louise, emergency, a season of special coverage on al jazeera in india's super growing wheaton, a 3rd of the no workers have had their wounds with 11 east investigates why so many women are having invasive surgery on al jazeera mm. mm. haitian kidnappers, the man. the $17000000.00 for the release of christian missionaries snatched from an orphanage near the capital. ah, hello barbara sarah, this is al jazeera, alive from london, also coming up, demanding a recount in iraq. supporters of pro iranian parties accused the government of vote . rigging dozens bed and the downstream communities. now at risk days of heavy rain

push reservoirs to capacity in the indian state of caroline. and the joy in tears as political prisoners are released in mere march. but most of the civilian government remains in custody. ah, in what could be the 1st breakthrough in the search for 17 christian missionaries, abducted in haiti, a ransom demand has been received. the gang that took the 16 americans and one canadian wants $1000000.00 per person. the $17000000.00 demand was made to the country chief of christian aid ministries. the missionaries were returning to port a prince after visiting an orphanage in the town of glenfield, which is east of the capital when their bus was seized by gang members. john henderson has worn out from the missions headquarters in the us state of ohio. a haitian gang has put a price on the lives of 17 missionaries,

taken captive in port prince. $17000000.00. the ransom amounts to a $1000000.00 for each of the 5 men, 7 women, and 5 children, captured by a group called $400.00. no, was it was, they were building an orphanage. it's a risk haitian missionaries now face daily. it is like living in a war zone. you don't know when you're going to get saw that you don't know one you're going to get can nap. that is a very real concern here in ohio, where many in the religiously conservative our mission mennonite community consider it their christian mission to fund advancements abroad, even as many of them live much as they did in the 19th century. the random demand is a drop in the bucket for an organization that brings in a $130000000.00 a year and donations from around the world. but now christian aid ministry has an ethical decision to make. do they pay it in risk funding? the kidnapping machine in haiti, or do they refuse and risk the lives of the missionaries they sent there? at the white house president joe biden is getting updates on what is both

a crisis for the missionaries, families and a criminal case. the f, b r a is a part of a coordinated u. s. government effort to get the u. s. citizens involved to safety. all gangs have stepped up their campaign of kidnapping, extortion, and sexual violence across large parts of haiti. u. s. a visual say they've been trying to help the government cope with the problem. we realize what a priority this is for the people that he and that's why we have provided funding to the tune of $312000000.00 in assistance over the last decade alone to strengthen long foresman and capacity of the haitian national police. and to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. even so us citizens have been repeatedly warned against visiting haiti because of the violence and instability. president driven our moisture was assassinated in july and an earthquake struck in august. us based cristian aid ministries is just one of dozens of religious groups doing work in haiti. some are now asking whether the u. s. should send in troops to

rescue the missionaries, or whether the united nations needs to expand its peacekeeping operations in a nation where hostage taking is now on average in every day occurrence. and john is live from millsborough in hall, high oh, outside the headquarters where the christian missionaries are actually based at john. what's the significance of the f b i being involved now? well, that's something that i think we should have expected the f b i would normally go to assist you in law situation like this in order to help with the investigation and to be the american representatives with law enforcement . looking into that, if they could actually find those gang members, they would, and that would staff, the demand for ransom that is going on right now. but it's not clear that it means anything. these could be investigators, and we really don't have the kind of granular information yet to know what it is

they would be doing. so they might be actually going after the gang members themselves, or they might simply be coordinating, we have to wait and see what's going to happen in that case. meanwhile, christian aid ministries has put out a statement offering just a little more information about what happened, including the ages of the people who have been kidnapped. they say those people ranging in age be adults from 18 to 48 is a, the ages of the children. one is 3 or 8 months old. another is 3 years old, one is 6, and other 13, another 15 or some very young children being kept in. what seems like harsh conditions. they are similar to those that these same gang members have held people in before that that group 400 no was oh, the name means 400 simpletons. have previously held people who have been physically abused sexually abused deprived of food. and so it's important to this organization

that they get those people out of there as quickly as possible, and that may be what the f b i is doing there. the gang has made it clear that what they want is $1000000.00 per person now. and the u. s. has a policy, you're not paying ransom a lot of western nation to do a least officially. so could the christian aid ministries themselves the site to pay the ransom demand unilaterally? well, the state department has a policy that it won't pay a ransom, and in this case, it's a whopper. $17000000.00. but we do know that there have been a number of pass. incidences were individuals who been involved have paid the ransom. and while the u. s. does not facilitate that, they don't tend to interfere. in the case of this organization, it becomes an ethical question because this is an organization that brings in about a $130000000.00 a year and donations from all around the world. so it actually has the money likely

to make this payment. the question is, do they want to do that? because if they do that and they tend to feed that kidnapping machine in haiti, but if they don't, they endanger the lives of 70 missionaries that they sent out there to do their work. so it's something of an ethical question, but technically speaking, the group could go ahead and make that payment as many kidnapping families have in the past here in the united states, john hendern that live from hillsboro in ohio, the headquarters over to a christian group at john thank you. a secretary of state antony blink in his in ecuador to discuss counter narcotics operations and regional security. a day after ecuadorian president guillermo last so declared a state of emergency to crack down on the consumption and trafficking of drugs. the migrant issue is also likely to be raised at a time when more ecuadorian are making the journey to the u. s. southern border in

what's described as a burst in migration. it's go straight, allow to teresa bow, who is in quito, way the talk. so will take place. so teresa anthony blinking has just arrived there, but he's also having to monitor the situation in haiti that of course we're just talking about there with john henderson. what is the state department said about the kidnappings? first of all, i'm right here in front of the presidential palace in kito and secretary of state lincoln is expected to be arriving here any time soon. he's having a meeting precedent. he's at a more last or i'm on got. this is just the 1st top of south americans to what he's going to be hearing. if i order and later on in columbia, we know that the state department has said that this is a priority for them. that they're speaking, that they're every day in touch with the police, with the national police in haiti trying to assist to find out where the missionaries could be located low. so know that there's a several f,

b i agents trying and help out in the hunt down to where the missionaries did to 12 . although adults and 5 children could be located. this is a priority mostly of what's been happening in haiti for this past 2 years. protests on the street, a prime minister that was assassinated, an earthquake, thousands and thousands of leave people leaving the country. many of them patsy through wick weather and heading towards the united states and thousands of people being deported back to haiti. there is an ongoing crisis in the country right now. kidnappings have been on the rise, and it's not wholly foreigners that are being kept. not just also hundreds of people that have been kicked out the doctors and the human rights activates even street vendors have been kidnapped and had that their children killed because of the ongoing situation in the country. what one person that i spoke to recently said is that he's slowing personnel or missionaries are being kidnapped in the countries, shows that no one safe and theresa going back to the issue there in ecuador,

the u. s. secretary of state is there to discuss counter narcotics. tell us a little bit more and more detail about what he will be discussing with his ecuador and counterparts. well they can, he's here on the main priority is going to be discussing democracy dark trafficking operations and of course are the migration this passing through this country. i'm heading towards the united states. we're seeing several security vehicles. our secretary blinker should be arriving here any time soon, and he's arriving here at a critical time for what all of those are an ongoing prices in this country that government has just to clear the state of emergency all around this nation. mostly because that increase in criminal activities related to drug trafficking groups operating in the country. there's also a credit can army crisis very high unemployment rate. so president, lifestyle is also in the middle of

a political crisis who has been threatening of closing down the national assembly because he came to power with the objective of jumpstarting, the economy in this country. that it was hardly hit by the pandemic. and he has not been able to do so. so the lincoln's visit to this country is definitely a show of support towards the jetta, more law sort of ref, and proposal even look at columbia, that's where he's heading next. teresa. but with the latest there for doctors are for the moment. thank you. oh, supporters of pro iranian factions in iraq are protesting against the result of last week's parliamentary elections. oh, parties linked to the paramilitary group, known as the popular mobilization forces, saw big losses in that election. crowds in baghdad gather to demand

a recount. the pop listed shia cleric knocked out there. i saw that. his said, his move went secured, the biggest number of seats in parliament muffin with a bill where he has more now from back that thousands of angry protest her as are protesting in front of the green zone. and by the dod, demanding a manual recount of the votes of the legislative election. now these protest her as they are supported as of their political parties, most leesha political parties that last in the election, many of them here, despite, although they are in civilian uniform, many of them are military individuals belonging to the popular mobilization forces that are commanded by a members of the shia political parties that last and the election. the protest

that has to have set up dozens of tents here. and they say that planning to continue protesting here in this area, blocking several roads leading to the green zone until their demands are met. they say that they are accusing the election commission of fraud of vote rigging. they say that our international parties are intervening and the election and are also directing the results of the election. these are accusing the government of collaborating and what they call a vote rigging. subbing in land slides over the past 3 days of killed dozens of people in the southern indian state of carola, where people are bracing for worse and conditions. dams near capacity have been opened with more rain predicted on wednesday in copy i'm district. it's 13 people were killed by a landslide that triggered that, that was triggered by heavy rains. at least 6 of them were from the same family.

thousands of people have be moved to route moved to relief camps so far with fear as the close proximity of people in shelter, as will trigger a very fast rise of coven 19 infections. elizabeth per item is in one of the worst affected districts of carroll estate. we're downstream from cadillac biggest water reservoir. that's the it okey dam, which is releasing $100000.00 pieces of router every 2nd. now the government is doing that is releasing washer from 3 dams. because they rapidly filled up with a torrential rain over the weekend. and that means that people living in a live and downstream along the patio river as far as the city of chloe richey have been put on alert. in case of flooding from the release of water. now they're doing this because there is more heavy rain projected for all of cadillac from wednesday

. and this is what the states water resources minister told us about the preparations dinardo. i'm worried for all the dams are under control now. and the government has made all arrangements regarding the location of people living near the catchment area of the dams and also to other places where this water could flow . no one is relocated as of now, as the water discharging is in a limited and controlled manner. now what the government is trying to do is of the, the kind of disaster that happened during the months in floods of 2018 when at least 400 people lost their lives. the government face criticism of both delaying the decision to open the waters to release the waters rather from the reservoirs. and then once they made that decision for not giving any notice to people who are living downstream, those are both scientist reasons to some of widespread damage and destruction.

they're also emphasizing bed the release of the water from the dan has being done in a staggered and in a controlled manner and catalyst chief minister that the state lead to that i vision has said that they have increased the number of relief camps of shelters in the state to in 40, keeping in mind that as well as all of those people who all ready lost their homes over the past week. the thousands who are in shelters more might need evacuation because of the release of the water from the dams. and if those heavy rains which are predicted for wednesday do come through and in the northern state of teracon, the another 22 people have been killed and many more are missing in floods. again, triggered by heavy rain roads, have been damaged and buildings destroyed, with the resort to town of 90 towel completely cut off from the rest of the state. scientists say, landslides and flooding are becoming more frequent in india due to climate change.

still to come in this half hour, mecolas medical emergency doctor is demand. the ethiopian government lift this siege on the city. and the boat trip that uncovered a 900 year old relic, a crusader nights sword found in the waters israel. ah hi there your world, whether update begins in europe and this surge of warm air has now made it into scandinavia and the baltic states, but a pretty good run of rain that's the caustic comes at rain and wind. and we see some heavier pockets of rain over e stony pushing into western russia. rain fills in across the low country's western areas of france, and at times we will see some heavy burst of rain here. up until now it was the

best weather on the continent, and okay, it's still pretty much is for spain, seville at $31.00 degrees, but toward the northwest as faint, northern in central areas of portugal. we do have a run of rain and this could disrupt some travel when you consider about 15 millimeters of rain in an hour or into central and southern parts of europe, we've got some clouds drifting in and outs belgrade at 22 degrees. it's actually pretty good above average for where you should be this year. but some rain will kick down your temperature on friday to 900 degrees. you know, turkey, we were dealing with some driving rain toward the northeast black sea region. it's still there on wednesday, but we will see it dow back a bit as we get throughout the day on wednesday, a lot of sand and does spin spin around through chad needs share, as we head towards libya, and also algeria on wednesday and storms across the gulf of guinea ah,

a small closed middle eastern community whose history goes back nearly 3000 years. with a population under threat. when men out number women, 3 to one, out as they were well meet, the men have decided to break with tradition. and married foreign women, samaritan weddings signed sealed, deliberate analogies era. lou ah, a reminder now of the top stories on al jazeera, haiti's just this minister says the criminal gang is demanding $17000000.00 for the

return of 17 foreign christian missionaries. the mostly american and canadian group was kidnapped near the capital porter, france on saturday in iraq. supporters of pro iranian factions have been protesting against the result of last week's parliamentary elections. after parties linked to the paramilitary group known as the popular mobilization forces, saw big lot losses and floods in india have killed dozens of people in northern and southern regions. large parts of looked at our con, have been cutoff and kettler. rescue teams are preparing for worsening conditions as dams overflow health care workers in ethiopia, t grey regional calling on the federal government to lift the siege on mckelly. a shortage of medical supplies is worse, sending a humanitarian crisis in the region. the un says 400000 people are experiencing famine. and the further 1800000 people were on the brink of it. the journalist that

some will get a chew says there is no when site for the blockade against the t grey. there doesn't seem to be any compromise from the ethiopian side and from a t p, a level of what we've seen from, for example, those, those thoughts are protesting integrity as trying to express the pressure it been going on in local clinics and hospitals trying to kick take care of so many victims and so many people that are in need of medical help and a system that's almost broke down. and that's why they were protesting in front of the u. n. trying to express what's been happening and thus much we are beginning to see from a distance 91 percent of the population are in need. ofa some kind of emergency aid . and according to us aid close to 1000000 people are it's facing family conditions that the need is so much overwhelming, you know, you can send and so many so much trucks from w p. the fact is the need to so much

and the people are in need of the support are just overwhelmingly so much and there's only so much you could do and much of the pressure i've seen it. i've traveled to the region, you know, in last the earlier this year, what we beginning to see, what we've seen from far as and from near is the fact that the hospitals are just being overwhelmed with not enough medicine to even treat the most basic needs. at least 43 people have been killed by attacker as a northern nigeria that suckle to state gunman storm the market and go to know you on sunday. and there are sold carried on into monday morning. attacks by armed gangs have been increasing in that region. acquainted with says more now from of which i these attacks have been carried out by armed groups in the north that have been operating in the north for them for a state in particular. they've been there for more than a decade,

and they're killed. thousands of people displeased tens of thousands, most of them crossed into neighboring countries like michelle public. and because of recent military operations, they have been dislodged from most of the forest areas they've been occupied in zone for a stage. so some of them have spilled over into neighboring states like so could, although they keep talking so could from time to time in from that basis in some for, and other parts of north western idea. but now we understand that these benefits, according to officials, also have moved from their basis after they've been dislodged by military as strikes and ground operations there. and they are targeting communities in other parts of north western niger, especially a states like sort a state that a lot of government spaces in the north west of the country. like just in the northeast of the country where i bought them another. and i've been operating there is little or no government presenters, fucked in areas, nor infrastructure, no security presence, kidnapping for rent. some is high right now in the north of the country and in this

office and for parts of my g y, i'm groups have been gathering hundreds of millions of dollars since they started these operations. so a lot of criminal gangs and of course the individual caching in on the, on the, on the lucrative business, illegal business and way in northwest of nigeria. so that's the situation at the moment. man, mars military government has started releasing political prisoners. the amnesty grant freedom to those who took part in the anti qu, demonstrations in april. but most of the civilian leaders of the pose, the government, including santucci, are still detained. the harding has this report the. b cheers erupt as families are about to be reunited for the 1st time in months. these political prisoners scan the crowd, looking for their loved ones outside this prison and yang on me in march. when they finally find them, tears of joy. thousands of reunions like this are expected to take place in the

coming days after me and mars qu leaders issued an amnesty for some 5600 political prisoners most were arrested in february, as the military deposed the elective government. others were detained months later, during anti q protest. my sister was arrested after some one reported her for publishing books. they ordered 50 books from her and arrested her with police vehicles and military trucks. i hope that she gets released soon. she has 2 kids at home, i want her home as soon as possible. the timing of this amnesty comes a week before the regional block us in is due to meet in an unprecedented move. as young leaders have excluded me and mars military leader men on clang from attending that summit. it's the most severe sanction the block has ever handed to a member state in 5 decades. this is a big deal telling one of the leaders of one of the member states that it cannot

attend the summit of which it would've used the footage of to try and demonstrate its international legitimacy to people. and me and me are to try and use that to suggest that they should stop resisting because the kudos in february was complete . that is a pretty big deal. and it was something that took a long time to get to me and mar. authorities released more in 2000 anti to protesters from prison across the country in june, including journalists critical of the military government. the latest and larger amnesty comes while there's increasing pressure on the military leaders to engage with their opponents. nearly 9 months after seizing power steps like this, that of been taken by as young this we, we lease the likelihood of a split within the model is again, they do care about the appearance of international legitimacy, the former head of government, all songs to cheat who was also arrested in february, is not expected to be released. many of those already set free say they were made

to sign an agreement, saying they won't engage in political activities in the future. a trade off many were willing to take to see their families again. leo harding al jazeera, a 96 year old woman, accused of complicity and mass murder during the holocaust has appeared in court in germany, prosecutors say that in guard fortunate, assisted in the killing of thousands of prisoners while working as a typist in the stood of camp in poland in september 1st, nor went on the run by taking a taxi from her nursing home, but was later found by police and detained that vast and is in berlin with more. m garcia, snow was so picked up by an ambulance and was wearing what looked like a sort of hot suit going into court today after her dramatic escape from the nursing home near hamburger just to weeks ago when her 1st day in court was supposed to be she was detained briefly, but the authorities let her go,

but they made it very clear to us that there was no way that she could escape again . they didn't specify the match as they have taken. she was taken back to the nursing home, but she is now in court. that case can only start in german, according to german law when that suspect itself is in court. so the charges will be rat out today because of your age, the case will or the trial hearings will be short. she, her attendance will be maximized by around 2 hours. she is charged and accused of assisting the mass, murder of more than $11000.00 prisoners at the shoot. gotta stood ho for camp in poland between 1943 and 945. she was actually working as a secretary, as a, as a bank worker at the dresden bank, which was assisting the as, as at the time to have the operation in concentration camps when the where mom was

suffering losses, she lost her job and she was moved to the concentration camp to work there and according to the court and also according to investigators. she was aware of all the documents that have been type and sign there. and she also knew about these orders for execution to people have been gas, have been shot, have been poisoned in that camp. in israel, a sharp eyed diver has recovered a complete sword. believe to be from the crusades almost a millennium ago. the meter long blade hilton handle encrusted with marine life was spotted after under currents shifted sands that had previously concealed it. archaeologists believe the sword to be from a knight based that the crusader castle of athlete a template base from the early 13th century. it's the 1st time that a complete sort has been found in israel with preservation attributed to the and

under water environment being mostly oxygen free. following the weights of this saw the, we assume that they denied that hall, this floor. it was very strong because to fight with these they away than the size of a sword. it wasn't so easy even today to hold it. it's heavy. so way and this is typical sword of fur, co sailor, early nights. ah . the top stories now on al jazeera haiti's, justice minister says a criminal gang is demanding $17000000.00 for the return of 17 foreign christian missionaries. the group was kidnapped, the other capital puerto prince on.