that's been central to his novels into the world of briggs it's and donald trump between a life such as that of john le carre how much of it was fiction and how much of it was true. though without his there these are our top stories the 1st batch of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine is being dispatched across the u.s. and x. nation of health care workers and the elderly begins on monday as the nationwide death toll approaches 300000 john hendren has more from washington d.c. in addition to sending these 2 specific hospitals they're also being sent to c.v.s. and walgreens to drugstores and their pharmacists will receive the vaccine personally and in their own vehicles will take them alone within a radius of 75 miles from each a very locations to distribute them to nursing homes where the elderly are most at

risk in many cases it will be the frontline health care workers doctors and nurses who will be receiving the vaccines 1st and then it will spread out to the general public over the coming months we are told the general public might start getting vaccinations from march to april may and june has been an explosion on an oil time kids levering cargo saudi arabia's jet up force a shipping company said the be ryan had been hit by an unidentified x. stunnel source that caused the blast and a fire. need is in india on a one day hunger strike in a bid to ramp up protests over new agricultural neuros farmers have been camped on major roads for weeks and say the legislation will damage their livelihoods. the us has officially remove saddam from its state sponsors of terrorism list in october washington and khartoum signed an agreement to restore the country's sovereign immunity meaning that it cannot be sued in american courts in return sudan paid

$335000000.00 to victims of al qaeda attacks in 1980 when the u.s. embassies in kenya and tanzania parents in northern nigeria desperately waiting for information about their sons after an attack on a boarding school gunman raided the school on friday and hundreds of children are reported to still be missing but it's not clear if they've all been abducted hackers have infiltrated networks of the u.s. treasury department and possibly other government agencies and national security council says it's investigating the cyber attack comes less than a week after a major u.s. cyber security firm fire i said foreign government hackers had stolen the company's hacking tools you are saying now with all the headlines and back with more news after up front. we bring you stories and developments the rapidly changing the world. congress is debating to

raise billions of dollars for the super rich families hate. them and counting on al-jazeera. unprecedented protests against the government and the monarchy are gathering pace in thailand we ask a government spokesperson a prime minister prayer as time is up but 1st is new zealand too soft on china and this week's headliner which challenge the country's 1st female indigenous foreign minister and i am madhu and ask her how to bring more and vision as voices to the table. and i am i have to thank you so much for joining us on up front i want to again with your country's biggest trading partner of course that is china china is

a country that has been accused of numerous human rights violations especially in recent years from the the detention of the weaker muslims to the government's crackdown on hong kong prime minister to send a derm has referred to the treatment of weaker as as an example of different approaches even some of your closest allies have said that you're too weak on china are they right as new zealand been too soft on china in order to protect trade but we have a mature relationship with china and what that means is that you able to in a very consistent way promote the values and the things that we believe in and able to have the difficult conversations with china and it's important to ensure that it is we mature a relationship of these not the standing about our stance on human rights issues and the values that we have hold in tombs of the way that we treat people and an open democracy being fear and we're working towards by marriage if we can see for

greatest stability in place within their reach but it's well understood by china and it's important is we never get our way through the relationship with china because we have a significant population here in new zealand and they are our largest trading partner that we can continue to have is that enough. well you've got to understand you soon it's very aware of our place in the world were country and the suffolk and we have deep connections across the pacific in the way in which we never get our relationship with china it's our largest trading partner and are able to excrete so views based on the values that we hold. delicately balanced in some portions that we continue to a suit the brits of those issues ok you're talking about the part of the world where new zealand is so let's stay there for a moment over the past decade there has been significant documentation about evidence of crimes against humanity committed and west pop well that territory of

course is administered by indonesia it's home to more than a 1000000 and digitise peoples anywhere from 100002 half a 1000000 people have been killed there since the 1960 s. and it's actually difficult to get a really clear number because of restrictions are international observers there's also been reports of systematic rape and violence against women do you support and depended for west papuan my support. tanami in we're not in a position to tell countries what to do but we are in a position to kate what we believe and the pens an open democracy that builds bridges between the dutch and its peoples and the government within the country and we bring to speak the truth of it and importantly the way we treat women and children and as a result of the in picked of covert 9 saying deepening the resilience of economic recovery so that many more people with one country can be different now we could share that speak to across the world and they already chosen based on what we do is

a country and we are in a strong position to do so in new zealand remains the only major buyer of phosphate from the western sahara your government has not recognised moroccan sovereignty in that region yet it continues to be one of the biggest and corridors of phosphate shouldn't zealand real. we continue to be involved in a blood trade that fuels human rights abuses and geopolitical tensions look we're trying very hard with them the primacy of their economy to move towards regenerative farming in being more called the sons of the emptiness of farming. on the lane but at this moment. private companies saying whole site form of the year is we've got to remember they are private companies and use taping the experience to them about how to support the transformation that we seeking across the primary production seek to move towards regenerative foaming create the sos and

the feel of the lease of a reliance on full fight so when i say transformation is that mean that you would like for new zealand not to be involved in this over time but it's not going to be something that can happen overnight economy significantly increase that and the success of the up armored productive sector and government in the last 4 years in going forward. minister of parm marie industry since relates to try out for a bit a future which promotes the top of it to the 2000 tombs of primary production ways in which we can move to improve and picked on the informant while still being very protective of sydney goods to market for a high value but this is not going to hit them over in the last week our country declared a climate change emergency and committed to a carbon neutral government by 2025 the prime minister prime minister adar and said

the country must act with urgency her exact words that sounds great right but a carbon neutral government and for here is that actually enough because experts have had said that new zealand's lack of a lack of action rather today is embarrassing and tenable your net emissions are 1st and 60 'd percent over the past 20 or so what is acting with urgency lou. look like in way you all have declared an emergency well by showing leadership in what we do have control over in the across the public sea so we can move the government plates of the vehicles for example to chicago vehicles which will get significant difference across our small country we can see in a signal that we are going to face coal boilers which again will make a difference and we can ensure that the boating stain that has a grain code so again greater efficiency so we're dealing with what we know became the government to show the leadership in the in influence the private sector and

other parts of our society to say if we can win together on our impression to tickle the challenge of climate change in a very local way they're now cards and the kids will be enough indicating you know the sense of making sure we keep up momentum to the challenge that is afflicting a solar around the world this sounds like you're describing trying to set an example and hoping that the private sector and other companies will come along but my thing needs some nudging obviously me some not nudging but we're experiencing the same storm is a whole world of the tombs of the covert 19 response in that took a team of 5 member and to join their trips and the urgency with which we a truce what we can do in relation to climate change will take that same effect so should the island's environmental policy include a ban on mining iron sand off the north island taranaki coast so maori maintain

customary claims as you know to the foreshore and of a have opposed the plan for here is how do you reconcile the rights if you are people when you're in a role that requires you to disband their government in israel and. well america government except he drew a line in the sane and tombs of offshore mining so we stop paying future payments and the story we are helping the region most. reliant on the mining or ministry to train session and we are investing and bringing in a chain so that again at a practical level reachin some people will not suffer as a result of their impression to ensure that you see of them making a contribution to climate change. and have made a fix so it's locally so it was back in 2004 when you did create a bit of controversy when you eventually voted for the new zealand foreshore in

seabed act i mean that's something that the un criticised they released a report on that last stating that the law contained discriminatory aspects against the maori you were the chairperson mary affairs at the time do you regret that vote no i don't change that comment was made when the bill subjects them to parliament and there were many other options before its final passage in time has passed in relation to either leave just session that has come in to try and address that a show i can say my main job at the time was put to my only chance and they continued to support me because they will see a way through we have a treaty siegelman crisis that was not a feat by the full should see it as showing so you know you've got to appreciate new zealand history in context in the local issues to understand what the final outcome wants and that has since stopped people certainly with a mildly trip from is accounting for their interests even

a member of new zealand's parliament since you were 26 years old and you are the 1st female indigenous foreign minister of a country that is increasingly becoming a model of diversity really for the world how do you navigate a world of foreign affairs that 1st centuries has been dominated by men and colonial powers. never gave us the right we're here in polynesia the mahdi arrived in new zealand on voyaging vessels trophy used the pacific and accumulated a whole body of knowledge and tombs of being over with a different storms in. the elements in where look we're moving and some very complex climbs into himself. international relations in politics geopolitical politics all deploying all of that skill set to be able to support the position of new zealand deep in our relationships though if we use a fire relationships in consolidate what we want to say here in the pacific which

is greatest ability economic will slowly and in the well being of their peoples open democracy which is fair and just they've also become the 1st woman in parliament to have a traditional maori chin tattoo the mco y. as for minister you're now in a much bigger international stage given the prejudice and the ignorance around indigenous cultures was that a difficult decision for you to get that tattoo and do you see this now as an opportunity really to educate a larger audience about maori culture that is an opportunity to educate your audience but it's also a statement that here in new zealand. shifting to choose towards marty is indigenous peoples has not happened overnight it's been a genie but we have a generation now of young martie growing up we know the in the connected to the people in are very confident about how they express the values that we have as marty with them now in country we can offer

a lot of to speak there to support other countries in the way that they treat the are indigenous people again new zealand is not in a position to tell other countries what to do but if we share our contacts the americans speak of our experience in the journey that we've taken i'm sure there are a lot of things that other countries can join or encouragement from the sense the wife will want and that will be the final word and i think you so much for joining us. dinosaur costumes giant rubber ducks a protest leader known as penguin and a salute inspired by the hollywood blockbuster the hunger games these have all been features of massive student protests that have rocked thailand for months but the art of corkey symbols lies serious opposition to the government and for the 1st time since thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1032 opposition to the king or testers are demanding

the resignation of prime minister prayer and for reforms to the monarchy that would reduce the king's power but as the country's military were alysa status meant even listening to them help us answer this we're joined by the government spokesperson and. thank you for joining me on friday thailand is no stranger to protests but it's the calls for reform to the monarchy that make these so different so these protests are aimed at your government as well but i'm sure you would be the 1st to point out that the government and the monarchy they are separate entities so just to be clear what is the government's position on the reforms to the monarchy that these protesters are calling for. well let me say 1st of all that the type of and support the right for the people to demonstrate peacefully and we also. understand that there are different opinions

from different group of people so the governments we have to listen to all sides of the people so that the conflicts and the confrontation in the country by the different groups would not happen and in terms of the monarchy. the reform law with the demand by the demonstrates that we will be. invited to the reconciliation committee which is already set up by the. parliament there was a reconciliation committee though back in 2017 with the same people in power what makes you think this will be any different this time. we are optimistic that the current government including the current current members they have a different group of people and they will discuss peacefully and they would discuss

in terms of their difference so that the conflicts would definitely be listening from all sides and the result would be a resounding and a happy one for everybody in the country i want to our audience that understand a little bit more about what the frustrations are with with the monarchy so king corn his leadership style is very different from his father king bumi paula king bhumibol was seen as a benign leader basically adored revered by the public but sense taking the throne in 2016 king wants to run corn has among other things he said the constitution changed to get himself greater levels of authorities taken over certain army regiment so they essentially report directly to him basically making them kind of like a private army he spends much of his time in germany and he's estimated to have brought at least $30000000000.00 and well as sense meant for the benefit of the thai people under his own control so you talk about this reconciliation committee do you

understand why for the protesters that may not be enough they want the power of the monarchy to be reduced well as i say to you that all the discussions we need to come to the table under the reconciliation committee so that the difference will be discussed and the issues will be. let's say putting out by the house speaker's who's in charge of the moment of the mechanics and i'm sure that it will be listened by all sides including the government including the group of people who also have their opinions different to the current demonstrate to. the purchaser specifically there are and their frustration is actually directed much more at the government that at the monarchy they're not calling for the king to step down they are calling for the prime minister for you to actually resign so

do you think his time is right now you keep talking about reconciliation but do you think his time has run out well government 1st of all i have to point out that coming to democratically under the current constitution so i mean it's a bit irony that the demonstrate to us i'm asking the government to resign because . usually there will be 4 terms before it makes election you talk about the fact that this is all these elections have happened with this constitution that people voted on but the prime minister came to power through a military coup 6 years ago when elections were finally held his party did not even when the most seats in the election it came and 2nd because of the way the election is set up and the parties favor it only had 126 seats in the lower house for prayer to remain as prime minister so any other party would have needed 376 that's

a big difference right so does he really have democratic legitimacy when it seems to all have been tilted towards him before people even went to vote. well let's say that before this constitution is being be used at the moment there were referendum by the people of thailand and the referendum is clearly show that they accept it and they would like to have this constitution in place so bad i have to and i don't but i've said to i want to stop you from this a moment when you talk about the referendum any effort to even monitor the referendum to make sure it was free and fair that was blocked campaigning against the referendum was banned you detained and charge those who did was there really a national dialogue about this when it seems of voices were repressed no i think say that the referendum was. democratically went into the board of the people and those people who try to let's say you campaign against all read the.

constitution if they do so in the normal. manners that's not against the law that they have no problem with that but on april 19th the general general play it he actually said opponents of this draft constitution this is a quote have no rights to say they disagree i don't allow anyone to debate or hold a press conference about the draft constitution they still must obey my orders they will be arrested and jailed for 10 years no one will be exempted when the referendum becomes effective not even the media that is repressing dissent well as i see it that i'm not sure about the actual date what happened and when and when he said that but i did it for you know i understand that but i am telling you he did say that. so but the referendum actually gone through and it's approved by

by the people so it has been using the law in the constitution under that one for already to. years almost 2 years and there is no problem at all to at the moment that demonstrates start to have disagreement with a lot of things and the mines. at the. demonstration there are also many. it's not talking about the constitution on leaks but about i did things like the economic issues about social issues about be. inequality there are so many issues i want to talk about the way authorities have been responding to the protests it has been heavy handed and october they actually issued an emergency decree banning large gatherings the publication of so-called sensitive news so riot police into the streets more than 175 people have been prosecuted for illegal as cimbali or sedition that's just since july last month at

least 55 people were injured and one day one day when police used water cannon laced with purple dye entier gas on peaceful protesters outside parliament and bangkok the office of the u.n. secretary general sharply criticized this so these protests are led by students and young people in some cases there are children present you keep saying that you're open to reconciliation and dialogue but why is the government treating the protesters this way. well we do not disperse the crowd if they are peacefully demonstrate that is one thing i have to stress and you will see that most of the demonstration are around the country with their youths in bangkok or in the province we try to have the police to look after the safety of the protester and at the same time to look after the safety of the public so there is no confrontation at all between the protesters and from different group of demonstrators who have

different. ways of trying to expressing themselves talk about less majestic so this is thailand's law against insulting the monarchy it is among the harshest in the world the un human rights complaint he has for harm to the sentencing practices around lesson just as extreme a violation of international law in fact 16 of the leaders of these kind of protests were actually charged just within the last month and people have also been charged under these other vaguely worded laws for expressing dissent can you provide any assurances that the government will not continue to use these laws to crackdown on opposition well at the moment the current law and the constitution is through being used in place so i think the government and also the police we also have to do their best to make sure that you know and all the law and order and

demonstrations doing peacefully under the rule of law of thailand of the current law and dialogue is the best way to i you know and the difference and the difference of opinions can just come to the conclusion easier rather than on the street but in the room where we have the group of people who have different opinions to the side and finally conclude on how to go forward so you keep saying at dialogue i hear you i do but there can only be a healthy. dialogue when people are not afraid and at least 9 critics of the government are the monarchy have gone missing and the past 2 years in some cases even after they fled to neighboring countries 2 of them were later found dead their bodies were stuffed with concrete on the banks of the mekong river these are people the government was actively trying to get extradited back to thailand can you say for sure that the government had nothing to do with the disappearance or killings

of these people that are critics of the government well i don't want to address all mention about any particular case in. what you have just mentioned because they are . many cases that are still ongoing on investigation but at the moment the complement try to make the atmosphere the. citee that we need to trust each other if we don't have to trust then because i come to. do but if there are but if there are people that are turning up dead people who are critics of the government certainly you can understand why there might not be a lot of trust on that question again as can you for sure so the government had nothing to do with these disappearances and killings as i as i said it's under the police investigation at the moment so i don't want to comment on that even in some

cases in the court procedure that's at the moment and i interpret for me to come in on any particular case that you know just mention all right that will be the final word a new job thank you so much for joining us here on outfront thank you and that is our show for now i'll be back next week. held for over 3 years in an egyptian prison cell denied their right to a fair trial no charges have been brought against al jazeera correspondent mark murder saying his crime journalist. to demand more neutral links and voice solidarity with all detained journalist sign the petition.

monitors say. an invitation to bear witness to all that life office. the heidi's the learner's the trials and tribulations. unseen movements and every day miracles the injustices the defiance the test of character and of course not take 2 weeks witness documentaries with a delicate touch on al-jazeera. whom in the city a city with a drug problem. in a neighborhood concealing the by trafficking julio transforms the square into a bunch of giving children to lose complete frameless street and its.

street down to the goo find their latin america series how does it. first shipments of covert 19 vaccines begin rolling out across the united states as the government urges americans to take them. there on your car this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up an explosion hits a singapore flag oil tanker of the saudi for city of jeddah. indian farmers book a key highway and you need just go on hunger strike after talks with the government fail. and vote.