♪ brent: this is "dw news" live from berlin. tonight, a promise from india has stand and disappointed climate liars. it is decades behind the u.s., that you, and even china. scientists say it would be too late to stop global warming. also tonight, a rescue operati underway in nigeria after a high-rise buildi collapses,

killing veral people and trapping dozens more in the rubble. we will go live division very latest. and the supreme court hearing challenges to a law banning nearly all abortions in texas. it could directly impact abortion rights in the country to come. and emotional reunions at sydney airport as australia ends nearly two years of strict border controls, allowing thousands to finally come home. ♪ brent: i'm brent goff. to our viewers on pbs in the united states and all around the world, welcome. as a vital climate conference gets underway in scotland, leaders are stressing the need

for urgent action to avoid a climate disaster. words are important, but actions is what scientists say is needed the most. today india pledged to cut co2 emissions completely, but not before the year 2070. that misses a key goal to reach the target by 2050. . india is the world's fourth biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. scientists say cats need to be made to fossil fuel production in order to make good on the commitments set by the paris climate accord agreement. announcing his pledge today, prime minister moody said that ambitious promises need to be backed up with action. . >> by 2070, india will achieve the target of net zero emissions, friends. all of us are aware of the reality that the promises made so far on climate finance have only proved to be hollow.

brent: that was india's prime minister moody. earlier today, u.s. president joe biden apologized for his predecessor, donald trump, pulling out of the paris climate accord. he stressed that the united states now believes in climate science. >> the science is clear. we have a brief window left for us to raise our ambitions and to raise to meet the task that is rapidly narrowing. this is a decisive decade in which we have an opportunity to prove ourselves. we can keep the goal of limiting global warming to just 1.5 degrees celsius within our reach we come together, if we, to doing our part with determination and with ambition. that is what cop26 is all about. glasgow must be the kickoff of executive ambition.

brent: that was u.s. president joe biden. our correspondent is at the cop26 summit. good evening to you. let's first talk about this announcement from india that it plans to be co2-zero, neutral, by the year 2070. what has been the reaction to that? reporter: well, i would think the reactions are mixed. on the one hand it is a goal. but on the other hand, i have been speaking to many young activists and they are hoping the action would be in 2050, let alone 2070. india is relying very heavily on coal. whenever they reduce emissions, it will be meaningful as a very large meter, like you said. but on the other hand, scientists and activists are emphasizing that we need to see action very soon. so it is in the next years in the next decade that we need to

do much more than the leaders have pledged so far. because if we don't do anything else, we see climate change, we see the warming of the earth and the catastrophic dimensions. so we cannot wait until 2050 or 2070, we need to see action now. this is what many people at the summit are demanding. brent: this announcement from india in 2070, that was a shocker. what does it mean for the chances that we will see a new climate agreement coming out of glasgow? reporter: delegates are stressing that it is not really about anything magical that comes out of glasgow. this is the result, really, the culmination of many months or even years of negotiations. it has been arduous when it comes to resolving the paris

agreement issues. regulations on how carbon emissions are actually measured. however, the u.k. is still hoping there can also be something that is a headline achievement, and that definitely has to do with coal. they are hoping to get agreements about the phasing out of coal. much sooner than is actually expected at the moment. also the ending of deforestation. they are hoping on some announcement when it comes to narrowing the funding, something that narendra modi has mentioned. the global south need the rich countries to pitch in and to give them more money, that is what they want. brent: it remains to be seen if

they will walk the walk. outside, you have all of these protesters, mainly young people. they really have little faith in political leaders to do what is needed to advert climate catastrophe. reporter: well, i have been quite impressed, talking to young people. they are very motivated to do something and to do their bit. there is a lot of solidarity as well between people, for example, coming in from germany. they are stressing that they are in solidarity with people from the global south. they are reaching out and asking us as the media to reach out to people who have traveled here from countries like trinidad and tobago, or from african states, making sure that these young people's voices are heard. these young people are here and they are not going to be silent. there is also strength in that movement. they are not giving up.

they are really not being frustrated. they have decided that they don't want to be frustrated, that that is not the right reaction, that they want to actually do something and keep up the pressure. and they will continue demonstrating. they are coming in shapes, they are coming from everywhere, also in this convention center, making sure they are visible in the herd. brent: our correspondent in glasgow, scotland tonight, thank you. here are some of the other stories we are following for you at this hour. french president emmanuel macron says australia's prime minister, scott morrison, lied to him about the canceled submarine deal. mr. morrison has denied the allegati. australia abandonea multibillion-dollar submarine deal with france in favor of a new pact with the u.s. of the u.k.. tourists back in thailand, after authorities give the green light for overseas arrivals.

the tourism-dependent economy was devastated by the pandemic. now they are hoping to capitalize on travelers escaping colder climates. tourists must be fully vaccinated and come from low risk countries. zoran zaev has resigned as macedonia's prime minister, after his party suffered a heavy defeat in local elections. supporters of the center-right opposition party celebrated in the streets, after its candidates made sweeping gains across the country. tonight, police in nigeria's capital say several people have died after a high-rise building collapsed. the 25-story building had an under construction in an upscale area. a rescue operation is underway to free dozens more who are trapped under the rubble. workers at the site say many of your colleagues were inside when the building came down. let's go now to our dw correspondant, fred, at the sight of that collapse. it is good to have you with.

just give us the latest about the situation on the ground right now. reporter: what we can say is that the rescue operation is still ongoing. so far, there is no latest news apart from the confirmation of four bodies that were retrieved under the rubble. and also earlier, the commissioner of police confirmed that three people were rescued alive. the police and first responders are still doing their work. they have said they will continue to do this throughout the night, hoping that they can get more people out of the rubble. brent: can you describe the area? are we talking a residential area, are people being asked to evacuate? reporter: well, this was just

construction that was ongoing. the people who were affected the people who were there. during the construction work. and also, some of the officials during the meeting were taking pa in the meeting, including the owner. he is also believed to be under the rubble. this is one of the areas. it is only for the people -- majority rich people. not the common man, not the common resident in this part of the area. still, we are counting at least dozens of people who are believed to be trapped under the building, doing their work, and others who are taking part in a meeting. brent: that is the latest on the

rescue effort after a building collapsed in lagos, nigeria, thank you. the u.s. supreme court has her challenges to it to access law that bans abortions in the state. this decision is likely to have wide-ranging implications for women across the entire united states. >> in may this year, the republican governor of texas signed into law the so-called heart beat bill. it bans abortions after a heart beat can be detected in the womb, normally around six weeks. >> our creators endowed us with the right to life, and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion. in texas, we work to save those lives. [protestors chanting]

reporter: for abortion rights activists, the law amounts to a virtual ban on abortions. at six weeks, many people don't know they are pregnant yet. the law makes no exemptions for rape or inst. abortion -- rape or ince st. abortion providers argue that the law is at odds with roe v. wade. since the landmark case, abortions have been legal until the fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks. the biden administration says the texas law is unconstitutional. >> the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies. it is their decision. it is their body. and no legislative institution

has the right to circumvent the constitution of the united states. reporter: what makes the texas law different from other state'' efforts to restrict abortions is how it is policed. the state will not enforce the law. instead, private citizens can sue doctors or anyone else who helps to facilitate an abortion. this has made the law unusually difficult to challenge legally. the supreme court has a conservative lean since former president donald trump appointed three justices to the court. now these justices will decide whether the federal government and abortion providers construe texas. the decision is likely to set a path for abortion rights in the united states for years to come. brent: for more, we want to go to our washington bureau. the challenge that has been brought in by texas abortion providers and the biden administration, how exactly do they want to block this law?

guest: brent, it is important to understand that this ruling is not about the legality of abortions per se, as we just heard in our little piece. the supreme court is discussing how the law is being enforced. that means that the way the law is written for private citizens , neighbors and cabdrivers get sued. that outsourcing is at the center of the supreme court ruling. brent: judges have been listening to arguments today. any indication as to how the hearings went or which direction the justices are leaning? guest: given the questions the supreme court justices asked during the hearing today, it appears that the conservative-leaning court may not rule in favor of this texas law, and that would represent an important shift from a 5-4 ruling in september that allowed

this law to go into effect. so brent, this court ruling is watched very closely here in the united states, because if the court rules that the law is unconstitutional, this could be a blueprint for conservative leaning states to implement very strict abortion laws. brent: do you know what consequences this would have for the future of abortion rights in the u.s.? guest: it is interesting, it normally takes weeks, sometimes months for we have the ruling in the supreme court. that this case could be resolved by the end of the week because the court will hear another case about abortion rights from mississippi on december 1, and that directly questions the legality of abortion. so that means that if the texas law is deemed unconstitutional by the supreme court, this time,

this highly politicized discussion about women's rights will not be over, and that might be hard for understand for our international audience, that this discussion is taking place in the united states in the year 2021. brent: that's right, with echoes of the 1970's. hard to believe. thank you. the pandemic has now claimed 5 million lives globally, according to johns hopkins university. nearly two years after the first outbreak in the chinese city of wuhan, covid-19 remains a leading cause of death around the world. reporter: a family broken apart a covid-19. james watches as his uncle is lowered into the ground ju days after he buried his father and grandmother. >> we are traumatized. it is not so easy. some people who were with them two weeks ago and they had no issue, then all of a sudden, in the span of 10 days, theare all gone.

reporter: this funeral is in kenya, but grief has touched every corner of the globe. . in under two years, the virus has cut short the lives of 5 million people. . from mass grave sites in brazil to over field hospitals in the u.k., the world has learned a new meaning of loss since the pandemic began. the world's wealthiest were not spared. the u.s. has the highest official death toll of any country. tate and his pregnant wife turned down the vaccine, and then she fell ill. >> things got worse and worse. we started really worrying, worried about the baby. and then at some point, the baby just did not make it she was, too w on oxygen. reporter: no country has suffered a wave of covid-19 as swift and deadly as india's. by the time it's second wave subsided the official death toll had reached 400,000. but most rigorous studies

estimate it was at least twice as much. 42-year-old schoolteacher carpenter was one of the victims. beloved community, his funeral brought together friends and family. he was one of many bid farewell at this crematorium. what can we do? we are angry, but what can we do? we don't know how many people are suffering like him. there are people like him in their 40's who are teachers who have died. in my village, six or seven people have active infections. reporter: where the virus continues to spread around the globe, vaccines as well as new treatments have begun to help slow the death rate. is now a matter of getting these lifesaving innovations to as many people as possible. reporter: there is some positive pandemic news tonight, australia reopened its international border for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

several states are allowing fully vaccinated australian citizens to enter the country without quarantining in a hotel for two weeks. the first arrivals touched down on monday in the airport in sydney. the only thing outnumbering the hugs were tearful eyes of joy. [crowd cheering] >> oh my gosh. reporter: they have been waiting a long time to hug their loved ones again. after months of video calls and missed milestones, these australians have finally returned home. [chatter] >> a bit scary and exciting. i have come home to see my mom because she is not well. it is all anxious and excitement. i love her and i can't wait to see her. >> how long have you been away? >> two years. >> man. >> yeah, it has been a long time. >> it's a big deal. we have been locke out and

finally have the chance to come back. it is just amazing. we are a bit overwhelmed. can't wait to see our families. it will be amazing. reporter: australia sealed its borders in march of 2020. citizens wishing to return had to overcome an array of hurdles, from gaining special entry, to forking out thousand of dollar in hotel quarantine fees. but the states of victoria, new south wales, and canberra, have vaccinated more than 80% of their adult populations, high enough to allow quarantine-free entry to citizens who have also had the jab. for some, it is too little, too late. >> i am fully vaccinated. have been vaccinated for months now. i am an australian citizen, and i have not been able to get back to my country, and i have been able to travel to every other country except australia i haven't seen my dad in two years that he is very sick. it is appalling how wall street has treated us.

reporter: this is the first stage in a plan that will eventually include international workers and tourists, as the country adopts living with the virus, rather than trying to eliminate it. for now, these citizens are the lucky ones. vaccination rates and plans vary from state to state, meaning some australians will have to wait a longer to hold their loved ones again. brent: now to our world we assume has no covid-19. six astronauts simulating what it would be like to live on mars, ended their experiment after weeks of isolation. they spent 21 days living inside a specially built research laboratory in israel. tania kramer went to meet the lonely astronauts. reporter: in the middle of the desert, an unusual mission, six astronauts have been simulating what it would be like to live on mars, one of the planets closest to earth.

after three weeks of isolation, the scientists are leaving their mission habitat return to real life. [cheers and applause] >> everyday was the same. the same people we interacted with, same feelings, simulating. suddenly we are here, more people, the wind in our face, a scenery that we had only seen through helmets every few days. it is quite strange to suddenly be immersed again in a large group of social relationships. >> i think i would like to be there and to experience and be part of it, but i am not sure about the flight and back, especially the long time in a tiny tin can with a lot of people. for weeks. nothing compares to that. reporter: the mission was launched last month in southern israel. the area is very similar to the geological features found on mars. >> the astronauts were

conducting experiments for future missions on the red planet right inside here. they were effectively cut off from the outside world for three weeks. reporter: astronaut robert sent us this video in isolation. >> from inside here, we can control the rover to look at the outside landscape. here we can examine samples, the biological ones. and here, we are preparing the drones. this one is now being taken out to carry out flight. reporter: one of the challenges was the communication between mars and earth. to simulate the situation, communication was delayed by 10 minutes. >> we think the first mission will happen in the next 2230 years, which means if we take into account that mars is about 1000 times further away from earth than the moon comparison,

you can think of 1000 things that can go wrong in such a voyage. so we are here to make mistakes. the reason is that every mistake, everything we learn here, will not happen as a mistake on mars as well. reporter: by exploring the red planet, scientists also hope to learn about shifts in climate that alter planets. for decades, flybys, lenders, and rovers, have explored mars. >> taking care of our own planet and doing space exploration do not exclude each other. we learned when we progress to other words how our own world behaves as well, and we should allow a small fraction of our resources to be dedicated to exploring new places. at the end of the day, we are a migratory species as humans. reporter: taking care of earth by preparing the ground for humans to explore the next world. whether mars could become home

to humans one day is another question altogether. brent: back on earth, germany's alexander zverev won his fifth atp title of the season by defeating american francis tearful at the vienna open. he closed out the win with this backhand return and went on to dismiss his rival. zvonareva is in the best form of his life, having recently won the olympic gold in tokyo. the vienna victory is his 18th overall title. here is a quick reminder of the top story we are following -- world leaders have been addressing delegates at the u.n. climate talks in glasgow, scotland, vowing action to avert climate disaster. but india's prime minister despite pointed scientists -- disappointed scientists by announcing a late target for india to reach that zero-emission's. scientists say it is too late. . after a short break, i will be

back to take you through "the day." tonight, how will future generations remember what we did in glasgow, scotland, in 2021? with pride, or regret? we will have questions and answers, next on "the day." ♪

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>> it is 9:00 him. -- p.m.. on day one of the summit in glasgow, the u.n. says his country is -- india says his country will meet net zero by 2070. that is much later than other countries. a post brexit fishing row does not look to be diffused anytime soon. both paris and london have issued ultimatums. a new law in texas bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and puts