it was to be a steel worker like his grandparents and his parents. this is his business. do come here for a while. the winners and losers globally. where do we stand starts january 5th on w. ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin, e u countries debate cobit restrictions on travelers from china is selina the say the testing requirements they already put in place will only be effective of adopted e u white airlines criticizing what they call knee jerk reactions saying this won't

stop the spread of cov, it also coming up political chaos in washington as republicans failed to unite behind the choice for leader in the u. s. house of representatives. kevin mccarthy is blocked by his policies. hard right in 3 rounds of voting and it's winter, but snow is in short supply it. many of europe's top ski resorts. the famous alpine retreats aren't being sped from the effects of climate change. plus the web space telescope has been beaming back spectacular images for a year. now we lost got side text, but if this cosmic looking glass is living up to astronomers high expectations ah my manuscript, mckinnon. welcome to the program. opinion officials are missing today to coordinate

a response to china's surge encoded 19 cases. travelers arriving from china coming under scrutiny after the recent relaxation of the country's 0 coven policy, now this has led to an explosive growth in cases. a few countries have already institute had testing rooked requirements for new chinese arrivals, and that's a move which beijing has called discriminatory o. shanghai hospital pushed to the brink, doctors working around the clock to save patients after the relaxation of the so called 0 covert policy, led to a spike in corona, virus infections. yet even as hospitals strain, many chinese are heading abroad after years of not being allowed to travel stoking fears, that if a new variant were to emerge, there would be no containing it. in december half the passengers on 2 flights to

italy, we're later found to have covered italy started testing all arrivals from china. as more countries joined in china's foreign ministry pushed back both and what the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting china lack scientific basis . and some of these excessive practices are unacceptable. we are firmly opposed to attempt to manipulate the coven 19 measures for political purposes, and will take counter measures effect. it's unclear just what counter measures are on the table. but the patchwork of requirements has led to confusion as well. he the thickest thank you though i'm waiting for my brother who has not been allowed to travel for 3 years when he is coming from china and didn't know anything about the testing. we had to tell him before he boarded to be careful because they were going to do a p c. i on arrival ideas that i thought i would, i will act as long as he does it. i think it's been 3 years since the corona

virus started. it's trip around the world and the end of the journey is still not in sight. many countries have now introduced all. 7 considering restrictions on travelers from china, i also talked to dp good a sony who's an expert on epidemiology and global health when mary university in london. if it makes sense to impose mandatory testing to people arriving from china . i think it's really important to surveilled of aliens that might be emerging on growing within china. this sort of ashy pre departure testing is unlikely to make a difference in terms of slowing being bored of any new variant. unless there are also domestic measures in place. essentially, it seems that there is we're targeting of beauty about testing for china or for other countries. movie know, there are pretty concerning variance growing, for example, in the u. s. and in many parts of europe and also they are very few domestic measures. so we know that the departure jesse's don't want to keep all variance in

all cases out. so when they do enter domestically, what happens then? there are no measures to prevent spread. so anything that comes in will spread rapidly within the community. and the threat isn't just from china, i mean there are variance growing and becoming dominant. and part of the world like the u. s. at a highly immune, evasive and higher transmissible. so it makes no sense to have very patchy policies targeting some areas and not others. and when there are no domestic measures in place in many countries, if talks about variance about the the, the explosion in cases with 2 and a half weeks away from china's luna. new year's celebrations, which is peak travel season in the country. is that likely to see infection rates skyrocket? father? absolutely. i mean, anything that involves people socializing, coming into contact, give for a virus that you know, transmits to the air, pause as a huge risk and with the level of contact and socializing scene in festivities

around the lunar year. i mean, it's very important that people take precautions given where china is already. i mean, we don't have the full data that's coming out of china. but one would assume that you're seeing a huge surgeon cases and the risk of transmission with high levels of contacts would potentially make this even worse and increase the burden on, on health care services. yeah, i wanted to talk about these concerns that china is under reporting. it's covered death. how worried should we be about this? i mean, to me, that's potentially the most worrying part of this. the fact that we can rely on d to that's coming out of china at the moment, and we don't know the level of pressure there is on health care. the level of spread that's happening. i mean, was, were there more transparency around this? and more sort of information being shared by the government. i think it is a global crisis. and in a global crisis, we need rapid sharing of information. and without that,

it's very hard for us to sort of respond globally and, and coordinated manner. and we don't know where the nest next risk is going to be if we can't depend on countries to share data freely. so not enough information. we have a country of nearly one and a half 1000000 people living with co birds. we know many people are refusing to be vaccinated, and those who are vaccinated of the chinese vaccines that a lesson effective than the m r. n. a vaccines available in the west. what scenario all we heading towards here? or as you suggest, do we just have no idea what's what we're heading for? it's really concerning the state of affairs. so as you see, final back is less effective than the amount of vaccines and also update, particularly in the elderly population. the population that is most at risk. so for example, the above eighty's is very low, which is quite opposite to, you know, what you see in other countries. which means that the people who are most likely to die from infection are least likely to be vaccinated. and that too, with

a more inferior vaccine. so i think we are where we are heading to words, given that the government doesn't seem to have planned for this by putting in things like better air quality, high grade, massive population level, you know, mass testing, isolation. i think we're heading towards huge pressure on health care services and mass death, but not just that even the long term effects of callback in terms of post call read complications and heart disease, stroke, clotting, et cetera, will be found for a very, very long period in time and yet to me there's a huge criticism of the chinese government in terms of the m. r new vaccines. but i also want to point out that the west did not support wavers of licensing a patent on m. r. new vaccines which has limited the access to the one middle income country. so that's something that needs to be revisited. and the entire bullying cannot be laid at the hands of the chinese government, but also the hoarding of vaccines, and opposition to beat and rebus by the west doctor to go to sony expert on

epidemiology and global health. we'll have to leave it there, but thank you so much. really interesting. the us house of representatives is in historic gridlock after its 1st day under republican rule. hard right. lawmakers have blocked the election of a majority leader by refusing to vote for the front runner. now this is usually a formality senior republican, kevin mccarthy had been tipped for the post, but disagreements with members of his party is far right. pushed them to back of the candidates. it's the 1st time in a 100 years the leadership vote has failed. in the 1st round, it was a night of pandemonium. on the floor of the us house of representatives, after republican kevin mccarthy failed to win the $218.00 votes needed to be elected speaker of the house. there was shock in the chamber after the nominee failed to win for the 1st time in

a sanctuary that annabel kevin mccarthy, of the state of california has received 203 o. b republican front runner is seeking to take over from democrat nancy pelosi after his party when a majority in the november mid term elections look at today is the day i wanted to have, you know, i think there was a lot of things we want to do we want to repeal 87000 iris, they just want to set up a number investigation. going to want to notice the different committee here. we have actually on the more learned i got transferred. but if we're able to work out our differences and take this time to only be stronger to be leucon push the thing was me without to speak of the house. new members are unable to be sworn in

on business isn't able to proceed sad day for the house of representatives as an institution. sad day for the microscope. it's a sad day for the american people. house democrats are unified, ready, willing, and able to get to work on behalf of everyday americans. voting has been postponed until wednesday. but me, the mccarthy. all those voting against him at the ready to back down. scott lucas is a professor of american studies university of burning him in the u. k. i asked him earlier if this is a sad day for democracy, as we just heard, whether it's simply a legal and democratic process is playing out here in the house. now it's a sign that american democracy is under strain, but it's been unrestrained for years, not just because of the hard, right,

republicans in the house. but of course, because of the trumpets who continue to back donald trump, denial of the 2020 election to continue to try to bury any accountability over the capital attack, which occurred almost exactly 2 years ago. 18 of the 20 republicans who objected to kevin mccarthy as how speaker last night also happened to be election deniers. so this is a sign that there is a faction within the united states, which has, is committed not just stopping the democrats are stopping aloft, is almost committed to stopping the system from working. and that will be a challenge, of course, for the, by the administration to continue to govern, which it will do. but i think more importantly, and immediately it's a challenge for the republican party because the republican party really want to hold it so hostage to the hard white wing when they appear not to be willing to compromise for the greater good of the american people,

economically or socially as well as politic. what does this mean to the republicans party parties ability to, to run the house and, and carry out it? it's, it's cool functions. well, the republican party in the house can't run. i mean, let's just be very honest here that what you have because of this division between a majority of republicans who, you know, maybe conservative actually want to, you know, government to function and this minority that are trying to tear it all down. nothing gets done as you corresponded, noted, you can't even swear in 435 representatives until speaker his name. what does it mean for the republican party beyond that? well, that's a big question. it's a big question. for example, for the senate republican leader, mitch mcconnell, who will appear today alongside the democratic president joe biden, as they announce a spending package for mcdonalds, home state of kentucky. it is a challenge for republicans outside of washington. how long do you want to listen

to attack media to listen to attack social media, to carry out fake investigations without supposed deep state paul against donald trump? how long do you want to add, like children who are squabbling? when we need adults in the room to try to repair america again after the pandemic, and after the capital attorney, can i ask you is kevin mccarthy likely to eventually yet the support he needs? not at this point. the. i mean, the question is how much, how long does eventually take we're going to go through a whole series today, which will repeat what we saw yesterday. there will be more votes for right now. we are in a stalemate either. mccarthy gives way, for example, for his deputy steves to lease or are those 20 hard right. republicans give way and right now neither side is showing any signs of dr. scott lucas from the university of burning and in the u. k. thank you so much for your time. thank you. is

a look at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. man, man is marking 75 years of independence from britain with the military parade and mass pardons of more than 7000 prisoners. it's not clear whether this will include people jailed as part of a recent crackdown on descent. the country's military leader also outlined plans for elections this year. oh, francis has used his weekly audience to praise his predecessor benedict, the great communicator of the roman catholic faith. frances is due to preside over former pope benedict's funeral mass at the vatican on thursday. thousands of mourners continue to pay their final respects ahead of the service and marvel act to jeremy renner, who is recovering from severe injuries posted as healthy from his hospital bed in nevada. he thanked his fans for their wishes. the local county sheriff said runner

was run over by his own snowplow as he tried to climb into the driver's seat. of the giant 6 ton vehicle involving a snuck out of the kremlin, has a revised upwards the death toll from a ukrainian ass strike on a russian military barracks from $63.00 up to $89.00. keith says the real figure is in fact in the hundreds. it's thought to be the deadliest single attack by ukrainian ukraine against a russian target and his fault fueled domestic criticism against russia's army commanders. moscow says the unauthorized use of mobile phones by its soldiers allowed ukraine to pinpoint the location. oh, russian crowns gather in somber ceremony in the city of samara to mourn soldiers killed and ukraine. people who lived here or among those who died in a new year's eve bombing in the cave, ker so that we get to honor the memory of all dead soldiers of the special military

operations. we get there because it's hard for everyone with when it's hard, we should be together, which mr. huge piles of rubble are all that remains from the bombing. now, russian nationalists and some lawmakers are demanding punishment for commanders. they say ignored dangers. some reports, claim soldiers were located next to a munitions depot which exploded in the strike. others say people had been able to use the russian mobile phones, giving away the location to ukrainian forces. the strike has not flowed russia's own shelling of ukraine. it's defense ministry claiming responsibility for fresh attacks and the de nits region. one of them destroyed this ice rink, which local se was operating as

a humanitarian warehouse. as a result of 3 hits an ice rink and the center of town was damaged, as well as parts of the residential and industrial sector. robins, ukrainian authorities report that one person was killed and another was injured in the strikes. in central europe, the impact of global warming isn't felt as strongly as elsewhere in the world, but reco temperatures and a number of european countries and making the effects ever more clear that's as unseasonably warm weather sweeps across the continent. poland slow temperatures reach 19 degrees celsius on new year's day. it was one of 9 countries to set new national records in romania capital, bucharest. it felt like spring time with thermometers hitting 20 degrees. the bombing conditions have caused havoc in the winter tourism industry. however,

with ski resorts struggling with the lack of snow, it looks like a summer trip up the mountain, but this is january and europe, green grass blankets hills that should be covered and snow right now. and ski slopes have been confined to a narrow lane at the school bush, it's really weird. everything is green, left and right of the slope. if the temperature is of up to 10 degrees celsius, have caused the last snow on the slopes to melt. and what little snow you see here didn't fall from the sky. there, the hammer and the 2 had fresh, natural snow in salem, see about 40 centimeters. this will be far too little. so we filled it out with artificial snow because of that we've co grove is here to with it won't nickel and the last significant snowfall in the area was at the start of december ski slope operators. a feeling the pinch, puts better, helps as

a main season. we should be hosting up to $4000.00 guest severe but now there's only half of the usual guess. switzerland and france have also been feeling the heat. numerous slopes remain closed over the festive season. forcing holiday makers to consider taking up alternative sporting activities for the for 2 of us, julia, on, on thorn in wilton. we hear the news about global warming. i don't know, but the fact us that we can't deny it. i think you well, the burden you fog and rain instead of snow while by no means comparable to the humanitarian disasters caused by global warming around the world . the current state of european ski slopes is yet another sign that the climate emergency affects all of us. now it's been just over one year since the web space telescope was launched and the detailed images that it is delivered have been among the most breathtaking pictures

of the past 12 months. although the telescope was 14 years behind schedule and vastly over budget, it's proved. well worth the wait. the james web space telescope is about $100.00 times more sensitive than its 30 year old predecessor, the hubble space telescope. in, oh, it's mirror is around 25 meters square. it's made up of 18, hexagonal segments coated with a thin layer of vaporized gold that reflects in for red light especially well the mirrors body is made of beryllium, a light weight metal that holds its form even an extreme cold hard to believe, but it took only 48 grams of gold to coat all of its segments. remote controlled actuators are mounted on the back of each segment. the small motors can pivot and turn them in 6 directions. the main mirror collects light and

reflects it onto a smaller mirror. it and turn focus as the light to the telescopes, measuring instruments. probing the universe is mysteries with a hitherto unknown sharpness and clarity and recording stunning images. like this shot of a vast stellar nursery called the torrential, a nebula. pat with young stars. or this one from the corina nebula, that has been dubbed cosmic cliffs. there are razor sharp images of galaxies far beyond our own milky way, like the cart wheel 500000000 light years away. but also magnificent shots from our immediate neighbourhood, the solar system, among them jupiter, in exquisite detail. and the ringed gas giant, neptune seemingly close enough to touch for months now the james web

space telescope has been revealing the wonders of the universe and unprecedented ways. and this is just the beginning. oh, more and what the james web space telescope is telling us about the unit us is our variance senior science correspondent derek williams. hi, derek. the pictures we just saw that odd just be useful. is the telescope performing as well as was promised it's, it's going gang busters it's, it's really doing things that the conservative estimates beforehand really didn't even dream of the resolution. for example, of the telescope is about twice what those conservative estimates for projected and, and you know, that wasn't really a given with this project. i mean it's, it's, it's way, way out there. the orbit is over one and a half 1000000 kilometers away from earth. so getting this complicated, vastly complicated machine up there and,

and functioning. the engineers predict that there were hundreds of, of potential failure points where, where the entire mission could potentially be thrown into and into danger. and, and none of those things happened. and it's, it's bringing back pictures or that are more than anyone is expected, rests, hey, can you gotta get your head around, isn't it, i mean, and this james webb is a lot more powerful than the hubble a space telescope, isn't it? yes it is. and that's not surprising the, the mirror is really about 3 times the size, the hubble space telescope, davosto space helicopters, scope was, is 30 years old. so the technology has moved on since. and it's resulting more distant objects, more clearly than the public taste space telescope ever could. to explain exactly how much better though it's doing. maybe it's a good idea to do a direct comparison. this, for example, is an image of the cart wheel galaxy that i mentioned in my piece, which is around 500 light years away at the top. is the shot that was taken by the

hubble telescope, which if you look at the galaxy itself, is just simply much fainter with a lot less detail than it is on the shot. the bottom which was taken by the james web telescope, also check out the galaxies in the background. many, many more on the web version of the shot and, and much higher resolution. i mean, the difference really is striking. it really is a just quite, quite beautiful. it really is, i don't want to talk down the hubble space telescope. it was really awesome at the time at the time, but just is kind of mega. yeah, i'm looking ahead. i mean, looking at head to 2023. what new insights can we expect? this new and space telescope to deliver ma, there are, there are several but one of the big ones that the, that the theoreticians are, are very excited about is that it's going to push back what we know about the bars and the subsequent development of our universe. because one of the things is, is the farther out, the way space time works is the farther out into space. you looked at the deeper back into time. you're looking because because if you look billions of years back

at, at a galaxy, that's billions of light years away, you're seeing it as it was billions of years ago. so the farther out you can look, the more clearly you can see what happened in the early days, the universe. and we're discovering that those models that we had predicting the early days of the universe aren't really quite the way that we predicted them. another really exciting area is of course exit planet. so planets on and other solar systems and other parts of our own galaxy. re able to be able to look at what the website telescope at those planets and decide and see whether or not they might actually be habitable, why human beings, or maybe even look for signs of life. so it's really, really exciting, stary, extraordinary derek williams with the w slant. thank you so much. all right, we just have enough time for reminder of our top story today. you nations are discussing calls to coordinate co, the testing rules for travelers from china, amid the surge of infections in the world's most populous nation. beijing says the

entry cubs being imposed by some countries against it. citizens are unreasonable, though china itself remains closed to foreign tourists. and that is all from me for now coming up next our environment magazine, eco africa this week looking at climate friendly fishing boats on lake victoria. remember also there's much more news for you on our website. that's d, w dot com. and you can find us on twitter or instagram the handle. that is d w i mind cups mckinnon. thank you so much for being with ah, with

who mm. small acts can inspire big changes, lead the people making possible ease, go africa, joined them as they set out to save the environment. learn from one another and

work together for a better future. many thoughts do you all for tuning in africa. next on d, w. o o india, a lender contrast of ambitions of inequality. 75 years ago, mahatma gandhi peacefully led the country to independence provide you with what is remains of his vision with what's the status of

human rights and social justice in what's called the world's largest democracy. ah, with is the moment unleash on mileage boss and re imagined that these teachings or elements to us ah, gandhi's legacy starts january 28th on b, w. a . hello, and welcome to a new edition of a co africa. the wiki environment show brought.