culture, on encore. ♪ >> as beijing list covid rules, the u.s. becomes elitist country to impose new controls on passengers arriving from china. in milan, italy, testing found that half of the passengers were infected with covid. france's defense minister travels to kyi to et with ukrainian president zelenskyy. during his visit, he promises more military aid for ukraine, including army equipment and 200 million euros in funds to buy

weapons. and police in brazil are on high alert ahead of the swearing in of incoming president lula da silva on january 1. authorities say they have already foiled one bomb threat made by a diehard supporter of the incumbent, jair bolsonaro. thank you for joining us here on france 24. covid-19 is spreading fast across china and it is prompting worries across the globe. the u.s. has joined a list of countries imposing new controls on passengers arriving from china. requiring them to have a negative test taken two days before they travel. india and japan are also putting testing requirements in place. and so is italy, ere testing on two incoming flights from beijing and shanghai found that half of the passengers were infected with covid. reporter: pictures like these of overcrowded hospitals all over china are beginning to alarm the rest of the world. as cid-19 spreads unchecked in

a country with little immunity or vaccine protection, following beijing's abrupt lifting of restrictions. meanwhile, after three years of being cut off, chinese citizens are rushing to book international flights ahead of the lunar new year holidays. in response, countries like japan will require a negative test from travelers arriving from china. >> the measures such as testing on arrival and controls at airports are to prevent the influx of the virus in japan, and are not intended to stop the global movement of people. we will monitor infections in china and keep a flexible approach. reporter: malaysia has taken a similar position, while erring on the side of caution, india has broadened the requirements to other countries too. passengers flying from countries like china, japan, south korea, singapore, and thailand are being tracked.

they will be required to offer a negative pcr tests before boarding, and they will go through a thermal screening after landing in india. reporter: further away, italy now requires a negative test to enter the country. while the mayor of the popular city of bruges is also asking belgium to do the same. the united states have followed suit over concerns about the official numbers shared by beijing. john insists -- china insists a science-based response to covid-19 is necessary. >> quite a few countries have spoken positively, and they hope the situation will continue to evolve in this direction. reporter: france, meanwhile, considering new measures, calling for a european response to the situation. monte: earlier i spoke to the chairperson of the center of social medicine and community health in new delhi.

i began by asking him the new requirements on passengers who arrived in india from china are sensible. guest: it is a sensible measure. and in fact, much as the ground report from italy that you showed a little while ago, india is also detecting several positive cases in incoming passengers. and india of course is immunologically quite a different population from china. yet, india is on full alert, both at the federal as well as state and local levels. monte: what is the situation in india at the moment with regard to the pandemic? do officials have reason to be concerned? rajib: at the moment, while there is a state of caution, there is certainly no state of panic. there are simply no indications

of either cases rising dramatically, or for that matter, hospitalization or any complicated cases of mortality. monte: there were two big waves of covid in 2022 and 2021 in india, so the memories from that are still fresh. in your opinion, how worried should people be in india when it comes to the threat posed by travelers coming in from china, by example? rajib: as your report also mentioned, the dominant subvariant is bf.7, which is an omicron family subvariant. india has had a fairly large immunological experience of the omicron variant and subvariants. the population has not behaved any different from the south african population. in other words, it has not been

marred byny hospitalizations to an alarming extent. that is immunological memory i thindian pulation. bf.7, if you remember, india had identified the first case in july this year. it did not spread rapidly. so before the passenger testing started there were about half a dozen or so bf.7 cases that were detected. monte: that was rajib dasgupta, chairperson of the center of social medicine and community in new delhi speaking with us earlier. in france, a union representing private doctors has gone on strike. the action comes at a crucial time when the country is dealing with a so-called tripledemic. covid, bronchiolitis, and the flu. reporter: winter was always a difficult time for those working the health service. though this time round,

hospitals are under even more pressure than usual, with more people turning to emergency services and a strike. >> i am not questioning at all dr.s -- doctors' right to strike,ut this is a very bad time. i thank all of those who are on board. reporter: they are calling for an increase in consultation fees and improvements in working conditions. it comes as hospitals are fighting against three epidemics, covid, bronchiolitis, and flu. for this surge, the situation is close to the breaking point. >> i have never seen anything like it in this hospital. people are staying in critical care for up to 36 hours because a bed cannot be found in another department. then there is also a big backlog in operating theaters because we don't have the number of rooms that we should. reporter: this latest industrial

action by gp's, which started monday, comes after a two day walk out earlier this month. the strike is set to finish on january 2. monte: in ukraine, russian forces have stepped up attacks on the recently liberated city of kherson in the south. ukraine's armed forces said moscow fired 33 missiles from multiple rocket launchers at civilian targets wednesday. heavy fighting is also ongoing in and around the iranian held city buck mood which is now largely in ruins. meanwhile, france's defense minister was in kyiv this wednesday to meet with president autumn or zelenskyy. during his visit, he promised more military aid for ukraine incling army equip and 200 million euros in funds to buy weapons. >> president zelenskyy at the summit in bali laid out 10 points were a peace plan.

one of them includes security guarantees for ukraine. we are going to work to nurture the security agenda for ukraine. we must not get into any of the rhetoric of the putin administration. monte: police in brazil are on high alert head of the swearing in of incoming president lula da silva on january 1. authorities say they have already foiled one bomb threat made by a diehard supporter of the incumbent, gyro bolsonaro. with the latest on the security precautions being taken from our mold -- from emerald maxwell. reporter: brazil is a city on edge. authorities investigated two bomb scares in the space of a few days, and the capitol police have been placed on high alert ahead of lula da silva's january 1 inauguration, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. >> there will be immobilization of 100 police forces.

both the military and the civil police. and also the fire brigade to ensure the safety not only of the president but also of foreign delegations. reporter: the incoming justice minister also said he would seek to suspend the carrying of firearms in the capitol members of the public till after the inauguration. the number of registered gun owners has surged sixfold in brazil since outgoing president jair bolsonaro began loosening gun laws in 2019. on december 24 police said they fold a bomb plot from an election denier he said he was inspired to build up an arsenal by the outgoing president's call to arms. >> the suspect states that he would use shooting gloves as a front for a powerful arsenal. this week we are going to send the elected president the first draft of a decree that would bring in more effective checks. reporter: after lula nearly beat

bolsonaro with 50.9% of the vote in either -- in october, supporters of the -- the letter this month, some pro- bolsonaro protesters torched vehicles, clashed with police, and tried to invade their headquarters. bolsonaro himself has limited his public appearances since his defeat. monte: in the u.s., a judge sentenced one of the men behind a plot to kidnap and kill michigan governor gretchen whitmer to more than 19 years in prison. the 47-year-old was one of four men convicted of plotting to abduct witmer. they were apparently seeking retribution for her covid lockdown policies and her stance on gun control. tuesday, another defendant in the plot was sentenced to 16 years behind bars.

travel nightmares continue for thousands of passengers in the u.s. in the wake of a monster christmas storm. thousands of flights were canceled this wednesday and stories are emerging of families trapped for days during what is being called the blizzard of the century. at least 50 people died any harsh weather in new york's erie county. reporter: life brought to a standstill by record snowfalls. here in buffalo city in the state of new york, residents and local authorities are working to clear away the heavy snow banks called by the blizzards of the past few days. the city has been at the center of some of the worst of the weather. many have been battling arctic temperatures, and power outages. >> i have been in buffalo since 1970, february 5, 1970. i emigrated here from romania.

and this is the worst thing i've seen in buffalo, new york since i have been here. reporter: weather has led to dozens of deaths nationwide, many from road accidents as people attempt to flee freezing homes. buffalo's police commissioner has warned people to prepare for the worst. >> as the snow begins to get moved, and as we see in the week when the snow starts to melt, we fully expect that we are going to recer more bodies. we are fairly certain there will be more deaths uncovered that we cannot see at this point. reporter: monday, u.s. president joe biden approved an declaration for u.s. state, bringing up funds to help it recover from the disaster. the national weather service has forecast warmer temperatures by the weekend, but officials has warned the melting snow could lead to minor flooding. but for many here, a change in conditions could not come soon enough. monte: and that is it for now.

stay tuned for more world news coming up here on france 24. ♪ >> hello and welcome to this 40th episode of french connections plus. >> this show is all about exploring the intricacies of life here in france and tearing apart some of the common cliches about the french. and there are so many stereotypes. always fascinating, frequently baffling, france is a country that non-french people like to trynd boil down into preconceived notions. >> so what are these top cliches about the french,nd why are some othem so hard to wash off? >> join us for this french connections plus. and a on french stereotypes. -- and a special on french stereotypes. ♪ >> we ask you for some of your

favorite cliches about the french, and boy, there were a lot. one of the biggest ones was that the french are always on strike. at least that is what both stuart and kathy said. >> it certainly does pepper every life here in france. whether it is public transport ground to a halt, air traffic controllers keeping flames on the ground, or even your local pool can be shut because staff is on strike. but i think this is such a visible cliche because a strike is often accompanied by a protest. >> that's another stereotype that is definitely true. french people do not hesitate to take to the streets, usually to defend their hard-earned gains. >> this leads to another stereotype about the french, that we complain all the time. now it is true that the french love to grumble. but i think this is a cultural difference that can be lost in translation. >> it is not that french people are in a bad mood all the time. it is that complaining has kind of a social function. people here do not complain so

much about very personal things. it is more about the strikes, bureaucracy, the government. >> it is a conversational tic, a way of doing small talk the way the british will talk about the weather. it is easy to bond over something that is not personal. >> apart from the small talk, the french can also be very tightlipped, but that is a different stereotype. >> if you ask a foreigner to imagine a perfect french cliche, often, a peculiar image comes to mind. a mime. the funny thing though is if you ask french people, many are not even aware of the association. so why the mime? back in in the day t silent artform was a big deal, although the french did not invent it. in europe, mining dates back to the early greeks and romans. in 15th century italy was absorbed into the hugely popular comedian del arteta. thanks to street performers it came to france in the 16th century and flourished with mime

schools popping up around the country. over the years the popular genre was sustained by a long line of chalk faced frenchman. in the 1820's, jean-gaspard, the father of modern miming, developed -- perhaps the most famous mime in recent history is marcel marceau. bip the clown received national acclaim. he put his act to heroic good use while working for the second world war, in helping jewish children escape occupied france. his first major performance was in front of 3000 troops after the liberation of paris, which may explain why he was such a big hit in the u.s. he says he was inspired by charlie chaplin. meanwhile, he is credited with inspiring his friend michael jackson, and a certain moonwalk. ♪

>> as you just saw, french mimes are often depicted wearing a striped top. it is a real french clothing >> it comes from the region of brittany. back in the day sailors wore them as undergarments and later it was adopted as a uniform in the navy. it went mainstream and became a popular government for men, women and children next to coco chanel. >> she made it fashionable all the weight back in 1916. since then, other these diners haveade it a real part of their collections. >> these days it is a staple you will find in many french people's wardrobe. that cannot be said for another accessory a lot of people associate with the french, the beret. >> soft and round like a crepe, warm, waterproof, and practical,

the beloved beret has become the symbol of all things french. this quintessentially garlic hat has been adopted as a fashion item around the world. from pop stars and royalty, to bohemian hipsters and revolutionary fighters, not to mention a certain emily in paris. abroad, people certainly associate the beret was france, but the french people really wear them? >> [speaking french] >> traditionally made out of wool, the beret has been around since the middle ages. in france -- it was actually shepard's in a neighboring region who developed it. >> [speaking french] >> snug in the front, flipped

back, tilted on the side, there are several ways of donning the hat. be it in summer, fall, winter, or spring, it's an accessory for men and women alike. even part of the french military uniform. though it goes in and out of trendiness, the beret remains a fashion statement, and an eternal symbol of friends elegance -- friends elegance. >> when it comes to cliches, some are hard to wash off. take for example the notion that french people never shower. she wrote to say, the french eat garlic in bed and prefer stinky cheese to cover their body odor. for the record, he did say it is part of what makes them likable. >> when people think of us frenchy's, a common image that comes to mind is that they love you. -- pepe le peu.

>> back in the day, access to running water was limited. but today most french people say that stereotype is outdated. >> perhaps the stinky french person reputation is linked to another cliche, that france is a chain-sming nation. >> this is one of the biggest culture shocks for tourists when they come to france. >> smoking is still associated with the arts and culture rather than a tacky lack of self-control. it's seen as a romantic, almost rebellious gesture, a rejection of it. just society. >> but things are changing thanks to public policy. the number of smokers has dropped dramatically in france. but even as things change, some stereotypes are just hard to stamp out. ♪ >> to poke further into the seemingly bottomless pits that are french cliches, i'm joined by lindsay. thank you so much for being here.

you are a paris-based journalist and author of the book the new parisian, which is all about tearing apart stereotypes. it seems like the number of stereotypes about the french is exaggerated compared to the size of the country. if you compare it to germany or spain, there seems to be more cliches about the french. why this obsession about the french? >> first of all, france looms large in a big way in popular imagination, in fascination. certainly americans have been coming here for generations and generations and it is still the most visited country in the world. so when you think of it that way , it is normal that our attention naturally directs towards any sort of story or idea that comes out of the country. >> you have been living in paris for over 15 years, you are familiar with the locals. what percentage of the stereotypes are true? >> when you talk about stereotypes in general there is

always a nugget of truth. that is where they are coming from. ultimately when you consider that why stereotypes persist about anybody in general, or any nation, it is our way of making sense of the world. it is a way of understanding ourselves and our nation in relation to others. but unfortunately given how tribal we are, that can come with negative qualifiers. then they get perpetuated by popular culture, media, things like war. any opportunity that can allow these ideas to be amplified and considered truth. so it is very hard to shake them off. >> how much do you think these share -- stereotypes are just cultural differences that get lost in translation? >> for sure i think there is an element of truth related to cultural differences. but i think it is often blown up in order to make sense of a people or a place, but then it reduces them.

and that is the big danger of stereotypes, particularly the most pernicious of them, which is that it reduces an entire set of people to a few half-truths, or near-truths, or embellished truths. that is what is so dangerous about stereotypes. you see that even now perpetuated with big television shows that have featured france prominently. emily in paris, my favorite topic of conversation. but you see it in literature, you see it in politics. i think you have to look at all of the ways that people consume ideas about places and people other than themselves. and you can find the source of why they endure. >> thank you so much for being with us today. >> thank you. ♪

>> cliches are not always negative. many of you pointed out that france and the french are very romantic. emam wrote, france is the country of love. and good kissers? maybe it is not such a weekly say. >> the french have the repetition of being passionate, first-class levers. it's true that we have a lot going for us. french has been called the language of love. >> the french have a long-standing tradition with seduction, seen as part of the pleasure driven lifestyle. and whether it is sex or pda, it is just not that taboo here. ev cheating is not as shunned as it is in some other countries. having said that, things like french flirting or chivalry are coming under increasing scrutiny in the wake of the #metoo movement. >> there is one form of love that is not controversial, however, and that is our love of food. even know it is true that at times we eat some questionable dishes.

for instance, french people eat snails and frog legs all the time. >> and don't forget, french onion soup. ok, they do it those things sometimes, just not every day what is true is that the french worship food. whether it is wine and cheese, regional specialties, gastronomy is a real way of life. >> i am proud to say that cliche is 100% true. >> that is all the time we have today. thank you so much for watching, and you can tweak your own questions, or reach out your own -- or reach out on social media. >> i am the france 24 correspondent in new delhi. i cover news from india and other countries in south asia. catch me on our news bulletins from the region. >> one of the 200 france 24 correspondence around the world. ♪

12/28/22 12/28/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> this feels like a bucket of water. we were told tough 42 has been prolonged. amy: the supreme court conservative majority has ordered the biden administration to continue enforcing title 42. it blocks asylum seekers at the u.s.-mexico border. we will go to elas