wanted everything, and we digitize everything from the hot commodity in this global experiment. our data, smart devices are embedded in our daily lives tracking our every move. the internet of everything starts january 17 on d, w. ah ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin and alma cron, tidal wave headed for europe. the world health organization predicts that half of

europe's population could become infected with the contagious corona. vars variant by the end of this winter. also coming up, british prime minister boris johnson is facing mounting pressure of allegations that he and his staff broke locked down rules by holding a party back in 2020. now there are revelations of email invitation to the event and the united nations calls on the world to help the people of afghanistan. never before has the un asked for so much money and never before has the threat of humanitarian disaster been so grace. ah, i'm john driebe. thank you very much for your company. we start the show with a dire warning from the world health organization and europe's pandemic future. the

w a joy predicts that over half of all europeans will become infected with the alma kron variant of the corona virus by the end of winter. now this comes as germany reported a new record of more than 80000 new infections in one day. here's what the w i chose, europe director hands konica had to say a bit earlier. 50 of the 50 countries in europe and central asia have no reported cases of ami chrome. it is quickly becoming the dominant virus in western europe. and this know, spreading into the balkans at this rate, the institute for health metrics and evaluation forecasts that more than 50 percent of the population in region will be infected with mcclung. in the next 6 to 8 weeks . let's go to washington d. c and speak to epidemiologist, doctor eric fy golding, doctor, it's great to have you back on t

w with her today that more than half of europeans will likely get infected with on the chrome in the next 6 to 8 weeks. what should people here do with the stipend, like that? do they just need to sit back and accept the inevitable? why think, sitting back and doing nothing is actually really risky. what they need to go out and get the booster. what they need to do is where and 95 for f, a p 2 f, a p 3 mass. what they need to do is ventilate their building, their school, their office. what they need to do is disinfect the air anywhere they gather with filters. what they need to do is test and prepared to test and in potentially, according teen. if others around them are positive, what they need to do is stop transmission. because even if it's slightly milder, which is not milder by that much, the wellness experiential increase will stick and,

and then more people are hostile, as we've seen in the you k, the u. s. and even south africa where south africa is already running 30 percent excess, that over their normal $3000.00 excess deaths per week in the last 4 we. so december got is what is the head of overwhelming hospitals? and therefore, if you have other conditions, you don't want to get sick. so the best way is the slow transmission as much as you can and stay safe. interest mentioned, there will be many, many more people in hospitals. what's that going to mean for health systems here in europe? i think it's going to overwhelm health systems in europe, just like your own through whelming completely overwhelming health systems and hospitals in the us. i think people do i have been misled by the it's mild mis information too much. it's only slightly milder, but it's been shall increase,

will definitely send way more people to the hospital. if you have to go to hospital for a car accident heart attack, stroke, cancer, you may not get the chair that you need because the high schools are full and therefore other indeed it may also access. and this is why, you know, not getting infected and or at least spreading out the pure faction to a longer period is so much important, the flattening the curve that we talked about in 2020. we have to do that again. where else many other people will be hurt, not just coating. you've mentioned this a few times. now. people seem to think that on the chronic, milder could you dispel some of these myths about micron coma con is slightly milder than delta. but i want to remind you that delta is $2.00 to $3.00 times more that the year than the original hon. so at best,

we're just slightly above on in severity. and we'll, hon original koby stream that was not miles in any way. it's just, we're comparing to the most severe strain delta that we've seen to date. and also a lot of cases are great through infections and reinfection. in those obviously, those who have breakthroughs, reinspection have miles or illness because of their partial previous immunity. but that in itself is not really encouraging, given that people who have previous alpha, beta, or delta varying infection, have almost no cause neutralization and trucks and all together. this mildest, intrinsic mild, this is only about 10 to 20 percent lower, but you have doubling of cases every $2.00 to $3.00 days. and so that is easily swamped out easily swamped out by exponential rise in case the exponential mass

alternately and more people are hospital in strict and more people with long code. so we should not consider this mileage in any way, especially when the health minister yesterday says they're wanting to people could actually expect to be and why and that is not a number that we want our health system, not just the next 60 weeks, but long term and the next year or decade to be suffering. absolutely, it's a very serious warning there. epidemiologist doctor eric cycle date in washington dc. thank you very much for your time. and here are some more developments in the pandemic. anthony fancy, the top us infectious disease official is wanting that all micron with its unprecedented degree of trans miss ability will ultimately find just about everybody. indonesia has launched a covert 19 booster campaign, prioritizing 3rd shots for the elderly, and people with compromise compromised immune systems. and the premier of the

canadian province of quebec has announced that adults he refused to get vaccinated, will be find while europe battles, the wave of amazon infections, british prime minister, boris johnson, is battling a wave of political outrage. he's under pressure of allegations that he and his staff flattered, locked down rules back in 2020 to hold a garden party. now there are media revelations of an email invitation to that gathering, sent to more than 100 people. it allegedly asked attendees to bring their own booze . it was particularly warm and sunny in britain in may. 2020 presenting a stark contrast to the troubled times. as the 1st corona virus way brought death locked owns in social restrictions. the u. k. it depends all last the entire country to follow the advice. there will be penalties for those who break these

mandatory measures. this public service announcement made clear that residents can only meet with people. they don't live with outside and individually. ah. then there's what happened in downing street on may 20th martin reynolds born, johnson's private secretary invited with a 100 employees round for drinks and the garden in order to enjoy the sunshine during these troubled times, as he wrote, attendees must provide their own beverages. 30 cane including the prime minister and his wife. that's according to witnesses. and this isn't the only pandemic party that's putting johnson under pressure several christmas parties. and this meeting for wine in cheese, for example, a raising eyebrows. and the open alcohol consumption is blowing holes and the claims that they were work meetings i think you should go. i mean there's no,

it's that no excuses and it will come as no surprise that i don't think bars. johnson is up for the job. but more importantly, i think he's lost the confidence of the british public. now with his lies is defi and his breaking of his own roles. ah, we are. johnson is also losing support in his own party, after series of scandals, mistakes, and course corrections. this idea that, you know, the people are telling us about all these restrictions our lives. we're all having, you know, gin and tonic in the back garden. it's, you know, it is beyond reset, is indispensable. johnson is a prime minister who loves headlines with the last several weeks if only brought bad news. and it's getting uncomfortable for him now that many britons have started to turn their back on, the jovial johnson. i quite like boris on. my disappoint modest me. i don't believe most of the things is as now because of it. i even sniff tow it down and he speaks on the news. i just think it's live you and harry,

when asked if he was at the party himself, johnson remained k g o. o. that as he knows the subject of a proper of investigation by suggesting the lead investigator will publish her finding soon and will know if this was one party to many forbores johnson. let's get a round up of some other world headlines now. north korean state media se says leader kim jong over saw the successful test of a hypersonic missile. the report comes a day after authorities in south korea and japan detected the suspected launch which drew condemnation from around the world. according to north career, it was it 2nd taste of a hypersonic missile in less than a week. nearly 3 quarters of a 1000000 people are without power in venice. iris after a fire damage power lines on the city. sounds good argentine is capital is going

through a summer heat wave, with temperatures reaching 39 degrees celsius electricity demand is soaring, as people turn to air conditioners for relief. the united nations has asked the international community for $4400000000.00 to help afghanistan. it's the un largest ever humanitarian appeal for the country, but it's come with a dia warning to this is a stocker, an absolutely essential stock measure that we are putting in front of the interest route today. without this being funded, there will be a future. we need this to be done, otherwise they will, they will be outflow. there will be suffering. and in truth, the suffering is already there. to see more than half of afghanistan's nearly 40000000 people are facing acute hunger in places like in north north west, in afghanistan's back this province,

years of drought have added to food shortages. and in addition, people have no cash to leave out their daily lives. as we'll see in the following report, this is forced some people to consider the unthinkable, like selling off their children to survive. a farmer walks across his parched land. these once fertile fields and f canister, and begged his province now dry and barren. 2 years of drought have left farmers destitute and force many to abandon the region. bordering the there's no rain, there's drought, almost everyone in this village has left for iran. on. for those who remain limited, aid from the read crisen is a vital lifeline. local speak of times when there was ample rain and snow here but ever frequent a dry spells has made water

a scarce commodity. the economic crisis following the television takeover has any worse than the already dire situation. and the new provincial rule is se, there's no money to help today. we weren't prepared for the situation because the previous government left us with nothing. here with the pot and all that. and from an economic perspective, we have nothing to offer either. so we're trying to help 3 aid groups. we just, we've had meetings with them and told them about the problems here. so we didn't get as many people now live in camps for the internally displaced like this one outside the provincial capital, homeless and pushed to the edge of starvation. some here, returning to desperate measures. these parents say they're at the point of selling the 8 year old son for food. mon. well, i don't watch the children want bread,

but i don't have any. i'm helpless and have no option other than to sell him to some one else. well that wasn't we'd what then we would, he wasn't then we wouldn't i tell him what they typically will do. yes. when it's a bleak choice. now, facing these poverty stricken family, what to do to them who like many others, have become casualties of drought and conflict with. and you're up to date here on d, w up. next is the documentary on growing polarization and disinformation around the world. you can stay up to date on our website, d, w dot com and on the instagram and twitter to i handle there is that dw news. i'm jarrett ray, thank you for watching and have a great day and we're all set to go.