on al jazeera, when the news breaks, when people need to be heard and the story told incredible what more people were injured or killed, this is music on the recorded capital with exclusive interviews and in depth reports are much more than $2000000000.00. have got my grub address now judas, go and budget deficits and widespread public al jazeera has teens on the ground to learn to bring you more award winning documentaries and lied, loves router to free it round australia for tens of thousands of years and then disappear. now scientists, the working to bring the tasmanian tiger back from the dead. one or one east investigates on al jazeera. ah, confirmation the united states will send its m one abram tanks to ukraine with a formal announcement expected on wednesday.

ah, hello, i'm marianne mosey and you're watching al jazeera, also coming up on the program. a deadly year on journalism is front line, new figures show a sharp rise and the number of media work is killed in 2022. the judge investigating the deadly bay report exposure and charges of former prime minister and other top officials. all the places i could be and the multi verse fantasy that scoop the most oscar nominations this year, including one for best actress. ah ah, top story, this al united states is dropping its opposition to sending battle thanks to

ukraine. u. s. defense department will on wednesday announced its sending abrams tanks to bolster the ukrainian effort. b, a u. turn for washington, which just days ago that it argued against sending the m one abrams tanks, despite demands from the ukrainian capital cave. and ukraine says these heavily armored western battle tanks would be useful given unexpected russian offensive. in the near future. we expectation is that there could be another push for fighting when the weather warms up, when i start to melt on the ground, that the fear is that there is going to be a renewed spring offensive by russia and so the ukrainians are essentially arguing that now is the time to fortify their army to acquire these tanks. looks as though they're going to get the m one abrams tanks. with that announcement coming on wednesday, we just heard from the pentagon in the last 60 minutes, but actually the tanks, the ukraine really wants to get hold of is it the leopard 2 tanks, and that is something that requires germany's approval. now there have been reports

at the german chancellor, olaf fault that olaf schultz is looking at sending is considering sending those lepper to tanks. and this comes after warsaw after poland put in an official request to germany to send a leopard. 2 tanks, which obviously produced in manufactured in germany, but of course, the license to re export them requires official permission form from berlin and jr . he's been coming and increasing pressure from its european allies to approve that there does seem to be a fear on berlin's part, that it could cross a point of no return that it could result in an escalation in the war. and that it would really choke off any possibility any prospect for negotiation or there are. there is also the suggestion that other allies at countries, perhaps like spain and denmark are also reluctant or in it to send more heavy weaponry, particularly leopard to tank, to ukraine. but to, in any case,

germany says that it is allowing other countries like poland to do so. and a confirmation that the u. s. is going to supply ukraine with its abram tanks. the question many is whether germany, of course, is going to supply it's tanks. ukraine, that so course the, the, the bit of heavy weaponry that he really wants to get its hands on. dominic cane joins us now from berlin. now what do we hearing about the position of german chancellor olaf shows, does it look as though there is room to maneuver? will the suggestion coming from at least one source here? and in this evening is that i was just being said that the decision is being taken to dispatch a contingent of german tanks. and the government decided to allow other countries to do likewise. but i have to stress that is not confirmed by any government ministry. this evening here,

and it's being reported by what you might consider to be a reputable source. the magazine de spiegel is reporting this, but i do have to stress that there is no independent governmental confirmation. while the saying is that a source close to the government have spoken to them and said, that is what they understand. now the thing to remember here is the real value that the main battle tranquil happened to possesses. it is a heavy, a tank and a fast the tank. the many, all the tanks of the russian army has in ukraine. it's also the case that very many different european countries have certain forms of the language to tank. there are several different forms, updates, and that sort of thing. but the principle here is clear that there are many of them in the european union, but also another nature european countries. we know the polish government in the course of this week,

prime minister mar epsky has been saying that he would like to establish a kind of coalition of countries who have left the 2 tanks and who want to send them to great to give them to ukraine. to allow ukraine to use them in combat against the russian forces. the interesting thing here is the numbers, because the article in the she is suggesting that it is a contingent of a company of leverage to tank. so that's not a particularly large number. and the suggestion over the course of this week has been that perhaps if this small coalition of states who are prepared to dispatch the leopard two's does form, then perhaps something in the order of about 90. that's 90 tanks would make their way to ukraine in the course of the next few weeks. and so that sort of thing. but i do have to say there's a very large caveats here. although dash beagle is a reputable news agency organization. there is no confirmation at

a ministerial level from any source in berlin. prepared to go on the record to say that this is definite. but there has been a ratcheting up of pressure as it were on the german government over the course. certainly this week, but going back many weeks now. because so far, the german government has been prepared to provide armored personnel carriers prepared to provides its own form of anti air cross and anti missile defense systems. so in other words, helping the cranium to defend themselves against russian attack. but they weren't prepared to provide this main battle tank, this idea of the kind of offensive weapon. and there is a reason for that. remember that germany passed this legacy from the 2nd world war, the historical legacy that weighs on all the shoulders of german chancellors. that they don't want to be seen to be indirect confrontation with the russians. and that

is what they fear. so if the reporting of dish feel is accurate, then it would appear that this crossing of the rubicon as it were, has been passed. this tipping point has been reached and gone through. if there should be yours report is accurate as you say, it's not been confirmed by any official sources in the government and we don't know the details of particular one is under consideration. what type of tanks have be sent in and how many but for now, thank you very much, dominic, candidly, the to come back to you and we hear more about that. patrick elaine joins us live now from washington. of course, this announcement that the united states is going to supply ukraine with the abrams tanks. it's perhaps made a decision by germany that much more likely because we know that the germans were hesitant to not act in lockstep with their allies. i decided the u. s. secretary of defense, lloyd austin, a while he was in a dat,

that conference and he bit, he did say that he didn't think the 2 decisions were linked, but behind the scenes they likely were. now the us just to be clear, has not announced that there's a deal yet, but i can tell you a source of mine from within. the government has told me that we can expect on wednesday at the white house in announcement that a new deal has in fact been reached and that the us will be supplying ukraine a one m. abrams taxed very powerful tank. now this comes after weeks of the top brass at the pentagon, the secretary of defense, the chairman joint use, the staff really casting doubt on whether or not that this could really help ukraine. they said that focuses on the upcoming spring offensive. there wouldn't be enough time to get that done. and then they had all, all other reasons why they didn't think it would work. they said, okay, it's a 4 man crew. the drives, the 8 m one abrams tank. it's a really modern machine. that training takes a lot of time. the bigger piece is the tank needs

a whole lot of maintenance. that's a whole other dozens and dozens of people that need to be trained on every aspect of fixing this tank. well, it's in the feel was in the battle. so they said, look, that's a long term process. that's not going to help them in the media term. some in the pentagon were say, look, we use jet fuel. this. the m on abrams tanks is slightly unique in the world of tanks, in that it has a gas turbine engine. but the u. s. uses for that is jet fuel, but really you can use diesel fuel. you can other use other sorts of fuel to get the m one abrams moving. ah, so they've been saying all along that this is just isn't gonna work. and so they were asked at the pentagon today, ah, how are you? why would you downplayed for this long and then make the announcement and then he said, well, i'm not making an announcement, but we're looking also for ukraine's medium and long term needs. so that to me was a hint that it might not be coming any time soon. what might be the okay and

just clicking cassie, what might be the time frame on this and oh, we still don't have a details. i'm going to get an announcement on wednesday. but nonetheless, out quickly is, does it seem as a key of might have access to this weaponry will, there's 2 things that will be watching for on this. so it's all coming out of a particular pot of money. there's different parts of money. the congress is approved forgetting weapons to ukraine. it doesn't look like this is going to be coming out of the pot of money, which would simply say, hey, the u. s. has a bunch of these and stockpile. we're going to put them on a plane. we're going to get them to ukraine. that doesn't seem likely. there are 2 other ways. the pot of money i believe they're going to use. they could contract it out. bill brand new tags that will take years. that seems somewhat likely. the other way they could use the money is to find places where they've sold and one abrams tanks or get given them to countries and given give those countries the money to then give those tags to ukraine. but again, we don't know how long this trainings going to be. we don't know how many tanks

they're going to give. if pass announcements or any indication, i don't think you're in to be hearing about dozens or by maybe not. maybe dozens, but not hundreds of tanks. if you look at just the patriot anti anti air defense system, they announced just one so or, and see how long and how many and that we should know that. but again, a source in the government says the deal has been made. all right, thank you very much patty coin in washington. well, in all the developments, several senior officials in ukraine of resigned as president ramirez lansky take steps to root out corruption in his government. countries long running battle with graft has taken on a new significance since rush are invaded. last february with key relying more on west and support. trying to join the european union as i shall bought her is falling. this story from keith will ukrainian president vladimir lensky had indicated on monday that he was going to make some changes in government circles

because of a number of recent corruption scandals and allegations. what we now know, what those changes are. we've seen a number of top ukrainian government officials who have resigned or have been dismissed the same for a number of regional governors, including as the governor of here, the capital key. now, as lensky says, we are, look, we're at a time of war. there is no place for corruption at any time. there's particularly no place for corruption at a time of war when all politicians or people should really be focusing on the war effort. he is also said that are, all officials are no longer allowed to go on holiday abroad. they should be remaining in ukraine and very much focusing on that war effort. as i said, look for so lensky. he knows that you have western powers. ukraine's allies are sending billions of dollars of military and humanitarian aid to the country. they of course, want to know that their money is being well spent and not siphoned off by allegedly corrupt ministers. semanski is also very aware that for ukraine to become part of

the european union, one of the conditions is that corruption is stamped out in the country ah, from the front lines of the war in ukraine to a sharp rise and killings in latin america. 2022 was another deadly if the journalist and al jazeera was not untouched by this our own correspondence, sharina butler was shot dead by these railey army, won on assignment in the occupied west bank last may well wide, at least $67.00 journalists and media workers were killed last year. that's the highest number since 2018, and an almost 50 percent rise of a 2021. more than half of the killings occurred in just 3 contr is ukraine, mexico and haiti each reported the highest number of journalists, deaths, ever 18 of those killed were local reporters who were murdered in retaliation for their work covering politics, crime, or corruption,

or correspondence have this reports from some of the toughest places for journalists operate. ah, 2022 was a deadly year for journalists around the world, covering bull conflicts, but also reporting on politics and corruption. we've seen journalists targeted for simply doing their jobs. well, ukraine is a dangerous place for journalists are often covering stories very close to fighting or the front lines. but what we've seen in this war since february 2022, his attacks can happen anywhere. and at any time now at least 15 journalists were killed in ukraine since the war began in february, amongst them and american, a lithuanian frenchman, but also ukrainians most were killed in the 1st months of the war. but many others have also been injured or even targeted in the course of their work. in latin

america, media workers are facing daily challenges last year. british journalist, dumb phillips was murdered in the brazilian amazon. it 2022 here in mexico, more journalists were killed than any other country. bar ukraine. the committee to protect journalists says that 13 in total died. that's more than they ever recorded in mexico. what are the reasons for that? well, as you would expect, the call tells the gangs that a very powerful in parts of this country are attacking and threatening journalist, but also authorities. a federal government stop says that 40 percent of the threats and attacks against journalists actually came from officials. a lot of times those are local ones, it's local journalists here in the hinterlands of the country that are most affected by this journalists have been under attack over the last decade. we've seen press freedom regress in the philippines. we've, when we now shop to at the press freedom index. we're $147.00 out of $180.00

countries around the world. last year radio, an online commentator percival, my bossa, was gone down inside a gated village investigation, revealed that the former prisons, chief of the philippines, gerald bumper was a bastard mine. but it's not just the killings abs. cbs, the country's largest deuced network, still cannot broadcast on redo air tv. there is hope, however, maria reza, the bell prize winning journalist. she has been cleared the past evasion charges, though she still basis several cases, the court and her news outlet rattler still is in danger. of closure, israeli forces target and shot and just need a journalist, chilling a ball player while she was on assignment. in janine, she was a household name and veteran journalist whose colleagues looked up to and for that for her killing to go without accountability even though she was killed in front of the camera, just gives you an idea how difficult it is and how high the price is for journalists

in palestine just last year, 117 journalists were subjected to attacks by israeli military, according to the palestinian journalist syndicate. and 2023. doesn't look any better. lebanon's, head of security in a former prime minister, or among several top officials to be charged over the deadly blast at the bay report in 2020 an investigation was reopened on monday after more than a year for countries top prosecutor who's also being charged says the price should remain suspended. st hunter reports now from beirut. it's been nearly 3 years since one of the most powerful blasts killed dozens and destroyed neighborhoods in the lebanese capital. the investigation into what caused the explosion has repeatedly been sold by political pressure. but a surprised decision by the lead, traditional investigator thought it better, has given back hope to the victims, families. we are surprised by the decision. this is the decision and the same time

or are happy because the not the norman from more than one year anticipation. luckily, now we have a little of hope that somebody's some thing is moving on. the lead judge has released a number of detainees and charged new officials and set dates for questioning and february among them. heads of security bodies like major general abaz ibrahim and high ranking judges, including the prosecutor, general hudson, away debt. it's the 1st in a country with a history of impunity. but all indications point to the fact that the political and security establishment would cooperate, the public prosecutions response was swift. it rejected the implementation of the tories release and prosecution orders. once again, the establishment uniting to prevent the christmas of

justice. in the case of the last, we haven't seen government officials, the traditional official engaging any serious matter with the legal arguments that the time has made. effectively saying, blocking the continuation of the investigation and blocking junk a political campaign against the tar has been led by the group hezbollah, who accuses him of bias. the judge has sought to question many of its allies, including a former prime minister, has some deb, who has been charged with homicide with probable intent and the decision to resume the investigation has sorry, had a legal debate. there was no court order, but judge guitar reinstated himself basing it on legal justifications. he argued, a judicial investigator cannot be dismissed or removed and that his task ends, once he issues an indictment, in the case. families of victims haven't stopped their quest for answers and justice. they want to know who brought the ammonium nitrate to lebanon and who

unsafely stored it at the port. it may be a long way for that battle to be one, but the resumption of the probe has already re ignited tensions. santa who they are al jazeera, they wrote 7 people, a dad after yet another math shooting in the us. the sheriff in the small city of hoffman base as the latest attack is likely linked to workplace violence. it was the 2nd mass shooting in california in 2 days after a gunman shot dead 11 people in monterey park on sunday. rob reynolds reports from los angeles to mass killings in as many days in the state of california police in half moon bay, south of san francisco. say the latest shootings happened in 2 separate locations. police were 1st dispatched to a mushroom farm upon arrival. deputies located poor victims, deceased with gunshot wound, victim, also suffering from a gunshot wound,

was transported to scamper medical center with life threatening injuries. soon after officers found 3 more people shot dead at a local trucking company, a san mateo county elected official said those killed were agricultural workers of chinese ethnicity. the suspected gunman went to a police station, apparently to give himself up. video shows officers bringing him to the ground and putting him in handcuffs. police say they recovered a semi automatic weapon from his car. his motive is under investigation. through investigations the suspect identified as chung lee's owl. as 67 year old half moon, they resident at $440.00 p n. zell was located in his vehicle in the parking lot of the sheriff's sub station here and a half moon bay. by a sheriff's deputy vow was taken into custody. without incident,

local officials responded with shock and outrage. the man, there are simply too many guns in this country. and there has to be a change. this is not an acceptable way for modern society and 2 rivers within darkness affairs. even as news of the latest mass shooting came in, mourners gathered in monterey park near los angeles to remember the people killed in a rampage at a ballroom dancing studio. on saturday night. the 11th victim died in hospital on monday. both the suspected gunman and the victims in these mass shootings were of asian heritage. the united states is the only country where there are more civilian owned guns than people rob reynolds al jazeera los angeles. we take use any zealand now. the new prime minister is going to be sworn in that i showed a chris hipkins was the only candidates in the governing labor parties,

leadership contest. your price is to send to our dad who announced have unexpected resignation. 6 days ago saying she was too tired to carry on and the capital. wellington adrian brown reports in a valley below the rumor tucker mountains. the electorate of new zealand, new prime minister, or chippy. as he's known here in upper hearts high street signs of the challenges confronting him, fail businesses, stagnant consumer demand and the feeling that new zealand has become a less equal society. having what they classes middle income people. because we think taste juggling more, then the lower and higher income people. we don't get much help at all whatsoever. chris hipkins is in the news because of the woman he's replacing. just hinder our turns last public engagement as prime minister. testament to what's been a friendly, albeit swift transfer of power when jazz inter are then became prime minister,

her popularity was undeniable, but a rating stead on a backlash against kobe 19 restrictions increase food costs, rising mortgages, concerns over crime. and people wanted someone to blame. yes, i think she did her absent at every stop over the college an inch, the shooting center let. so the thing that she's dish lost here, my jo towards cmj. i know what this job takes and i know that i no longer have enough in the take to do it. justice. last thursday's announcement was one that few saw coming an unusual acknowledgment from a world leader that she was burnt out vicious abuse oh. on the streets and on line raised concerns over her safety. she's received death threats, and so her child, her replacement, has called the abuse, abhorrent. the next election will be in less than 9 months, which means hipkins may not be in the job long,

especially as opinion polls show labor now trading the conservative opposition. our durn is leaving office at a time of her choosing. although she'll remain in m p for 3 more months and at 42, she still has plenty of time to ponder. a new career and the one she's left pinky on the bottom of my her to the greatest privilege of adrian brown al jazeera, wellington, the human rights group, fortify right has filed a criminal complaint in john the accusing me and was military of genocide. the organization accuses military of crimes against humanity and war crimes over it's cracked on wrangler muslims. in 20162017 security force is reportedly carried out mass rapes and murders during the authorities called a clearance operation. like a diamond dessert complaint in case and a member of the board of directors of force. if i write it, as is about his 1st hand experience in dealing with the military government. the

cool i was followed by the military intelligent, 247 after the could also i also. busy friends, the, i mean talking to local media in the nation of media are in, are in favor already. i'm a free for a i was want to leave my home and ask, request me to hide and go in hiding because of the if the military and to let him go put special branch arrested me. i will be a kill and culture and kill. so i normally walk with the. busy inside of, from the military and from the police, the so all the time, the shell, the case of inside information with me, all the warning. so i left my whole and i goal in hiding ingle and then be also looking, hunting me and my family. so i moved to timer. busy border so even i moved to time him up for, for that location, is that threatened by a military strike

a deal. what i was deal. so we have to dig our own shelter, and whenever military at crack jet fighters flying in that location, we have to go in hiding. so i been expressing a sprint, the kind of traumatic events, the sink stuff to the coop. i'm a human defender before the cool i was defending and i was. busy investigating and documenting humor i val, asian in retire and also in other part of the country. so i'm a kinds of well known humor. i defended, and i walk for the, for the fire, right? so they are being follow me for the full 7. and after the qu also, i b spotlight because i was talking to the local media and talking to the internet in the nation. the media. busy the military coup ema, so most coveted award in cinema, the contenders for the oscars were revealed in los angeles. leading the pack on the multi verse fantasy, everything everywhere, all at once. and the tragic comedy,

the ban she's of ensure in australian. actor cate blanchett won her 8th nomination, and steven spielberg scored his 9th best direct denomination. mike sergeant, a chief film critic for w. b. i radio reacted to the nominations. no big surprises. i'd say, i think that for the most part, this is kind of what i expected though. some of the snobs herb also kind of what i expected as well. for instance, for james cameron to not even be nominated for best director. while as the phil was nominated for best picture and very specific for me, while a davis for the woman think as a woman king to not get nominated in any category that is a bit of a snobbish life. i think there are lot of films that don't get seen. i think that at a certain point there are certain films that nobody saw, but then the word starts to spread. and you know, this is like all quite on the western front. you didn't hear anything about that

film for a while and then all of a sudden the word spread in the last 2 weeks. it's become a front runner. now it's nominated for best picture. so i think it really comes down to what films are actually seen by the academy members and the nominee than what else is seen by most academy members and everybody in the book. i think it's very rare that a big money maker is you know, wins, best picture that that's, those are more rare. it's very often a film that you heard great things about from critics that didn't make a lot of money that gets nominated and then it'll start to make some money. but i don't think, i don't know. i think they do influence each other in that if the public is seeing something, i think sometimes it will make people see it. but then i think also sometimes that makes members not want to give in to let's just say the populace versus the other way around. oh.