off the page as on it's. pope francis makes history with the 1st papal visit to iraq his 1st trip outside to sleep since the coronavirus pandemic upfront mark lamont hill cuts through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom. hope for the future the ivory coast goes to the polls for its calm entry election. march on al-jazeera. former french president nicolas sarkozy faces jail after being convicted of corruption. or the imam he'd seen and this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up a huge show of support for armenia's to find prime minister he says he's ready to hold a snap election war fallon and coronavirus yemen is confronting it all

you know have the latest scold for financial help from the rest of the world. police raids on one of the world's most famous football clubs we'll tell you why there have been several arrests at barcelona. former french president nicolas sarkozy has been convicted on charges of corruption and influence peddling he could serve up to a year in jail his case surrounds an attempt to use his positions offer job in exchange for information on an investigation into his campaign finances judges handed sour cozy a 3 year prison sentence 2 of which are suspended his lawyers say he'll appeal against the verdicts such about there was that those court proceedings in paris. i

think in terms of corruption in politics in france as in many places unfortunately it can be rife and nicolas sarkozy has certainly had his fair share of allegations this is one trial that has now ended but it's worth noting that his legal problems are far from over because nicolas sarkozy actually faces a very likely a 2 more corruption trials both linked to alleged illegal campaign funds and i think in france there is a sense that some politicians are indeed crocked they use their position for their own personal gain so i don't think it will be such a huge surprise we've seen other prominent politicians in the past few years certainly have their time in court process or feel who was of one time nicolas sarkozy's prime minister and a few years back another former french leader actually rock was also ahead of his time in court he never appeared because he was actually sick but he was also found

guilty of corruption even though he was never served a prison sentence so corruption in politics is certainly an issue in france the current french leader of iran omar core said that he wanted to do more to try and stamp out corruption in politics i think that would be very welcome but i don't think anyone would imagine that it's so easy to do. armenia's prime minister says he's ready to call a snap election to bring an end to the ongoing the school crisis the call personally and has been rallying his supporters in the capital yerevan just hours earlier protesters who wants him to resign storms a government building there been demonstrations ever since his government ceded learn to azerbaijan to end fighting in the just fuses nagorno-karabakh region well been forced to walk or has more now from yerevan. tonight the prime minister was really very defiant and i think he was able to show that he still has a very large following amongst the armenian people and and that was his way of

demonstrating that this evening and i think the big take is that he acknowledges that there are problems in the country and that there have been doubts raised about his ability to govern and so he's laid down the challenge that he will cool parliament to go full snap election and that would take place in the coming months it's not clear when but it would be a process by which haldeman would support that move and he would be able to stand down and and then those elections would go ahead the opposition has not as he did to be just want to be clear that the opposition is not impalas the parties that according to his resignation they say they don't want nap elections and they want an interim government probably because they know they wouldn't be able to win snap elections i think that she now knows that even if elections were to go ahead and despite his drop in popularity since the war over as if with azerbaijan he would

still be able to win where i'm standing now is where he will be gathering off his much older people to mark the anniversary back in 2008 when the army and the police is supposed to be open for killing more than 80 people with depression and he's using the sound of the street to say that this will never happen under his government and not what will that this rally has been about this evening. u.n. secretary general antonio guterres says the humanitarian situation in yemen has never been worse disaster in the world to help starving yemenis the united nations is holding its annual donor conference the u.s. has announced an additional 100 and $91000000.00 in additional humanitarian aid that brings its total financial supports to 350000000 dollars this year organizers want to raise really $4000000000.00. to date i mean is bearing

down on yemen the race is on if we want to prevent hunger and starvation from taking millions of lives it is impossible to overstate the severity of the suffering in yemen more than 20000000 yemenis live humanitarian assistance and protection with women and children among the hardest hit 4000000 people across yemen have been forced from their homes in the recent suit your fancy marty obstreperous views place under the thousands more well the conference is calling on more than $100.00 governments to make nearly $4000000000.00 in donations the u.s. as we just mentioned has announced today $191000000.00 in additional humanitarian aid for a total of $350000000.00 for 2021 so the arabia has pledged $430000000.00 we are backing the yemeni government in its fight against rebels but donations will

likely fall short again this year round $1900000000.00 were raised in 2020 but has roughly half of what was required for the phones the u.n. warns when $16000000.00 people in yemen could go hungry for diplomats diplomatic editor james bass is at the united nations in new york he says pledges are dying from last year. the u.n. saying that their warnings are extremely serious they say there is an imminent famine and it's the worst famine that the world will have seen for decades and that's why they need a large amount of money almost $4000000000.00 they are asking countries around the world to give that money but it looks like they're having so far a very underwhelming response certainly some of the countries have offered less than they have in previous years saudi arabia this time around has pledged 430000000 that compared with 500000000 a year ago although the u.n.

says not all of that money ever actually arrived in the united arab emirates 230 $1000000.00 the amount pledged by the u.k. is less than last year as is the u.s. their contribution was announced by the secretary of state antony blinken united states is committed to doing our part of to provide aid and to help address the obstacles standing in the way of humanitarian access today i'm pleased to announce nearly $191000000.00 in additional humanitarian assistance from the united states not only in the military crash in yemen i ending the war in yemen so the united states is reinvigorating our diplomatic efforts to end war they believe that there is the possibility of some new mode movements diplomatically but there is also deep concern about the situation on the ground not just with regard to the famine and the humanitarian situation but the on going who theophan siv on the city of merab

that's a place that used to have 2000000 people in it now it has 3000000 because of people already displaced from other parts of yemen that's just one of the reasons the u.n. needs huge amounts of money money it looks like this conference is not going to give them the amounts they want. if europeans in the northern region have to grow i have told all just 0 about how civilians were tortured and killed by eritrean soldiers last year and the evidence suggests eritrea did send troops when the government offensive began last november despite its denials charlotte ballasts has this report's. 18 year old mona lisa is traumatized by one day the 4th of december it was then she says eritrean soldiers into her village in the ethiopian region of 2 gray hair

should stay. but they tried to rape me and i was thrown to the ground then one of the soldiers fired bullets to scare me but they hit my hand and then fired another bullet that went through my arm. i was bleeding for hours then i had my arm amputated. al-jazeera has gained rare access to to gray and heard from witnesses who say they suffered a pierces that could amount to war crimes but at the hands of eritrean not ethiopian soldiers and of liddick and of some girls and i managed to leave the village but on the road we were caught by eritrean soldiers more than 10 soldiers took turns raping us in november ethiopian prime minister and launched into strikes and seen federal troops into 2 great saying he was responding to attacks by the to grain people's liberation front witnesses say eritrean forces crossed the border to

support the ethiopian military and while here committed egregious crimes committed nagen i do i just wish that al-jazeera convey our message and my cowboys who we demand the exit of the era trying forces from our country. you're a trained soldiers deny even being integrated yet al-jazeera obtained these images showing trucks with eritrean license plates integrate carrying soldiers amnesty international also released a report stating hundreds of civilians were massacred by eritrean soldiers in the town of exham in november the. streets using sniper rifles. ethiopia's government has questions the accuracy of amnesty sources but says an investigation will be launched. as information slowly seeps out survivors live with their troops every day. and

my husband was killed in our village along with a lot please go tell the world we are dying. by their accounts at the hands of soldiers who deny ever entering this land shiela ballasts al-jazeera. spanish police have raided the stadium of says a barcelona football club and made several arrests among those reportedly detained as the club's former president's josep maria bartoli the operation is related to last year's so-called barclay gate scandal club officials were accused of launching a smear campaign on social media against some of their own players who were critical of the club's leadership including their biggest star leonor messi or their we spoke to a.p.'s global sports correspondent rob paris. we don't know how many people are in custody but their part in not bottom a or the former club president is one of them he was forced to resign last year in a move storm of controversy with the club mired in financial difficulties there

over a 1000000000 euros in debt and this all comes in the week that botts mayor successor is due to be elected in the final stages of the election campaign and with one of the candidates to date on the poor former president himself a boston loner who believes that what we're seeing today is a consequence of the bad management of the club and so much of that perhaps relates to the handling of the biggest player of them all me and all messi he tried to leave in the summer his transfer request was denied and leaks recently showing that he's paid up 238000000 euros a season and it really highlights why past 9 is in such a financial mess and also why we saw an alleged make campaign against messi and other players known as the gate which seems to be at the heart of this investigation today the key part of it is the fact that social media and through it says and accounts were being used to allegedly smear and spread disinformation

perhaps about some of boss lomas biggest names lightly on a messy and p.k. bust line it did conduct an investigation they brought an external source in and did find there was no wrongdoing from the leadership of boston but there are still questions clearly to be answered about just what was going on in terms of trying to potentially spread missin misinformation and and smear some of the biggest names in barcelona as history. still to come on algis iraq over international an international investigation into the poisoning old russian opposition figure alexy in the filmy hands back in school after nearly 18 months feel chilly why there are fears for the mental health of children in indian administered kashmir.

how low the weather's laci set fire across the middle east at the moment lots of fire weather pleasant sunshine but we have a little more cloud is more the piles of saudi arabia into iraq and turning it into unsettle well at least inside of the mediterranean syria lebanon jordan you could see some showers just sliding in here as you go through the next day or 2 you want to shall is the sense that eastern side of what's a weather does make its way across the black sea but across much of the region a little more clout still a chance of one of 2 spotty showers or a brisk wind around that eastern side of the med cyprus seeing some of the live was over the next day also as well want to see showers to into afghanistan techmeme a star couple of around 15 degrees celsius for the arabian peninsula that was followed by a some lovely weather gentle breeze 24 celsius here in doha so good over the next couple of days that try weather stretched out across the horn of africa usual

showers just around the rift valley some big down poles just around the mozambique channel of the sort of the mozambique channel central parts of mozambique could see some very heavy rain as we go through chews day and that wetter weather just nothing a little further north was in the process that's pushed out into south africa where slushy fine dry sunny and warm. but. jump into this stream. there is a lot going on in this and julian and global community when i thought of all the misinformation i think we are more afraid than we are and aware be part of the debate don't ever take anybody's one word because there's always a difference when no topic is off the table we have been disconnected from our land we have been disconnected from who we are and would love to hear from you and be part of today's discussion this streamed on out is the era.

this is al jazeera a quick reminder of the top stories for you this hour a court in france is found former presidents nicolas sarkozy guilty of corruption the judges handed him a 3 year prison sentence 2 of which are suspended is appealing the conviction i mean he is prime minister says he is ready to call a snap election to end a political crisis which began after his government ceded lands to azerbaijan to end fighting in the disputed smeagol kind of a region. and has been rallying his supporters. and the u.s. isn't as the actual $191000000.00 in additional humanitarian aid for war torn yemen

that brings its total financial supports to 350000000 dollars this year the u.n. is asking for nearly $4000000000.00 as it holds a donor conference. and human rights experts are calling for an international investigation into the poisoning of kremlin critic alexina vall me he was poisoned with novacek nerve agent last year vonnie was slater arrested and jailed spy russian police for a parole violation which happens while he was recovering in germany u.n. experts agnes callum r. and irene can believe the russian government's may have been responsible and that's a domestic investigation and won't uncover the truth eet ees our conclusion that russia ees response to both how the attempted arbitrary killing of mr lamb and at the time of mr marilee spoiler warning he was under intense you'll be also by

russian intelligence you just try in the fact of the in the face of the fact that people other than those monitoring is every mortal could i have introduced to them say in the uk at a hole without a highly dangerous poison and knew where and how to handle it in the ok hold so as to poison me still never ends. andrew simmons is following developments in staffordshire in the u.k. what's been laid down here according to this report is a clear sinister warning from the kremlin that anybody who opposes it in a fashion like in the valley will face the ultimate penalty and that is murder because that's what is being discussed in all diplomatic circles has been since august 2020 when the valley was poisoned now the issue had been initially was there proof that novacek the nerve agent was used well in germany they tested blood

tests and other tests on the valley who'd been rescued from russia and flown to germany for treatment and was critically ill when he arrived there not a chalk was found in samples now russia takes germany to task on this and has said in a statement that the foreign ministry is saying that it wants clear proof now from germany on data that proves another chalk was used now what the report goes on to say is that this this act was in contravention to all gnash international guidelines on the use of chemical weapons on the use of nerve agents such as novacek and therefore there should be an international investigation nothing other than that is suitable according to this report. efforts to solve the this 150 nuclear deal between iran and major world powers of stalled the white

house says it's disappointed iran has ruled out its informal discussions with its european allies iran's foreign ministry says it's too soon to return to the negotiating table to her and wants the u.s. to make the 1st move by lifting its economic sanctions the u.n. nuclear watchdog is holding a meeting in vienna with iran's nuclear activities one of the topics to be discussed here some of what the i.a.e.a. chief rafael grossi has to say a short while ago my appeal to all is to to have constructive discussions and to preserve the work of the agency for me that is more important of course there will always be opinions on what the impact of what is going on at this at this point in time there are many things influencing us you know the if you run issue a consultation is there at the capitals there is this process days d.j.

should be or a process of course people will have views on how one thing impacts the other like a collator scope of me is in vienna with more on the conference. has tried to stand on equal distance from all the parties here because it was also intention by 3 of the countries which are members in the. meeting today which are france germany and the united kingdom to actually issue a statement within the itself as an official stance towards iran and this itself through its chief. said in the press conference that they cannot be used as a bargaining chip and when it comes to you know issues like this in his opening remarks actually a grossly also mentioned that they are questions that haven't been answered by the iranians in reference to 4 different sides which are believed to contain nuclear

material but the iranians haven't given any answers even before his visit this was not responded to at the same time he conveyed those concerns to the iranians when he met them on the 21st of february but he still believes as to what he mentioned in the press conference that the options are still there for a diplomatic solution the. chief of the agency said that they are concerns on what the iranians could be doing now because the possibility of verification and monitoring is not as the same as it was before and still there is a possibility to bring everyone back on the table hopefully very soon he's really prime minister is blaming iran for an attack on a congo ship the israeli own vessel was damaged by an explosion in the gulf of oman on friday the blast left holes in its hope the ship is now i don't buy and even netanyahu wouldn't be drawn on direct retaliation iran's foreign ministry denies the country was involved. chance main opposition candidates desirable says he's

withdrawing from the upcoming presidential election on sunday another opposition candidates former rebel leader delude gero bed she said the presidential guards killed his family members in a raid on his home amnesty international said the government needs to investigates the raids the government says his whereabouts are unknown and it will prosecute him for the attempted murder of officers who are trying to arrest him president idriss deby is seeking a 6th term well let's get more on the snow from mary regime below or she's the presidents of the africa international media group and joins us by skype from paris and this is paris and france that i'd like to focus on here because france and chances are quite calls are lies do you think france is ok with the way that president deby is behaving in this election is unfolding. yeah then

it cannot be ok. these not much one to do because it just degree is the here is a very loyal and great collegiate ally in the track against. terrorism in general in jihad and he has generously contributed troops and lost hundreds so chad to soldiers has been dying and last month there was another summit when it finds us wondering what is the way forward says the there was a summit in the in a chat with them enough where president you could be placed again to continue supporting the fight efforts inside the g 5 so. ages if he had has always

a couple of weeks months ago or last year he has revealed that at some point he wanted to step down but finance told him not to do so because they needed he saw much of. the anti terror activity is so. what is happening now is sort of a family feud because you say yeah look a general who. is a family member of the desert me he's been minister of mining is been his clothes that you had a great job but also what function we have the same our monetary union of central africa and the problem came when he sighed nick at some point here. he was a d.v.d. of his use i think the 1st lady in that movie and. how did you was managing.

the the and they meet. 19. you know he said she's not support she's not supposed to use the money he said that it was very political and the problem comes from there so he knew he was fired and you needn't go to his village so the police wanted to call him to certainly want to listen to you or sort of he was summoned by the police to come to say i don't want to come and no soul need you not in that. sort of the showdown because between him and. his family and also he decided to going to be opposition and all of a sudden to say i'm a candidate i'm running for president and. against it just give me you know the next next election if you make it work. and you snap when what many people who were formerly you i mean in the family you succeeded in speaking the family and every

tribe and and i saw it's a lot of tension and so that's this is happening in the wake of that and given all of this you say that france would so rather have. presidents the anybody else why is that the situation. why because they consider it to set it behind has always been very active in sending troops inside and he's a very active member of the 5 sap and you know. it was quite as also hit people in chat but it's mostly and general churchyard and so health care is mostly in mali or those numbers but he's a contributing force leave jobs and brave much souls or. you know there there were

a few days before there where you frenchmen un human rights watch for war position leaders being cheated all disappearing and you know but france. never let you down not only that at some point there was a coup. which almost succeeded ok but he was he was saved by french or the french troops. in germany ok i'm afraid we're out of time maria bello and thank you so much though for speaking to us here on al-jazeera you. know india is expanding its vaccination campaign beyond health workers alone people above the age of 60 and those above the age of 45 with preexisting medical conditions against vaccinators prevent a surrender more there was among the 1st of the new group to be inoculated strikes

nation dr started in january but the rollout has been slow india's the 2nd worst hit nation behind the united states. and the students in indian administered kashmir are returning to the cost of nearly one year after the pandemic forced schools to coles for certain to have been forced to study at home even before the pandemic sheeter a military clampdown on aug $21000.00 new delhi ended its the region special status and put it under the direct rule of central governments internet was cut off and local politicians put under house arrest. this is al jazeera and these are the headlines a court in france has found former presidents nicolas sarkozy guilty of corruption charges handed him a 3 year prison sentence to which are suspended he is appealing against the can.