>> hey warm wall come as -- a warm welcome as ivory coast's former president -- will he bring call more more attention? ♪ >> this is al jazeera live from london. also coming up, hours until polls open in iran, but one that

is predicted to win the presidency. a record 1000 one coronavirus deaths in one day, a dark day for afghanistan. and zambia's leader for nearly three decades, dies age 97. ♪ >> hello, he spent a decade in exile come about former ivory coast president has now returned home for the first time since being ousted during the civil war. a small number of loyalists gathered to welcome the 76-year-old back while thousands more lined the streets to catch a glimpse. security with police using livee and teargas to disperse large groups of supporters. the former history professor served as ivory coast's

president in --he refused to act leading to a four-month civil war come which led to the death of at least 4000 people. he became the first former head of state to go on trial at the international criminal court on charges of crimes against humanity. he was acquitted in 2019 and has been living in brussels since his release. in the same year, i night bore -- a niborian court to sentenced him to 20 years in prison for robbing the central bank. our reporter has more. correspondent: a steady stream of supporters in brussels, on cars, on motorcycles, and on foot, moving towards the headquarters just 500 or 600 meters away from where we are now, and supporters are telling us they are going to party all night.

in the midst of excitement, you also hear anger, you hear about frustrations area you also hear about the possibility of challenging the party in power. what is clear is that he is back home 10 years after and the process of reconciliation probably could take longer than expected. even the government expected that his return could lead to a form of conciliation and this deeply divided country, but we saw this night is that he will have a very, very difficult task of reuniting a country. many people watch how he first reconcile silas's party, which is now divided, and then, that will give them an indication of whether or not he is the right person to lead the reconciliation efforts in the

ivory coast. but this is a deeply divided and bitter country. there have been actions on the street today that points to a very, very deep divide in ivory coast. there has been attempts at for the last decade at reconciling, but it looks like the government did not take the extra effort that process needs, so largely civil society organizations and victims have organized themselves to try to find closure for what happened. and as one of the spokesperson of him told me that everybody in this country is hurt, everybody has been affected, and only supporters of the ruling party who are then in that position, but also, everybody in this country was affected in one way or another. a lot of victims are still very, very angry that mr. gbagbo was given a hero's welcome back on,

although, his party and supporters are also angry with the president and his party, the government especially, for not providing enough security and for not allowing thousands of supporters of gbagbo into the airport to welcome him. there was a fear that things could degenerate and nobody knows exactly who this reporter of gbagbo is, and that is why -- the supporter of gbagbo is. even on the streets tonight, we see so much presence of security forces, and they want to make sure that things do not get out of hand. it is important to watch what will happen in the next day two, or even one week. that could give an impression of where this country is headed to, but at the time being, the temperature is very, very high. a lot of people are really scared that things could get out of hand.

♪ >> j just hours until polls ope, there are concerns that few iranians will cast their ballots for president. those suggestions could be low with voters this allusions. widely seen as the front runner, the candidate has support from hardliners. the teeth of the revolutionary guard the, has run and lost four times already. -- the chief of the revolutionary guard has run and lost four times already. the deputy parliamentary speaker is the youngest candidate. and the former central bank governor, and he supports the nuclear deal. and as our reporter is from

iran, economic concerns could be a major factor. >> on the streets of iran, there is one topic that everyone is talking about. the economy, hit by some of the toughest sanctions that iran has ever seen as well as what some believe is government mismanagement. the covid pandemic has caused the economy to plummet. the country saw widespread demonstrations after a fuel price hike. more than 200 people were killed in violence. there is still unrest but it is not limited to fuel prices. >> the good we saw our basic necessities. since last year, prices of some items have gradually increased by 30% to 50%. everything you can imagine has had a 30% to 40% price rise in just one year. >> iranian carpets are famous around the world, but even this trait has been hit hard. >> they blame it on many reasons, but usually, it is the sanctions.

we have to live but we are struggling economically. certainly the main reason is the sanctions, but management has a significant role, too. >> the new president will have an uphill challenge when it comes to the economy. >> the chronic problem we have always faced is inflation. it has always been high and the past decade, 40% on average. we had two inflation shocks in the last four to five years. inflation in the short term could be controlled by interest rates which in turn leads to recession. we cannot continue going on with the current 40% inflation anymore. the government should implement reforms. >> many people earn less than $150 a month. usually laborers are are paid less than the memo way. >> the cost-of-living is very high, it is very difficult. people have many problems, rents or other miseries.

only god helps us. officials should think about us. i feel ashamed when i cannot buy something for my kid. at times, i cannot really buy what i want for her. >> economic conditions are bad. the price of cooking oil used it to go up once a year, and the cooking oil or butter went up four times last year. we could make ends meet, but now, i cannot buy butter or cheese. i expect for the new government to make goods cheap. >> in this poor neighborhood, some still hope that things can change. it is working-class class areas like this one across -- and the working class to standard of living must be improved if the new president is searching for any sort of success. >> both hamas and the israeli defense force have confirmed, no rockets have been fired into israel from gaza on thursday, despite early reports. israeli war jets -- israeli army

says it was in response to the flying of balloons, which it has links to fires and eight fields in southern israel. the resumption of the balloon attacks triggered airstrikes with the first flareup of violence since the cease-fire followed 11 days last month. afghanistan recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day since the pandemic began. with age groups warning that the situation in the country is spiraling out of control. 101 people in the past day died, but cases have risen 2400% in the last month. lihospitals are full in many ars with oxygen supplies running out. less than half a percent of the population has been vaccinated. the president of the afghan red crescent told us about the difficulties. >> the eastern parts was hit,

and slowly, it is all over the country, almost. kabul, 4.5 million population is really very big shortage. we have, unfortunately, not received oxygen plants so metimes, and that was a big problem. the oxygen shortage is huge, and that is under control by the municipal of public health, and unfortunately, our international partners failed to bring on time. >> japan is now easing coronavirus restrictions, one month before the olympics are due to sta. a state of emergency will be lifted in tokyo and other areas. but in its place, the government will bring in what is being

called a quasi-state of emergency, and the opening hours of bars and restaurants and the sale of alcohol will be modified. >> i would like to show the world that japan can overcome a difficult time with people's efforts and wisdom. it is important to hold a safe tokyo games, curb this spread of infection in japan, and prevent infection after the games. i would like to ask everyone to support the athletes at home by watching the games on tv. >> hong kong's largest pro-democracy newspaper has warned that press freedom is hanging by a thread after five of its decade of's were arrested under china's national security law. the police raided the newsroom, accusing it for colluding with foreign enemies to harm china. more from hong kong. >> the office of hong kong's most popular newspaper, once more, a crime scene. in an operation, journalists

were ordered to leave the newsroom while computers were examined. five executives were arrested including the papers editor-in-chief. all were taken by police in early morning raids. they are suspected of being involved in the publication of articles that encourage foreign countries to impose sanctions on hong kong. >> the suspects have been arrested on strong evidence that they are conspiring to endanger national security. the action is taken against the criminals who make use of journalistic work as tool to further their criminal activities. >> the newspaper's owner was arrested and charged under a new national security law last year. that followed a previous raid on the apple daily. the under is serving a 20 month jail term.

in may, police rose more than six to $4 million in assets belonging to the owner, and on thursday, froze $2 million more belonging to three companies linked to apple daily. the paper is known for its strong criticism of china's government, mixing pro-democracy discourse with celebrity gossip. when the national security law was imposed on hong kong a year ago, the territories chief executive said it would only affect a small number of people. since then, almost 100 people have been arrested in more than 60 charges including leaders of what is left of the pro-democracy movement. lam says that law has ended month of chaos here and restored stability and stability is what china's leaders want most right now as the ruling communist party prepares to mark its 100th anniversary. >> still to come on al jazeera,

them myanmar village burnt to the ground by government troops reportedly after residents fought back against military rule. president biden: i wish all americans have a juneteenth. >> one of the most important days for african-americans fight against slavery becomes a new public holiday. ♪ ♪ >> hello there, let's start down under and it is a clear set of picture most of northern and western australia and all of the action is happening in the southeast. weather system swirling away bringing wet and windy conditions to new south wales, victoria, and tasmania. things are going to feel cooler and we will have some frosty morning, some fog around and

those showers coming in later in the day, but as we go into saturday, that pushes out to the sea and it will be the coastal areas that see the wet weather. sydney seeing heavier showers, 18 degrees, but for sunshine coming through the hind that as we hop across the sea, it is a cloudy picture for the north island and the south island, but the wet weather does move its way in, and by the time we get a saturday, there will be plenty of rain in the bay of plenty in the north of the north island and as we move to southeast asia, things are looking drier across indochina and those monsoon rains attacking, but for thailand, things looking a lot clearer, and most of the wet weather is going to be across indonesia with showers for a couple of areas. ♪ >> with the bank, energy and

change came to every part of our universe. seismic or small, it continues. >> changes all around us. shaped by technology and human ingenuity. we can make it work for you and your busess. ♪ ♪ >> our top stories on al jazeera, former ivory coast president gbagbo has returned home for the first time since

being ousted during civil war more than a decade ago. foals are set to open in a few hours in iran's presidential elections. the president has appealed the people to cast their ballots and voter turnout is expected to be hit record lows. afghanistan and reported its highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day something pandemic began with age groups warning that the situation in the country is spiraling out of control. zambia's founding president has died at the age of 97. he led the country for nearly 30 years from independence. and helped other african nations move on from colonialism. more on his long life and politics. >> it was 1964, zambia gained independence from brazil. people had high expectations for zambia's first president. it was an exciting time as one by one independence

movies gain the dependence. as life got tougher for the poor, many became frustrated and angry and some blame the struggling economy on the socialist policies. as his popularity wanes, zambians had had enough. after 27 years in power, zambia's founding father was defeated at the polls and then he did something that was very rare and africa, he accepted defeat and willingly stepped down. he had been forced from the political arena through the ballot box but he did not disappear. he had a troubled relationship with subsequent zambian government, and he had to fight to retain zambian citizenship and court. later, he became very much the elder statesman engaged in numerous charities and gathering and winning back the trust and affection of many zambians. many say he played the

fundamental role of a either neighboring countries gain their independence. for years, zambia was also refug for other african countries. it was under the protection with the first and armed struggle and in the diplomatic one against the apartheid regime. also helping zimbabwe again independence in 1980. after a long life spent at the center of politics, he lived out his final years at home in the country he loved, the zambia he helped lead to freedom. >> the u.n. says the human rights situation in myanmar is deteriorating and fast. videos posted on social media shows most of the village burned to the ground. they say that government troops

fired guns at them before burning nearly all of the homes. one of the regional groups ranged against the military says fighting in the kia state has started again. tens of thousands of people have fled the states, taking refuge in camps. as reporting from the myanmar order, there is concerns that disease is spreading and camps are running short of food. >> this is some of the aid that has been hastily pulled together by an organization and thailand to be sent across the border and myanmar where it is thought that almost 100,000 people are sheltering from fighting with very little food or drinking water. they have blankets here to protect them from the cold, rain jackets, it is the monsoon season, food at the front, but also, big plastic buckets restoring water and big cooking pots, because they think those

people are going to be there for some time. and there has some cease-fires been announced in some areas and many are reluctant to turn home, and those that have have found bodies lying in the streets where they were shot and many houses destroyed by heavy artillery fire and a lot of people are concerned that what they are seeing now is a repeat of what the myanmar army did in the 1990's when they conducted a policy of scorched earth, forcing them out of their homes, forcing them across the border into thailand. >> the army in nepal using helicopters to rescue people stranded by flash flooding in the foothills of the himalayas. one person has died and seven are still missing. >> the monsoon comes to nepal every year, and farmers rely on

heavy rains to revitalize rivers and their crops. but now, flash floods and landslides made worse due to the loose soil from past earthquakes. for people living in the foothills of the himalayas, the perils of the wet season have only just begun. >> we have yet to think about making a new start and it is now covered in mud and it is not acceptable. we don't have anything now. >> soldiers have been airlifted in and have it rescued dozens of people but many more remain at risk. and heavy rains are expected to continue for at least the next two days. the situation is being compared to an earthquake six years ago. >> this flash flooding is attributed to heavy rainfall and upper lying areas, incessant rainfall under the glaciers that

trend downhill and these have dumped into low-lying areas and we expect it a glacial outburst. >> survivors are streaming into make shift shelters and more are coming in. >> our family of four must survive either by doing labor or any of the means after conditions go back to normal. >> villagers traditionally go to the highlands this time of year to escape summer heat, but climate change and soil erosion have made the impact of seasonal rains more severe every year. more than 200 people died during the monsoons last year. and a season that once symbolized the renewal of life is now associated with hardship and death. >> the united states has created a new national holiday commemorating the country's end of slavery.

june 19 popularly known as juneteenth is the first federal holiday in the u.s. and almost 40 years. and fisher is more from washington, d.c. vp harris: we are gathered here and a house built by enslaved people. >> it became official, the date slavery ended in america is now a national holiday. it was when the last slaves were freed in texas, two years after president lincoln's emancipation proclamation, a day that is known as juneteenth. pres. biden: this is a day a profound way and profound power. a day which you remember the moral stain, the terrible toll that slavery took on the country and continues to take. >> it is a first national holiday approved for the 1980's and for some, it is something

but it does not address real issues of today. >> it avoids one of the major issues and that is the human rights of african-americans. >> people took to the streets, urging reforms to the kernel justice system. many states have passed new voting laws with active its have claimed to make it more difficult for people of color to vote and there is growing calls for reparations for slavery itself. but for the protesters, they now have a national holiday. >> black people want their full citizenship to be recognized, not to be infringed upon and while there is so many efforts to do so, some of the same senators who are trying to take away voting rights will not pass police reform, and will not do many other things, trying to change education are the same people who say yeah, but we will

give you a symbolic holiday and you should be happy. >> jill biden says this is a big deal, currently there are discussions underway on capitol hill about justice reform. senators coming under pressure to do more to protect voting rights across the country and all see many biden supporters -- all say many biden supporters, is bigger than just a holiday. >> a woman honored for a prestigious environmental rise for her work helping to prevent -- the green nobel prize is what it's known as. >> it is a lifeline for the surrounding habitats. it winds its way, providing fresh water to all the nearby villages. it is a rarity in europe, a wild

river, home to several endangered species and unmarked by construction projects. that is thanks to the efforts of conservation protectors and the woman who led them. >> we defended the river 503 days, 24 hours a day. if necessary, we will defend it for 5300 more days. we will defend as long as there are people here who were born here and live along the river. >> she let a team of women from her village to prevent two hydroelectric dams being built on the coast. the project would've devastated the ecosystem surrounding the river. their efforts faced strong tactics from law enforcement officials in august 2017, her and her team stopped heavy machines from crossing a wooden

bridge and reaching the building sites. the women say they were attacked by police, but then accused of violating public peace and order. but, they persisted, camping at the site for more than 500 days until they won theirwwo■x