we understand the differences and similarities of cultures across the wound so matter how you take a al-jazeera read the news and current affairs that matter to you. down to 0. what makes you think the nightmare with donald trump and his lawmaking in violent mobs is over. democrats wrap up their opening arguments and donald trump's impeachment trial next up his defense to. the making. anyway i. think it's best to. follow from joe why everyone i'm come all sons

a memory of this is the world news from al-jazeera the head of japan's a limp dick organizing committee has resigned after recent sexist comments he made about women also a week of protests and me and now with thousands still angry at last week's coup while the military has given amnesty 223000 prisoners. i'm elizabeth random and the indian himalayas with a rescue operation to find 35 men missing in a tunnel since it flooded on sunday is continuing but family members say they've lost all hope. we begin in the u.s. senate where house impeachment managers have wrapped up their case against former president donald trump they say he must be convicted for inciting an insurrection in the january 6th right on capitol hill and must be barred from future office trumps defense team begins their arguments on friday the latest now from capitol hill with alan fischer there was no dramatic video from the impeachment managers on

thursday and instead there was a warning donald trump had a history of political violence and if he wasn't convicted then there would inevitably be more the attack was done for donald trump and his instructions and to fulfill his wishes donald trump had sent them there we love it we love you grow you know you'll be happy what do you mean we're fighting for jobs. all of these people have been arrested and charged they're being accountable held accountable for their actions their leader the man who incited them must be held accountable as well. so you. know you. thank. god if we don't try the line here what's next what makes you think the nightmare

with donald trump and his lawmaking and violent mobs is over. if we let him get away with it. and then it comes to your state capital or comes back here again is there any political leader in this room who believes that if he is ever allowed by the senate to get back into the oval office donald trump would stop inciting violence to get his way. would you bet the lives of more police officers on the. i'm not afraid of donald trump running again in 4 years i'm afraid to say running in and lose. because he can do this again. the democratic impeachment managers quoted extensively from republicans who had blamed criticized and condemned for what happened here on capitol hill on january the 6th a clear message to the republican senators no sitting in judgment impeachment is not to punish but to prevent we are not here to tarnish donald trump we are here to

prevent the seeds of hatred that he planted from bearing any more fruit many of the insurrection is the present trump incited to invade this chamber were dangerous people on the f.b.i. watch lists violent extremists white supremacists. i challenge you all to think about it if you think this is not impeachable what is what would be president trump's lawyers endorse his breathtaking assertion that his conduct in inciting these events was totally appropriate and the senate acquits donald trump than any president could incite and provoke insurrectionary violence against us again if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanor today you have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america

. defense team will no take about less than half the time allowed to present its defense convinced it has the votes to stop the conviction of donald trump on the charge of high crimes and misdemeanors. and so no don't and so now donald trump his new defense team prepares to make its argument on friday and one of his lawyers has already dismissed everything the democrats presented so far. i think they're making . they have an if anyway fight and. i think it's offensive quite frankly because of the healing process. the frenzy that happened on the dam and then i think there's the american people more from andy gallagher he's in west palm beach in florida near the former president's result there is been some reporting that during the 1st 2 days of his 2nd impeachment trial he was glued to the television and was

reportedly deeply unhappy with his lawyers performance there is other speculation that peter navarro is former economics advisor had called him and told him to fire his legal team rehire another legal team and focus on the fact what the democrats are calling the big lie what we now know is a big lie that the election was rigged so this is an uncharacteristically quiet president don't trump former president on top i should say but of course he has been muzzled from social media remember during his 1st impeachment trial he tweeted out 140 times in just one day now some of the reasoning that he was playing golf today is that perhaps some of his advisors told him look show strength show nonchalance just get out there and do what you would normally do but this simply no way of knowing what's in the mind of the former president at the moment apart from the fact that he is quite possibly angry with the legal team that only had a few days to prepare for the 2nd impeachment trial so we are waiting for how

perhaps the end of the 2nd impeachment trial where we may hear from the former president who is still holed up in his mar-a lago resort very close to me here in west palm beach. on to other news and the head of japan's a lympics organizing committee has stepped down after his recent sexist comments morey's been facing a backlash in japan and abroad after saying women talk too much and have a strong sense of rivalry toyota motors is a major olympics sponsor it also voiced concerns about modi's comments this controversy the latest to hit the 2020 summer olympics which of course were postponed for a year because of the pandemic. and with us live from tokyo now i guess this was always going to happen friday the pressure was really building on the story exactly it wasn't coming only from the public but also from prominent sponsors of the olympics company as they expressed their it over the. marks and they were

doing last week on specially. decision they were putting too much pressure on the liberal democratic party who. belongs to he was. prime minister and he was considered considered to be a heavyweight player and they have been his politics for decades so lots of pressure and finally he accepted go ahead not a place finish your thought. ok thank you so. mr modi during the press conference which he held the while ago to. announce his resignation here if you would all the steps all the stages that he was involved in in enjoying the olympics for over 6 years now he knows all the ins and outs of all the difficulties that the limbic faced so he was

a very prominent figure in arranging the olympics and especially in pushing ahead for the olympics to be held in next july as you know many of the public now are what it about the band they make about the spirit of coronavirus if foreign delegates if all for the athletes from foreign countries thousands of them would come to japan plus thousands of other supporting stuff so the japanese public were feeling kind of afraid of that that might put in another threat of another increase off another wave of the abandoning but he was pushing so hard and he was able to convene like a very strong message and build the momentum towards having that impacts all the surveys show that 80 percent of the job in his public way with either delaying the olympics or canceling the olympics so. committee has lost

a very important person and now all the eyes are on the 2nd on the person or on the . the new chairman of the committee who are who is expected to be either. who is the olympics minister or the head of the former head of the japanese football federation. with that report from tokyo thank you. now demonstrations in maine ma still no sign of ending as people protest against the military coup for a 7th consecutive day and demanding the release of their elected leaders and for the jointer to step down after this month's coup they're also calling for tougher action against the military as the u.s. imposed a 1st round of sanctions on those involved in the coup earlier the army warned protesters they should be going back to work meanwhile the military's leaders announced an amnesty for more than $23000.00 prisoners lying side in humanitarian

grounds officials have already started releasing some of them an update on both of those issues now with scott hardly monitoring events from bangkok 1st of all the protests i mean it's a sort of deja vu all over again each days and at the protesters just not backing down. they're not kemal absolutely and you know you look at the spots across the country where these protests are taking place in there they're all over the country the day before today friday so on thursday i saw a map that one of the organizers put together that showed where the protests have been taking place over the last several days a google map and you know they have those red flags where their locations are identified the entire map is almost red so when you look at these protests across myanmar it is literally across the country and we're seeing that again today and gone the capital naked or up in mandalay and we're hearing in a south eastern city there were shots fired by police by security forces to break

up a protest there no reports of injuries but you know once they get to that level obviously that is something where the police were concerned about how big the protest was getting we're hearing reports of that today on friday but across again gone it seems as though again as we've been talking kemal over the last couple days several locations where the protesters are kind of marching in perception to. things there seem to be pretty calm and they're going to the same places that they have done for the last several days in the central part of yangon the city hall and actually put go to area they're going back there we know that they're going again to embassies because one of their biggest efforts right now is to raise this in the international community so they are going in front of embassies as well as the united nations building so it's interesting to see how yes as you mentioned deja vu all over again but what's amazing is they're still coming out and they're still coming out in force so the middle truant step aside it won't be moved but it will announce an amnesty for $23000.00 prisoners what's the story there.

interesting move now this is something that's traditionally done on holidays that there's an amnesty for prisoners $23000.00 is a lot and it was interesting timing obviously because of that but also the rationale the reasoning the military junta said was for a new democracy and to promote peace in this new democracy ironic considering that this is in place now after they overthrew the democratically elected government on february 1st that's the reason they're saying that they released these 20000 more than 23000 prisoners there is concern within the protest movement within activists that it might be them making a move to some of the prisons making room in some of the prisons i should say possibly for political prisoners know that that's a bit speculative particular at this stage when you see that you know about 250 people have been detained since the coup took place most of those are the was the

1st round that came right after the coup and where the democratically elected leaders and most of them from what we've been hearing are under kind of a house arrest so that really wouldn't you know connect with that logic that they're trying to do the prisons to make room but it is a concerning and curious time for them to be issuing this amnesty that's what the updates on mean much i thank you scott. in the news ahead iraq is seeing a rise in domestic violence but rights groups say many women are unable to get the help they need. an american jazz musician chick graham has died the winner of 23 grammy awards the 79 years old.

but. still no end in sight to the basically cold air across the good parts of northern europe we have got high pressure very much in charge here that's blocking off these weather systems trying to push moderate in from the west at the moment still a cold blast coming down across much of the region then further south is where we also got some moderate or in place southerly winds just for the eastern side of the med it's right now with these 2 areas of low pressure but of course an impact on the weather as we go through the next couple of days as some of the temperatures 1st of all mid to high teens there into that southeastern corner of europe 16 celsius in belgrade 16 celsius the 4 bucharest and quite a change as we head towards the weekend minus 3 degrees the top temperature in belgrade and structures get anywhere near freezing a bull crest friday of our system the potential for record breaking snow pushing into western russia see some very heavy snowfall coming through at this stage a lot of wet weather too just making its way into the western side of the

mediterranean snow over the alps as we go on through friday on into saturday at least seeing a lot of hole and when she weather grassy pushing across into grace where it will again cool off lossie settle across central parts and to the mild letter to the west. what should americans be thinking and doing right now it should be about ideas they don't care about their work is all they care about is making money china is not going to be left out of the economy or in the bloated defense budget to be crying the bottom line on us politics and policies america act on the world on al-jazeera . be the hero world needs. washing.

these are the top stories this hour on al-jazeera u.s. democrats finishing their case against president donald trump in his 2nd impeachment trial they say there is overwhelming evidence that insight of the deadly count will heal right last month. the head of the tokyo olympics a step down following his recent sexist comments been facing backlash in japan and abroad saying women talk too much and have a strong sense of rivalry and protesters in me and mark marching against the military coup for a 7th consecutive day still demanding the release of their elected leaders and for the sims to step down they're also calling for tougher international action. the latest from india now with the families of 35 men thought to be trapped inside

a tunnel in the state of look at a concert only a miracle site their loved ones now rescuers have been moving mountains of sludge to reach the work when but haven't been able to make progress 6 days now since the tunnel and much of the surrounding valley was flooded and part of a glassy a collapsed into a river at least $36.00 people have died and around $200.00 are still missing here is elizabeth purana at the site of that tunnel with an update. the rescue work is continuing at the top of entente obod digging machines being used to remove the sludge that filled the tunnel when it flooded on sunday i spoke to the engineer who built the tunnel and he said that rescuers are trying to reach the right places but they're not making enough progress but the sludge is one of the most difficult substances to deal with it's not a liquid that you can drain and it's not solid enough to remove quickly rescuers also haven't been able to reach the last known location of the men the silt filtration tunnel that's about 30 meters below this entrance they said they were only able to drill about halfway before they hit on stable rocks and couldn't go

any further meanwhile the family members of the men and by the tunnel are still. here they've told us they've lost all hope and just want the bodies of their loved ones bodies of people swept away in the flood have been found more than a 100 kilometers downstream from where the flood hit such was the force of the deluge now the government has said that natural disasters of beyond its control and that homes shouldn't be built on drove the banks but environmentalists say neither should dams and hydroelectric power plants in fact after the last devastating flood and dot com in 2013 killed around 6000 people a supreme court appointed committee said that dams and hydro power plants shouldn't be built above an elevation of 2000 meters above sea level members of that committee say that that's continued to happen including those she got in a dam which was completely washed away on sunday and the fate of $125.00 people who

worked on the gun the power project is unknown. let's get you caught up with corona virus news president joe biden says the u.s. doesn't have as many vaccine doses as his administration initially thought the government signed contracts to buy another 200000000 doses but this report from los angeles this is the body great after a laboratory briefing by scientists at the national institutes of health president joe biden announced a major new increase in corona virus vaccine is on the way since the afternoon we started a final contract for 100000000 more. and 100000000 more fires are vaccine. are also able to move up the delivery date with additional true 100000000 vaccines through the end of july faster than we expected so far at least 33000000 people in

the u.s. have gotten at least their 1st dose of vaccine and more than 10000000 have gotten a 2nd shot biden says his administration is on track to exceed his promise of 100000000 doses in its 1st 100 days and his chief medical advisor says approximately 300000000 americans will be vaccinated by july or august and by the time we get to april that will be what i would call for you know for better wording open season namely virtually everybody and anybody in any category could start to get vaccinated from then on it would likely take several more months just logistically to get maxine into people's arms so that hopefully as we get into the middle and end of the summer we could have accomplished the goal of what we're talking about biden said the government has spent $3000000000.00 to set up vaccines centers in states across the country still governors say they haven't got enough vaccine to keep up with demand people are going to continue to struggle to get an

appointment as we've said over and over and over again probably the last 8 press conferences you can't schedule an appointment if you don't have a vaccine. we were under the distinct impression i replied in praise the scientists it and i age but the former president left him with what he called a big mess mark predecessor to be very blunt about it did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinated hundreds of millions of americans he didn't order enough vaccine he didn't mobilize you know the people who administer the shots he didn't set up a federal vaccine centers were eligible people could go and get their shots when i became president 3 weeks ago america had no plan to vaccinate most of the country meanwhile congressional leaders say a $1.00 trillion dollars coated 19 relief and recovery package including $20000000000.00 for vaccine distribution will be ready for biden to sign into law

by early march robert oulds al-jazeera. south africa's president several ramaphosa says his country will receive $9000000.00 doses of the johnson and johnson vaccine to suspending use of the astra zeneca one studies suggest it has limited effectiveness against a new variant of the virus identified 1st in south africa african union disease experts say leaders should still use astra zeneca in countries with the mutation isn't present and the w.h.o. says it is still confident about the vaccine australia is 2nd most populous state victoria is starting a 5 day lockdown after new cases emerged a link to a quarantine hotel health authorities in melbourne ramped up their contacts tracing and prepared for more mass testing after a worker at the hotel tested positive residents are being urged to stay home and to wear masks if going out in public. the greek capital athens is going to

a full lockdown meanwhile shops and schools will close until at least the end of the month when there's a nighttime curfew at the weekend the city's intensive care units a field beyond 70 percent capacity with covert patients locals are critical of what they're calling a quote accordion measures which loosen and tighten. it's never going to get there at the after but i believe that these accordion measures are half measures what we need is for a large part of the population to be vaccinated so that we can reach a high level of immunity to make emission we as citizens are also to blame they aren't careful at all you say may i'm wearing my gloves and everything and i'm outside now to visit a doctor but we are irresponsible. now domestic violence has been on the rise in most countries since the start of the pandemic and in iraq rights groups say women there often have no choice but to remain with their abuse apartments because iraqi law restricts the help and support groups can give out is there

a similar fulton's been out with a community police unit in baghdad. when the. assadi from iraq community police is following up a case of domestic violence in the capital baghdad 'd. we're on our way to satirise city to visit families that suffered from domestic violence do you copy. according to police there's been a 20 percent increase in domestic violence since the start of the coronavirus pandemic sutter city is one of baghdad's poorest neighborhoods and is said to be among the worst affected the her son has been married for 18 years she says her husband began beating her last year shocking i know there are problems with the house when it rains it gets flooded we don't have an income the kids need to go to school and i cannot afford it whenever i talk to him about the issue he beats me and the cake. the heart called the community police which is part of the ministry

of interior to intervene more young men. being not only will it reach the point where they were going to divorce and the family would break up intervene in any issue to unite the family to prevent the breakup of families which may lead to tribal conflicts. to solve the case the unit worked closely with local tribes the community police claims to have a 90 percent success rate and resolving the mess that abuse cases but critics say the unit reinforces conservative social norms prioritizing reconciliation over victims rights lawyer say many women drop cases against partners because of lack of money and social pressure. on you know the social values and customs consider is shameful for the woman to file a complaint against her husband or brother even if she did file a case as soon as her family hears about it she will drop it. and victims often

have nowhere to go anyway there's one government run shelter in baghdad but it only provides accommodation on a judge's order. some women seeking urgent refuge turn to rights groups that run underground operations this woman and during her husband's abuse for more than 20 years. we have tribal rules if the woman left her husband's house or her parents' house she will be killed. the tipping point was when he began to sexually harass their daughters one night they crept out of their home and came to this shelter. the law doesn't protect me maybe they will find my location i'm scared to sleep at night i'm afraid of the tripes. although these shelters offer a lifeline to women escaping abuse they have to operate in secret because they're illegal under iraqi law last year the government filed a lawsuit against the group that runs it accusing it of breaking up families just

last whose are the cabinet demanded to dissolve the organization we managed 3 repeated sessions to get the law case dismissed by the government to pealed and now we are waiting to find a solution. the prime minister's office didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. at the mess the violence law that would legalize these shelters has been stalled in parliament for years amid widespread political opposition until such a law is passed rights groups say iraqi women will struggle to escape abuse at home seem wonderful to al-jazeera but the bat. b.b.c. world news has been banned from airing in china comes a week after british regulators cancelled the license of the chinese board cost to c g t m in the u.k. . license was held by a different company which was not controlling its editorial content chinese

authorities said the b.b.c. violated requirements to offer a fair reporting on china which the b.b.c. denies. the american jazz composer and keyboard player has done at the age of $79.00 harding has more on his impressive career as a musical pioneer. chick corea is known for his 1st love playing jazz on the piano. 2 2 with 23 grammy awards to his name he is more than any other jazz musician the keyboardist helped miles davis usher in the jazz rock fusion boom in the 1970 s. 2 and founded his own game changing groups including return to forever he also worked alongside american pianist herbie hancock. korea's career spanned more than half a century just last year he released the double album plates which captured him at various concerts armed only with his piano. if you're trying to learn

something and appear you have to be the one who you have to be the one who wants to learn it so he also launched an online academy where he could teach and share his passion for jazz. even after death korea could went even more grammys this march he's nominated for best improvised jazz solo and best jazz instrumental album. and a facebook post korea's manager confirmed that he died of a rare form of cancer he was 79. half past the hour these are the top stories u.s. democrats have finished presenting their case against donald trump and in his 2nd impeachment trial they say there was overwhelming evidence that he incited the.