. were conglomerates make their own laws? we shed light on the opaque worlds whose behind the benefits and why are they a threat to us? all opaque world starts january 5th on d, w ah, 20 years of the euro as the euro is own marks 2 decades since it's radical, new common currency started filling up wallets. will discuss whether it's been

a monetary, marvel or financial flaw. yours 1st home grown battery facility has begun production. we'll look at what sweden's new north fault giga factory means for the continent. with energy prices still soaring across the world will look back on a year of power struggles. also fuel fights. this is day to be a business on robots in berlin. welcome to the program, 19 countries, one currency, and now europe is mocking 20 years of the euro. it's been a rollercoaster couple of decades for the single currency. for some, the euro has been a stabilizing factor for the continent. others say it's just driven up prices as we wait to see what the future holds for the euro. as 1st, take a look at the past. a symbol of hope and prosperity for all of europe. the 6 story high euro sculpture in front of the european central bank in frankfort

. it was germany's way of celebrating the introduction of the euro as legal tender. since then, europeans don't have to exchange notes and coins when traveling within the eurozone . companies also profited as trade within the current to union sharply increased. on the eve of 2022 more than 340000000 people in 19 e. u countries used a common currency every day. at its introduction, one euro cost $1.00 u. s. dollar and 7 cents. since then it has gone up and up in 2008. it reached its old time high of almost one u. s. dollar and 60 cents just before the start of the global financial crisis. there was also the 1st real test for the euro, a single currency for economies as different as greece and germany, a recipe for disaster. the e, you had to agree on a 1000000000 euro rescue packages to save the weaker countries of southern europe

from financial collapse the crisis, but the euro under unprecedented pressure. speculators tried to catch in on the failure of the common currency. in 2012, the president of the e. c. b spoke words that would go down in history. the c, b is ready to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro. and billy me, it will be enough to easy b was pushing the envelope and it worked for euro survive the financial crisis to day. a tough new test. the corona pandemic locked downs have placed a heavy burden on the national budgets of the euro countries. in 2020, they took on joint debt for the 1st time ever. critics of the euro save is moved makes financially weaker countries

a burden on those with stronger economies. many others, however, still see the euro is the best opportunity for the european union countries to grow even closer. well, to discuss further 20 years of the euro, let's speak to maria de maps. this is deputy director of the brussels economic thinktank brougham. thanks a lot for joining us on d to we business. great. have you on so 2 decades in can we say whether the euro has been a success or not? yes, of course, i think only a year has been there has been a big success actually. and way of thinking about this is imagine how countries small countries will also be countries will have weathered the 2 big crisis that we've seen in the past 20 years. had they been alone? i think that's a very important thing to try and contemplate us with a thought experiment. and then you realize that the scale and the stability that the euro has brought to the continent, different degrees for different countries has actually managed to keep

a europe together and, and actually whether the crisis was much less cost than would have been otherwise. so yes, it is been an outright success as far as i'm concerned. but as you just mentioned, the impact of it has buried between countries. have there been winners and losers for the last 20 years? i think it's important appreciate that not on country's joint or the euro entity you for the same reasons to the extent that one can have a distinction between the north of the south. and i'm very reluctant to make these types of comparisons because they're never really accurate. but let's say, let's say for the sake of conversation we, we divide the continent in this 2 blocks. the northern countries are a more open country, so they are the ones who are looking for a greater markets. so their real, the prime motivation for the northern part of europe to join the you is to expand their markets both domestically domestically being in europe. but so scale also internationally, globally, and then of course, the year to provide amply, 2 countries of the north, kansas in the south and the other hand wanted stability. they wanted

a stable currency that is going to ensure that the consumer has got predictability in terms of purchasing power in their pockets. and they got that with the euro. so yeah, to that extent, if use of think about the motivation why every country joined, the you and all of them had something to do to win from the adjustment to the, to the euro. hasn't been easy for all countries that i think is important. countries in the south founded a lot more difficult to adopt, simply because their economies are a lot more inflexible. but i think even countries in the south have found the stability of the year to been an upright success. it survived 2 decades and they've got through various crises, but there is another one on the way as the are as and recovers from the pandemic. how well set is the euro to get through that? i think you'll see that a european architecture, which is absolutely essential for a good a connection. i mean, and for sustaining shocks or sustaining crisis has been going,

has been moving in the right direction. compare the reaction, how europe dealt with the financial crisis and of what speed and to the reaction of the you in the current crisis to put in a crisis in 2020. and at what speed, you'll see that both of the unity of europe as well as the speed of reaction, have greatly improved. there is a thing as a serialization appreciation of the fact that a united europe can really, whether this storm so much faster. there are we important discussions in 2022 when it comes to a contextual issues. i'm thinking mostly of the fiscal pack that can really help increase the resilience of the continent. and i think there is enough understanding that important steps for what need to happen. ok, maria demetrius from brewer. thank you very much for joining us on date of your business. next, it's been labor day milestone for europe. sweden's north volt has officially begun production at the continents 1st home growing battery cell production line. it's

good news for customers like volkswagen, volvo, and b, m. w, and the future plans. just 200 kilometers south of the arctic circle. this factory in whitby, or produced its 1st battery cell. this week, the location was chosen because it's near important sights of renewable energy production in northern sweden, including hydro electric power, intended to compete with the u. s. electric car, joint tesla, and asian producers of lithium ion batteries. the site is expected to produce enough batteries to power $1000000.00 electric vehicles every year. north vault expects to make its 1st deliveries to commercial customers. in early 2022. the company has already secured $30000000000.00 worth of orders from european carmakers, including germany's b, m, w, and folks, vargas and sweden's, volvo, with which it plants a 2nd european factory test lays due to launch its 1st factory in europe soon. and

asian rivals have significant operations in poland and hungary, but no european firm had opened a major facility until now. russian president vladimir putin is again turning up the pressure on german regulators to approve nord stream to is told a meeting of the government shown on russian stake tv, that the pipeline is now fully primed and ready to solve your it's national at natural gas supply problems and these network regulator though, says it won't give the go ahead till no 2 nodes stream to until it's satisfied the swiss spaced operating company is complying with german law. a was full approval may not come until the 2nd half of 2022 is booted. you cooker and you put what the rising tension. nathan nord stream to comes at the end of an extraordinary year for the global energy sector. as chelsea delaney reports. nicole natural gas and crude oil this year and these fossil fuels have been in short

supply. whatever you want to call it, a crisis, a crunch. shortage. what's been unfolding across global energy market this year is impacting all of our lives. in almost every corner of the world, the energy needed to heat our homes or fuel or cars or power. our businesses has become drastically more expensive. it takes a long time for the amount of switch away from fossil fuels. in $981.00, oil gas and cool account for 84 percent of total energy demand. last year that was 284 percent. the 1st place where we really started to see energy shortages unfold this year. it was in china, china school supply couldn't keep up with the sharp bounce back in demand from its factory sector. by september, the government ordered some factories close and told coal mines to increase production with the coal shortage at home. china turn to international natural gas markets to help keep the lights on and factories running. that huge amount of

demand coming from china rippled across global energy markets, including to those here in europe, the competition between china and europe for elegy has been building for years. but this years energy shortage is led to an all out bidding war. and europe has been losing to asia when it gets cold and they let the market and then you know, europe. ready bit less, but then i mean, there's pipeline to play in no way i'll g russia. they can supply as well. but that's where you have no problem. moment russia has been slow to send additional gas to the you this year despite the critical shortage of stocks. some analysts believe the limited deliveries are no quinn sentence and accused moscow of exploiting europe's energy weakness. why? inter nordstrom to the 9500000000 euro natural gas pipeline. russia recently completed constructing to germany. the russians have spent a fortune under put in developing an entire new natural gas province. what happens

in europe then, as part of its climate policy cuts back on natural gas consumption? indeed, many politicians do see climate policy, namely, a faster move towards renewables. as the solution, but building out that infrastructure could take years. so what about right now for now, government seemed to have decided the answer is more fossil fuels. china has doubled down on coal while here in the u. for many countries have pledged to give a call in the coming decade. idle plants are being put back on line. fossil fuel stole power our lives. and until that changes, fossil fuels and the countries that produce them will continue to determine how much it costs to keep the lights on. chelsea delaney reporting now 2021 has also been a year of ups and downs for the welds shipping lanes in the sea of japan. things

have taken another bizarre turn as well. dozens of cause have become caked in ice, up to half a me to thick on my way to the russian ports of blood voss doc at that japanese ship expanse high winds, with temperatures of minus 19 celsius waves splashed over the cars, then froze, cracking, wind screens and causing all kinds of other damage in the process was over main. the business steam here in berlin, if you want more from us, do have to our website need to we dot com slash business. you can also find asked of on the database, use youtube channel, and of course on facebook at d, w dot business until next time. i finally learning to read 60 for her entire life. osley emma has invested everything into education for her 10 children. she

herself is a literate, like men, older women in turkey. but honestly, embry knows that learning always pays off. focus on europe. next on d, w. ah, what secrets lie behind these walls? discover new adventures in 360 degrees. and explore fascinating world heritage sites d w world heritage $360.00 get the app now and .