this week on "talk to al jazeera" sinner song writer natalie merchant >> i stumbled into this as a way of life. i had no intention of being in a band or a singer. it happened to me by accident she has rerecorded her break through solo album tigerlily, but this time with a twist. the essence of the songs remains unchanged >> i think tigerlily, a song like carnival is not political.

>> but it is taking the critical look at the way that we leave the former lead singer of 10,000 maniacs have recorded almost a dozen albums, including one for children. are you crying my little one the parent of a teenager, she says mother hood changed her >> i became human, fully human when i became a mother. i felt connected to other people in ways that i never have. living and past the singer is also committed to causes, including domestic violence >> 17 women who were homicide women's of domestic violence in my county she is a champion for the anti fracking movement >> water is sacred to me and new york, it is a

crucial resources, clean air and water. it got involved i sat down with natalie merchant in new york city. thank you so much for doing this. it has been 21 years since tigerlily. when you look back at that time, did you know it was going to be a huge hit and sell millions of copies >> of course not. no why do you think it was so says unanimity >>-- resonant. >> it it was honest and heart felt album. people responded to that. it was the first album that i produced myself, but at the time it was kind of my brave step forward. i had been in a band for 12 years and this was my first solo effort. i didn't want to hand it off to a producer. i wanted to do it myself you actually had a lot of control over the tracks in the original tigerlily >> yeah.

i funded the album myself and gave it to them when it was finished did they make any changes? >> no it was the album that you wanted to create. so 21 years later you've rerecorded a lot of these tracks. they're very different. what is new? >> well, the main reason that i wanted to rerecord was i have gravitated towards performing with string instruments. some have full arrangements and other just have string quartet. the more i played them live the more would ask would ask for a recording of this it was part of performing these lives, but classical music was part of the music you heard growing up >> yeah. it was. my mother. we were not a wealthy family.

we were just a working class family, single mother with four children. she was from a pretty poor background herself, but for some reason she had this passion for classical music. i remember no matter how little money she had in her checking account, when there was a pledge drive on the local radio station she always pledged where did that album come from. was there a driving inspiration? >> after being in a group for 12 years, i just had this strong desire to speak for myself i reread all the litrics from-- lyrics from tigerlily. they're not overly political. are you at a time where songs carry themes from your activism?

is that something that has recently? >> the last one was a song called "the end" that i wrote about people who have been - about the refugee crisis. it has gotten much worse in the last two years. i had - i think my most political album was "motherland" which had the miss fortune of coming out a month after september 2001. it wasn't a time when people wanted to be taking critical look at the u.s. i talked about race relations in that album, rampant consumerism, corporate misconduct. of course, i didn't sing this is

a sing about corporate misconduct. it wasn't so overt, but those were the underlying themes. it is threaded through all my work. i think tigerlily, a song like carnival it is not political, but it definitely is taking the critical look at the way that we live. [ ♪ ] i have always wondered what carnival is about >> about manhattan, walking through the streets of new york and just questioning, if your environment is insane, which i find new york to be, if it's illogical, if it just doesn't - it's not logical, this. people say that new york is like the bumblebee, there is no

reason why the bumblebee should be able to fly i was listening to that, have i been blind, et cetera. >> i've walked these streets in the wealth and poverty, in the diamond market, they just rolled out for me. there's so of wealth in this city and there's-- so much wealth and poverty, they co-exist right next to each other. you can see people sitting down to a $400 bottle of wine and lookout the window and see an old woman eating out of the garage can. the disparity and the income gap is like this in the world, but in new york everybody is right up against each other living together.

you have to do a lot of convincing of yourself that you're - you know, somehow justify your lifestyle to be able to live as accessively-- excessively as you do and taking advantage of all the material pleasures that are here and not give assistance - basically stepping over bodies to get into prada you talk about women in the 90s. there was really a celebration, i think, of female singer song chapman, jewel, joan osborne, victoria williams. i could go on and on. >> tori amos i had them all on my play list. when you look at that genre today, do you think it is in today?

>> i think there are still great singer song writers. laura marling is my greatest artist. she is in her late 20s. great singer and musician, arranger. i think also the internet has given so much independence to artists and although they may not be super stars, i think so many people have been able to capture a real loyal following some she joined the band 10,000 mainians as their-- maniacs as their lead singer when she was only 17 years old. >> "inside story" takes you beyond the headlines, beyond the quick cuts, beyond the sound bites. we're giving you a deeper dive into the stories that are making our world what it is. >> ray suarez hosts "inside story". only on al jazeera america.

>> pushing the boundaries of science. >> we are on the tipping point. >> we can save species. >> it's the biggest question out there. >> it's a revolutionary approach. >> we are pushing the boundaries. >> techknow is going to blow your mind. >> our experts go inside the innovations, impacting you. >> this is the first time anybody's done this. >> i really feel my life changing. >> techknow, where technology meets humanity. only on al jazeera america. any future occurrence. the office of the chief procurement officer has been stashed at the national pressure rue. for this purpose of ensuring that strict supply chain procedures of followed by government departments.

government also took a conscious decision to clean up the department of public works, to ensure that flouting of supply chain procedures is eradicated ... we have been listening to the south african president jacob zouma speaking publicly for the first time since the constitutional court ruled against them for using taxpayer funding. he pretty much defended himself saying he did not act dishonestly and never knowingly or deliberaty set out to violate the constitution. let's speak to our correspondent tania page. what did you name of jacob zuma's words. >> i think i completely agree with you. he's been at pain over what sa

lengthy address for the president. at short notice for the public, broadcast live to south africans. at pains to emphasise his defensiveness on the case, which it has to be said over the last couch of years in which the reports came out, in which findings were that the president was liable for a portion of millions of dollars spent on non-security upgrades. he'd been dismiss if of that and was accused of using the african congress massive major city in parliament as a womb, having to abide buy her rulings, things like a report that what looks like a swimming pool was a fire reservoir in case there was a flame. excuses upon excuses.

a parliamentary committee exonerated him. these are things that the constitutional court was damning of. richard found the president and the national assembly was guilty of violating the constitution. briefly, if you can, are we to hear a reaction to president zouma's words. >> there has been a lot of reaction since the court ruling came out. the president is not finished speaking. i am sure there'll be reaction. there has been vociferous anger broadcast on local media. people pleased that their constitutional court came out and appeared to be independent and tough on the president, and the top political leaders, and people saying that was the kind of address they may want to see from the president. a sign that the highest office

is taking it as seriously as the public believes it done. >> tania page with the latest from johannesburg. a reminder of the top story. we have heard from jacob zuma, who said he will pay an amount to the upgrades to his home. it's still to be established. that will be the top story in the al jazeera coming up next.

to stop them falling into the wrong hands. he used this final address as an opportunity to drive home the message of the threat posed by armed groups, nuclear material possibly falling into the wrong hands and possibly an illusion there as well to the threat posed by nation states. he made a reference to north korea and its ongoing commitment to its nuclear program. our correspondent in washington. we had obama hailing the removal of nuclear materials from around the world, but i guess many would say this is still a far cry from the vision he laid out in 2009 when he spoke about a

planet completely free from nuclear weapons. >> reporter: it is far from his vision and, in fact, some critics have suggested on friday that, perhaps, the president missed an opportunity by not impressing upon russia to try to find a way to attend this summit despite their recent esstrangement over issues on ukraine, but the president also has said that the u.s. and russia are working in other venues to try to deal with the issue of nuclear disarmam enf. there hasn't been much on the way of progress made on the one current arms treaty between the two countries which is known as new start, but the president's aids say that he is commitd to finding way of restarting the disarmam ent process. if anything, there has been a dust up between the two

countries because the u.s. has accused russia of testing some of its intermediate nuclear warheads in a way that violates the spirit of the new start treaty, something which, of course, the russians deny thank you for that. now the kurdistan workers party also known as the p.k.k. has claimed responsibility for a car bomb which killed seven police officers in south-east turkey, but the attack didn't stop the turkish prime minister from going ahead with a planned visit to the city. a report >> reporter: the explosion the calm of this neighborhood, a car packed with explosives, the damage is clear. the family is shocked. they survived the attack.

>> reporter: we felt the storm and saw something very strong coming on to us. it is like an apock lips. >> reporter: many stood in disbelieve and more squared. >> translation: we heard the explosion. we thought it was an earthquake. we were worried and scared. >> reporter: the car was parked here and it detonated by a remote control. once the minibus carrying the police arrived at this corner. the explosion was so powerful it shattered the windows of the sur rounding buildings. security officials say they have identified the man in this cctv footage as the main suspect. turkey's prime minister didn't want to disrupt his preplanned visit. he is here as part of the government's plan to rebuild the historic part of the city. the area has been hit by

security forces and the outlawed kurdistan workers party, the p.k.k. they say turkey will not bow to attacks and violence. >> translation: they gave their lives for the area not to fal into ruin like damascus and aleppo. >> reporter: turkey is increasingly being targeted. last month a suicide attack carried out by an i.s.i.l. suicide bomber killed several tourists in istanbul. both ankara and istanbul have seen a spike in attacks since last year. the government says the country's security and economy are the targets. several consulates have closed their offices and have warned their citizens on not visiting the country, especially south-eastern turkey. they're fearful of more attacks

syrian state media say a mass grave in palmyra grave was found. 23 are the remains of women and children. the city was recaptured from i.s.i.l. last month. indian police have opened a case of culpale homicide of a fly over which collapsed. three of the firms officials have been arrested. at least 23 people were killed and 90 injured when a bridge fell onto midday traffic. the construction company denies responsibilities. >> reporter: a street once under the shadow of a fly over now being cleared of concrete slabs and man geled d measuring

angleked metal >> the main operation is finished. the second part of the operation, it is still leaning in one direction. that will be done in a very systematic manner. >> reporter: workers say it will take up to three days to remove a precarious slab that is hanging off the bridge held together by pieces of concrete and twisted iron rods. residents look on >> translation: their building nearly touched the air. it had taken up the space above the main thoroughfare which is why people in vehicles had no choice but to pass under the building works. that's how two members of this family lost their lives. concrete slabs fell onto an auto rickshaw that was taking this man's son and daughter-in-law to a nearby market. >> translation: i have lost everything. my entire family is again. i don't know how i shall run the family. i'm already 75 years old and i'm

left with my grandson. what do i do about his future? i don't know what to do without my son. >> reporter: the search for vehicles trapped continued throughout the night. police say no-one was pulled out alive. the chief minister cancelled her campaigning for upcoming elections to survey the scene, vowing that those responsible will be punished and there will be an investigation. in the light of day, locals say they're sceptical. they worry that the elections are the focus of politicians' attention right now. >> reporter: two years ago a splar fly over collapsed in the city. although there were no casualties, people say if government had taken action back then, and created policies and checks and balances for construction, this would not have happened.

despite warnings that this area is unsafe, crowds gather to watch the machinery breaking apart the crumbling ij of the fly over. further along it is business as usual, once again stalls set up vehicles passed under the bridge donald trump has been ramping up the rhetoric on extending a wall along the u.s. mexico border. a new video has emerged which shows that the current fence isn't much of a barrier for some. >> reporter: this video from a news channel captures a brazen encursion of men into the u.s. with drugs it is suggestion expected. they were only in the u.s. for a few moments before crossing back. they climbed over it in less than 30 seconds showing that, perhaps, they do this quite often. we have filmed at that very

border fence several times. we have spoken with smugglers who tape heroin to their body and cross legally with visas. we have filmed the tunnels that burrow underneath that fence and we have seen catapults being used to sling drugs over the border into the u.s. it shows that drug cartels and criminal organizations will use any means at their disposal to get drugs into the u.s. and they have to get money into mexico and they use some of those same very strategies as the conflict in colombia winds down, one upmarket restaurant is helping to bridge the divide between former army soldiers and farc fighters. it is a scheme to reintegrate both sides into society. >> reporter: this is one of latin americans top 50

restaurants, but for the past eight years it has been serving more than fancy food. it offers training and employment to wounded army veterans and now to former rebel fighters. >> translation: a prospective wants to know your experience, who can recommend you. as a former rebel what can you answer? here i didn't have to lie. >> reporter: she escaped the farc but never recovered. she left her home town after threats and couldn't find a job to feed her children. she was worried about being able to work in a restaurant and working shoulder to shoulder with her former enemy >> translation: i didn't know what his reaction could be. that same day we talked and i cried and since then he has been my support. >> reporter: her colleague lost his left eye and right leg to an farc land mine.

>> translation: my first reaction was hash. it was hard for me to accept the idea. we shared our stories and i understood they're victims as well. it helped me to move on. >> reporter: the restaurant foundation originally only hired former soldiers. hiring was a bigger leap. >> there were fears about security, public opinion, many things but at the end we say if we don't do it, no-one would do it. >> reporter: the kitchen has become a symbol of colombia's efforts to overcome its conflict, but convincing most entrepreneurs of participating in programs like this one is still an uphill battle. polls say half of the entrepreneurs in the country would never hire a former fighter >> translation: we have an issue of stigmatisation.

>> reporter: back at here the workers know a restaurant alone is not likely to reverse decades of fear and distrust, but they're convinced it might hold the key to a recipe for reconciliation egypt has invited archeologists and experts around the world to investigate what lies behind the lies of the tomb of king tut. egyptologists say there could be a burial chamber of the queen whose long resting place has been a history >> the team worked for 11 hours with the radar and they were supposed to give some preliminary results, but they prefer to study it carefully and they will deliver us the results within a few days, one week, maximum, but this will not be the final result because it is

the one of many steps. the next step will be another vertical radar which will take place by the episode of april there's more in everything we're covering here right at aljazeera.com this week donald trump caused all kinds of handringing when under questioning from chris matthews he said if abortions were outlawed, women could be punished for having them. the reaction from abortion rights side was predictable, but the reaction from the anti abortion side was fascinating. what had the presidential said that was so beyond the pale?