among those reportedly detained is the club's former president said maria bottom a seat on the left here the operation is related to a scandal last year club officials were accused of launching a smear campaign on social media against some of its own players who were critical of the club's leadership. it's down just there are these the top stories a court in france has found former president nicolas sarkozy guilty of corruption he was also convicted on charges of influence peddling the judges handed him a 3 year prison sentence 2 of which are suspended the taj about there was that those court proceedings in paris and sent us this update lawyers for nicolas sarkozy say that he does intend to appeal this case of a focus on an instant in 2014 in which sarkozy was charged with trying to influence a magistrate trying to offer this magistrate

a top jolt in return for information into another investigation which was being carried out of the time by police on nicolas sarkozy over campaign funds now nicolas sarkozy during the trial was protested his innocence he said that that he'd been the victim of a political smear campaign but it seems that the judge in paris disagreed handing out this jail sentence a devastating blow indeed to nicolas sarkozy un human rights experts are calling for an international investigation into the poisoning of kremlin critic alexina valley the belly was poisoned with novacek nerve agent last year u.n. experts at nist and irene khan believe the russian government may have been responsible. thank you. man my security forces are increasing their crackdown on protesters across major cities the deposed civilian leader aung san suu kyi appeared in public for the 1st time since the coup going to court via video link prosecutors have now filed 2 new

criminal charges against her. the u.n. secretary general is appealing for support from the world to help starving yemenis and tony had it says a political solution is necessary to end the war famine has yet to be declared in the country but the u.n. warns it's close and it's appealing for nearly $4000000000.00 in aid. if europeans in the northern tier a region of told there are civilians were tortured and killed by eritrean soldiers last year it follows a report by amnesty international accusing eritrean troops of committing rights abuses and asks them. and the u.s. deliveries of the johnson and johnson vaccine are on the way loaded up at a distribution said in kentucky from there they'll be flown around the country johnson and johnson is the 3rd vaccine to be given the green light in the u.s. and the only one delivered by a single dose. because the headlines coming up next is talk to al-jazeera next time . the pope was said to visit iraq on his 1st trip abroad since the

coronavirus pandemic. won its christian population continues to do window and security issues plague the country. can the pope bring hope to those who see him as an authority. on. the sea. for weeks the base has been haiti's reality. protest against presidential and maurice who's accused of illegally extending his time in power. opposition parties say he should have stepped down last month but he says he can remain until 2022 after presidential elections are held this year. the dispute has been running since moyes was voted into office in 2013 in an election that was later canceled

over allegations of fraud. he was voted in again a year later. he says he would call for a referendum that would lead to the we form of haiti's constitution and says legislative and presidential elections will happen this year the international community including the oas and the us seem to support the president's move. but on the streets there is anger and frustration people fear moyes is trying to hold onto power they claim he has become increasingly awful. in the past weeks over 20 people have been detained including supreme court judge if. the aim to murder the president and overthrow the government in a cold war dried out grass some of our old thank you to omar security guards thank god their plan didn't work yesterday the security of the national palace arrested more than 20 people who had one goal and that was to leave the country without me

or the jail now that demonstrations has turned violent ends and there is no sign of anyone backing down. government legitimate and can the political standoff be resolved. we will find out more as the foreign minister of haiti. talks. so for a new minister thanks so much for talking to all dizzy around this past few weeks we have seen violence on the streets we have seen demonstrators demanding. steps down the opposition says that the president's mandate ended on february 7th but the president is saying he has one year left what can you explain to us what is going on what i should say we flew. out of

memories oh. the opposition that's should be able to determine with eventually that of always the term is the constitution and it's clear and it's article $134.00 that the president term is 5 years in haiti he took office in 2007 in so he is going to leave and doesn't do and to do so does the situation now it's unfortunate to see the means that the opposition is using to try to have with ensuring that every step down is the violent means it's illegal means so in a democracy you should know that it's through elections that you can call him bower and it's the people that acts are the key power so they withdrew they have to with the turn they have to use peaceful means because we do not have any problem

with opposition it's a democracy but what we. what we reject is violence but the opposition is saying is that the article 134.2 says that when elections have been postponed because of different reason which we said case in haiti the number of the amount of years start counting won that election happens i mean what do you say to that this is ridiculous. we learned that i'm always took office in 2017 and it's term is 5 years so const out article 134.2 does not apply and is case because there was an interim president who was with up we say dad started and 2016 and actually left in 2017 so you cannot see that within

a year of the noise term started when. the interim president started his on term so this is just ridiculous and people do not buying into this dick of this way of interpreting the constitution it's not a legal battle. interpreting the constitution is just politics and those who have been using the sim talking points over and over since we've seen them we started because they wanted him to step down or some never want him as president and the country so what they are trying to do now is to use this article that does not apply in any way in this case but there are very large sectors in the country that that say that what's happening now is illegal and the precedents said that there was an attempt on his life that act cool was being set up in haiti 3 judges from the supreme court where removed one of them was detained so you know what can

what can you say exactly about that i mean is haiti's democracy at risk haiti is not a democracy at risk what the government is trying to do and we are doing our utmost to keep it is to preserve democracy in haiti. we have seen over and over how. some politicians in some or the guards are trying to use all illegal means to actually can empower and haiti so this is exactly what is going on now and we need to link what is going on in terms of violence with the decision to actually cut some monopolies and some and some sectors so of course those are the gods that have been benefiting from

when the police in. sectors they will not the idly by not doing anything so it's a way for them by using violence to have them always that balance because what is happening now in haiti is what you can call us to capture. the spirit is captured by few oligarchs that. they are the only. people that can do whatever they want in this country but for ng minister you know you're talking about oligarchs and about how they handle power in haiti but when you look at the streets of haiti the people of that are on those streets demanding change demanding action criticizing the president are actually demanding that their lives improve i mean they're not oligarchs i mean what do you say to them no they are not only god and our democracy is not on the view here in the united states in . democracy how you can call it you will have people

protesting and some of them are not i should see the use of violent means but the interesting thing here is that the government is paying attention to what the people are asking they are asking for they live to be improved those are legitimate concerns and we agree and the government is walking on down that's why we have been doing its utmost to stop the stiff captured when you have a few people that actually own the what i should say the most what you can count in the country this is not this is not a democracy when you have fuel and indeed to fuel i should see that actually has monopolies and different sectors for instance energy sector this does

not sound good and these is there to perpetrate poverty to perpetrate misery so when the people are asking for their lives to get him poor they not only talking to with 2 of them or is he is listening and agreed. people's lives has been declining and the country and you see the president to soliciting but we've seen that over 20 people were detained and that very important ally for haiti which is the united states have expressed their concerns own on how people were detained and how judges from the supreme court where the taint and this is not the people if they united states an important ally for haiti why how can you explain that let me see also and the most important thing. and today allies and i should say. different actors in the international community support elections

in haiti they think it's through elections that people can claim power and it's the people produce one additions can claim about and it's the people we have the united states as you say we have the united nations we have all this and we recently have outcomes that actually ask all those alders to use peaceful means to claim virus this should not use whom because we think that those practices are outmoded in their country this should not try to assassinate a president those outmoded practices in the modern time you used to convince people to get them tries to get them to good the ballot and get yourself elected foreign minister you you say that the people the people are demanding elections the international community is demanding elections but the president's response is a referendum that will happen on april why do you think it's important at this

point to reform the constitution instead of calling for you actually which is everybody's the man i'm sorry this is not present response they've been allowed to a timetable that is published and that and they look to a calendar with elections on sept. denver in november the 1st one of with an initial and least slate of elections in september and the 2nd round is a november so therefore the president responds is not the front door with all of the constitutional going for london is what the people have been asking according to 2 recent polls conducting by 2 interesting organizations about 90 percent of haitian people ask for a new constitution because the they do you they have seen how this function of the governance of the country is with a parliament and the executive sometimes always fighting so these is not

a situation that we can leave on the people on this thing in this situation and they ask for a new constitution. could you explain to us what a new constitution we change in haiti let me let me let me explain it will you clearly the 987 constitution created in balance between the when she's of powers. so this imbalance is what as one of the former president and he said it's a source of instability so if we have a new constitution that actually creates ships in balance that will change the whole paradigm so this is what we should expect where you have an executive branch that does not have more power din of parliament or a parliament does that have extensive power over the executive so what we have not

and the 987 constitution is not marry situation that needs a chance but it was just understand after 198635 years after we were supposed to have 7 presidents it's unfortunate that today we have more been 15 so it's quiet a situation that is not governable a new constitution will change the whole thing we do our elections in where people will be able to respect. us to see a president turn so what is going on now it's quite different from what we should expect form of proper constitution mr foreign minister the opposition is saying that much of the country's elected parliament has been dissolved that maoris have been stripped throughout the country precedential and where he seems to be the only

elected official left in haiti can you guarantee that the lections are going to happen there's lots of fear that the president is trying to hold on to power at least that's what many members of the opposition and many haitians we have spoken to are saying this is a misperception the president is a democrat. he does not intend to remain in power after his term in 2022 so that's not the that's why he has been doing is utmost to have elections and to sit with different stakeholders to organize elections so no definitely he will leave when his term ends that's a gallant see that i can give you the president doesn't have any intention to our hold power after 2022 that's that's what i understand sometimes there are concerns about what is going on for instance he's not the only elected official now

there are 10 senators actually but why. election did not we did not organize elections in due time just because with this constitution that creates a situation that is not controllable so this is a this is the main reasons why we have this situation now and we need to resolve it but a new constitution would give the president more power whomever he is wouldn't this be giving the president maybe too much power i mean you're telling me now that there is only 10 senatorial left that the president is ruling by decrease that's in me this is not a normal situation this is not something that will improve haiti's democracy what i can what i 3 can tell you it's not that all that we that will benefit from the no constitution he is not going to be candidate in the court of coming

elections so this is something that needs to be clear to everyone whether or not the new constitution will give more power to the president is actually debatable because the new project is actually submitted to the public. for opposition in for debate so the president will be able to actually see in is part of the discussion i should say but what matters in the new constitution is that it's going to create mall check in balance is not going to give one winds of power more power than the older one so that's the ground see that i can give you aside from the political situation that's happening in the country now there's lots of concerns of a rising insecurity in the country an increase of gang activity there's been an sharp increase in kidnappings and other violent crimes what is the government

trying to do in order to control this the 1st thing the government did is to change the police chief the north pole is director now is doing is best and. fighting against different gang members so and this is forceful this is giving good results so we are working to continue on this path and we start seeing a decrease significant decrease and kidnapping for ransom. but human rights groups are saying that there's been lots of gang activity in neighborhoods where members of the opposition resign where there has been bloody attacks that's what they're saying and that many of those gangs are related to high ranking officers within haiti's government in fact many of those officials in your government having

sanctioned by the united states what do you say to that what i can tell you is that there is no connection whatsoever. with gangs and this current government there is no such thing we are the ones who are actually fighting begin gang members and this is exactly what the north police chief national police if he is doing so that we don't not there are gangs in the country we cannot deny that but trying to lick them with the government i should say this is a talking point. that the opposition has been. to see for quite some time and it's not true but i can tell you also that the last. u.n. a report on human rights and haiti the report actually says to what extent when the country is

a luck by put this in with violence what is the impact on human lives what is the impact on the society as a whole what is the impact on the economy and so on and so forth so we need to use peaceful means to actually. talk to each other to actually put test we need to use peaceful means because what is happening now in the country is not interesting for the world to see on november last year the haitian government published to decrease one of them on national security one of them in the creation of an intelligence. in c. and another when he speaks thank ssion on the term terrorism many people in the country are concerned of what this means they are afraid that it could be used against political opponents in fact the port au prince bar associations and various human rights groups say that this could be the case that there could be political persecution what what what is your answer to that this could be the case but this

is the the case and i should say in all countries. there services intelligence services in the united states is one of many and in the dominican republic days an intelligence agency i wonder why there are so many concerns with respect to our intelligence agency as far as i know and i can guarantee you there is no such thing as a using these tools to actually. basic to open its days no such thing and i can guarantee you that the government is a walking to respect and on the respect of human rights. why change the definition of the term terrorism many people that have been protesting are afraid

that that term could be applied on them and that big could be judged under terrorism for taking to the streets could that be the case what i can tell you is days a debate. in haiti and we accepted to. modify to some extent the decree and have an agency that is not going to be you know we'll soon have criticism but what i can tell you is that we are there to see human rights we're not going to go again any what i should say. in anything that the 1987 calls this and protect human rights coronavirus has had a huge impact around the world and i'm in on the health care issues but also on

the economy and i know that in haiti the situation has deteriorated in this past year i was reading a report just recently that the amount of people going hungry has doubled this is this the case could you explain to us what the situation is on the ground and what is the government and international organizations doing about it. this is the situation we have seen that days a significant increase in the number of cases due to perhaps so many haitian sailors coming form other countries and we have some actually some activities on the streets that may be actually caused but i know that the health ministry is working hard to get everything under control and we work with our international partners to actually have a city. racin for that will not we phone call in our various virus but we walking

we walking on doubt but is this the case that the amount of undernourishment mundo tradition has increased one of the report that was reading if it has gone from 2000000 people to 4000000 people is this the case that that's exactly why we need stability because instability has an impact on those on those things for instance on poverty so the mo instable a country is the most polity you will see so therefore stability should be the aim of the protests or the end of the way that we need to do thing in haiti so stability is what we have the reserves because without stability you will have all those things and i can tell you that 3 months of looking down the country has an impact on poverty and aids. thousands of people i leaving the country we have heard reports of haitian migrants heading to mexico then trying to cross to

the united states in the month of february over 600 haitians have been deported from the united states have you been able to discuss this with the biden administration is anything expected to change with a new government in the united states we are currently discussing and i think the by doing administration is very open to stop deportation and we will the hope will die this is going to happen thank you very much for talking to al jazeera as the foreign minister thanks for joining us thank you for this opportunity. on counting the cost no way got very. controversial plans to mine the seabed. will they be moved necessary. to

time. counting the costs on. frank assessment the world is on the brink of a catastrophic failure is that a fair assessment it would be catastrophic. to twice. informed opinions should we be buying big court ultimately it will be sovereigns and governments who are buying this that is the direction this is all headed in-depth analysis of the day school ople headlines inside story on 00. some people marry for love others it can be a commercial transaction. for 3700 euro payment just for the march counter al-jazeera world meets men and women using marriage as an illegal passport to europe you know just as you can get arrested in for attempting to organize a sham marriage and a financial and emotional cost but then he left me for

a woman 33 years older than him marriage to sail on al-jazeera. the river narin flows through the coldest region of kyrgyzstan the temperatures here can drop to 20 degrees below 0 this time of year but the driving snow and bitter winter conditions enough to keep these men from working on the ice and in the freezing water because the river nari contains gold friends of villages along the river be panning for gold in this area for centuries the best time of year to do it is the winter because the river is lower than your in the summer months these tiny little yellow flags you can see not look much like they were around $50.00 a gram. too often on the streets of india. are victims but a new force is at play. female police officers are combative and

sexual assault and domestic abuse. but changing society is a challenge and so is life behind the bags for india's needy call. on jersey. shore the form. this is al-jazeera. hello there i'm here c.n.n. and this is the news our live from coming up for you in the next 60 minutes former french president nicolas sarkozy faces jail after being convicted of corruption a call for an international investigation into the poisoning of russian opposition figure alexian of only.