mark lamb on hill what al jazeera and diverse range of stories from across the globe. from the perspective of our networks, janice on al jazeera, a 115000000 traits disappear every year into the clothing that we all wear from up cycling to say the forest. the famous yellow dress made from blue jeans law to conserving the world's dwindling wetlands. 3 of the apes worlds global bird migration white intersect right where we are basic discovered a treasure child. it is one of the most special wetlands on the plan. i fries ecosystems a light on al jazeera ah, germany finally decides to send leopard to types to ukraine. the key folks will be

a game changer in the war against russia. ah, but on the clock, this is out 0 live from the also coming up. a twisted lebanon's investigation into the port explosion. the chief prosecutor orders the release of all the accused detained for questioning. the dutch government gets to go ahead from a european court to press charges against russia for the mh 17 plane crash in 2014 . 0 wow, i mean, fed up south africa, main opposition rallies the people against power cuts to the crippling the economy . let's take you straight to the white house where you as president joe biden, is making announcements about the m on abrams tanks being sent to ukraine. this

listen in love months you wish to create people who show to and the world, the full force of their courage and in domino determination to live free. and through every single step this horrific war. the american people have been strong and waving to support. the democrats and republicans in congress have stood together. the united states has worked in lock step with our allies and partners around the world to make sure you can decrease people are in the strongest possible position to defend the nation. for families and against the brutal, the truly brutal aggression rush. i'm seeing the likes to this a long time. the united states and europe are fully united this morning. i had a long conversation with our nato allies, german chancellor, sholtes friends, president mac crone prime minister, so look and the giant prime minister maloney to continue our close

coordination in our for support ukraine because you all know of incentives for a long time. the expectation of the part of russia is we're going to break up. we're not going to stay united, but we are fully thoroughly totally united. was spring, approaching, ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory. they hold and prepared for additional counter offenses to liberate their land. they need to be able to counter rushes, evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield. in the very near term, they need improve their ability to maneuver an open terrain and they need in during capability to deter and defend against russian aggression over the long term. for secretary of state, the secretary of, of the, of the military i be behind me, are they, they've been deeply, deeply involved in this, this whole effort, armor capability as a general last and will tell you to speak is, has been,

has been critical. that's why the united states has committed hundreds of armored fighting vehicles today, including more than $500.00 as part of the assistance package we announced last friday. and today, today i'm announcing that the united states will be sending $31.00 abram tanks to ukraine. the equivalent of one ukrainian battalion, such a austin has recommended this step because on hands the cranes capacity finished her turn achieve strategic objectives. davis trying for the most capable tanks in the world. they're also extremely complex to operate and maintain. so we're also giving you in the parts and equipment necessary to effectively sustain these tanks . on the bows, we began will began to train ukrainian troops on these issues of sustainment logistics and maintenance soon as possible. to live in the tanks in the field is going to take time. time that we'll see will use to make sure the ukrainians are

fully prepared to integrate abram tanks into their defense. we're also closely coordinated this announcement with our allies. american contribution will be joined by the initial announcement, including that will be, will be ready to available and more easily integrated for use of the battlefield and the coming weeks and months from other countries. i'm grateful a chance for shots for providing german leopard to tax, and will lead an effort to organize the european contribution to tank battalions for ukraine. i want to thank chance for, for his leadership, steadfast commitments to our collective efforts to support a crate. germany has really stepped up the chance there's been a strong, strong voice for unity, a close friend, and for the level of effort, we're going to continue supporting ukraine's ability to fight our freshman aggression. expanded sovereignty and territorial integrity is a world wide commitment. i just looked a worldwide committee last week,

germany in germany sector, austin can be ukraine defense, contact group for the a time. this group is made up of some 50 nations, 50 nations, each making significant contribution of their own to cranes integrity. each fully committed to making you cry, remain strong and independent, enabled to defend itself against russia, threats, and violence. i want to thank every member that coalition for continuing to step up u. k. the united kingdom recently announcement is donating challenger to trying to create frances contributing amex tens armour inviting vehicles in addition to the leper tanks. the germany, like the united states, is also germany, is also sending a pet patriot missile battery netherlands as donated, patron regional and launchers, france cannon, the u. k. slovak in norway and others of all donated critical air defense systems,

tough security, ukrainian skies, and save the lives of civilians who are literally the target. a target of brushes, aggression. paul is sending armored vehicles, sweet news, donating infantry fighting vehicles. it lead gimme an artillery, denmark and stony are spending hours latches providing more stinger missiles, but the wind is providing any aircraft guns and finland recently announced as far as packages security assistance today. you may remember while i was asked while ago when i think was going to happen. and i said, no talk to you, going to end up with a fin de la zation of europe. where you've got the nato is ation of finland county something it's never attended together with our allies or partners. we spent more than 3000 vehicles where the 8000 artillery systems for the 2000000 rounds of artillery ammunition. and more than 50 advanced molly launch roggette systems and i

ship and air defense systems all to help counter ukraine. brutal aggression does happening because of russia. and you know, today's announcement bills on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world bed by the united states of america help ukraine defend sovereignty is territorial integrity. that's what this is about. helping ukraine defend and protect ukrainian land. it is not an offensive threat to russia. there is no offensive fred to russia, and fresh troops return to russia. they'll be there for where they belong. this war will be over today. that's what we all want, and then this war in just a last in terms you know, our teams do not permit one nation for not going to allow one nation to still neighbors. territory force our terms, preserve, russia, sovereign ukraine, sovereign, intertwine, integrity,

and honor. the un charter that chart or the terms were working. and you know, these are, these are the terms we all sign up for. and 143 nations voted for the united nations general assembly last october. so the united states stand his shoulder to shoulder allies and partners is going to continue to do all we can to support your credit for expecting your united states to we can resolve. he expected our support for new crane to crumble in time. he was wrong, he was wrong. he was wrong from the beginning. he continues to, we are united america, united and so as the world we approach the one year mark as we do in the russian full scale invasion, kramer remain united and determined as ever. and our conviction and our cause, he's trying to further evidence our enduring unflagging commitment to ukraine and our competence in the skill and your credit forces as

a toll present landscape when he was here, today's his birthday. in december, we're with you for as long as it takes to press ukrainians are fighting an age old battle against regression and domination. it's a battle america is a ford probably time, and again, it's a battle we're going to make sure the crannies are well equipped to fight as well. this is about freedom. freedom for ukraine. freedom everywhere. spent the kind of world we want to live in the world, we want to leave to our children. so may god protect the bravery, training defenders of their country, but keep the flame of liberty burning brightness. thank you. why? now, to germany, for you to change your mind on sunday, can do it in for be change your mind. we want to make sure we're all together, as we're going to do all that's going to present any response to the disclosures of class by documents, sir on the surface of your home's completed present. when i get back to you as

president joe biden, speaking about when abrams tanks been sent to ukraine as expected 31 times being sent parts and equipments necessary to sustain the tanks of battlefield. we'll also go that training will take place. he taught how it will take time. it didn't say how much time, but it will take time. so the great for the grateful to germany for the last 2 tanks that they have committed and also for europe and their ongoing efforts to supply tanks in the u. k with that challenge of time. that's brianne and kimberly how good to join this now from outside the white house. so kimberly the statement as expected. 31 april time is going to ukraine. yeah, this statement is what's expected, but a couple of things in there that are important to know the 1st the president is ian you heard there are the reporters question about the pressure from germany. the reason for that question is very simple. it says, because this is a bit of

a policy reversal for the president, given the fact that his own pentagon and generals were somewhat resistant to sending these tags because of the fact that they are cumbersome. you heard the president acknowledging that there the fact that this is an older technology, the abrams tanks were designed back in the seventy's. and although they have been upgraded, they operate on jet fuel. so there's a tremendous amount of logistics that is involved in facilitating these on the battlefield. so you are the president talking there about how there is going to be an enormous amount of training that's going to be involved in getting these up and running on the battlefield. for the ukrainians, and that it's not going to happen quickly. and so you heard the report of their asking about the pressure from germany and the president sort of saying that this was his decision. but this is certainly something that's noted back here in the united states. the other important point to note from the president's announcement

is that he made it very clear that this is not an offensive threat to russia. and the reason that he's saying that is really more of a signal up to americans here in the united states who might be worried about mission creep. if you will, you have to remember russia as a, as a nuclear power. and there are many americans here. her watch was very carefully worried about the escalation of the impact this might have back in the united states. so the u. s. president, speaking as much to the world as he has to a domestic audience when he said that this is very much about protecting ukraine, protecting the sovereignty and making a lasting and enduring commitment to president lensky. that this is about making sure that ukrainians are protected and nothing more. and so this is certainly something that follows on the heels of a commitment that have been made in terms of security assistance on capital hill from the u. s. president. this is again though a policy reversal, they u. s. president, doing this after much deliberation,

and again on the heels of boy against the advice of his generals who were not inclined to send these tags because they can be cumbersome and difficult to maintain on the battlefield. or it can be thanks to that, that can be huck at the, at the white house. well, as we've been hearing on here on wednesday of to weeks reluctance, germany finally decided to send leopard to types. ukraine. chancellor left schultz, a short full support cave, but cautioned dated allies against inflaming the conflict. germany will deliver 14 of the vehicles from its army stock low to allow upon the countries to saint german made tanks from their hostels. they said this is trish. does it end up just him that we support ukrainian coordination with our international partners financially with humanitarian means and also with the supply of weapons? and one can see that in europe, we and britain are the countries that have supported ukraine with arms. the most germany will always be in the forefront when it comes to supporting ukraine. we are the country that does it with the greatest energy in on the large scale. latino

from dominic cane, who has more and schoultz decision from berlin. he said that he could understand that there are people in germany, german citizens who have real concerns about this decision about the idea of allowing german made tanks to be used fighting russians in ukraine. but he believes this is the right thing to do. and we heard him speaking, we heard him say that his country and the united kingdom are the ones who are helping the ukrainians when terms of arms the most. that's the note that he's trying to set here. but some of the questioning, basically saying, why did it take so long to approve this release of the tax? why couldn't it have been done much sooner when the need for those tanks was so apparent some considerable time ago for different countries have reacted to the news and said, well, we are prepared to do something similar, most notably across the polls. spanish government, the dutch government,

the finished government of all sad in different ways. they want to do something similar. the key here is that they're saying that, but we know, certainly hearing berlin that the russian ambassador has reacted in a condom notary way and said that germany is forgetting the historical legacy that owes to russia for what nazi germany did to the union of soviet socialist republics in world war 2, that's the sort of language coming from the russian side of things here in berlin. but across the continents, there seems to be, well an acceptance of what mr. shots is decided. and the idea that they want to join forces a president waterbed zalinski praised the decision by the german chancellor stressing, once again, ukraine's gratitude for the release of leopard tangs. natasha butler as more now from keith was clearly very good news for ukraine. they have been waiting for this

decision from the germans for many weeks now, pressure growing both in ukraine and amongst other western powers. we've heard a reaction from ukraine's defense minister, also from the top a presidential aid saying this is a very good 1st step. and i say 1st step, because for president zalinski, he has made it clear that what ukraine needs isn't 10 or 15 tanks. he has said, but many, many more ukraine wants at least 300 tanks and says, that's the sort of number it needs to help its forces on the ground defeat russian forces. even though keith is very grateful, of course for all the help it is guessing from its allies. there is also a real question of time, a big challenge for ukrainians. because at once they receive these tanks that already taking some time, you have their soldiers who are going to be trained on them and also trained in how to maintain them and every day the pulses, of course is absolutely crucial. one of the big reasons that keeps as it needs

these tanks so much is because of the fighting continues, particularly in the east just to day ukrainian military officials have confirmed that they have had to withdraw their forces from the eastern town of solid are now that has been the location of months of really terrible pace or fighting with the kremlin has dismissed the plan. as absurd. springs went to meet repair. scope said keeps our lights were overestimating the benefits to cranes, armed forces. you should know the blue again, the stretch new book into duncan. good. good greenwich and dora. be sure to go with the pledges committee. conscription et me know before you lebanon's top prosecutor is ordered. the release of all accused detained over the bay route. port

blast in 2020 a. more than 200 people were killed when chemical stopped in a warehouse caught fire causing the explosion. the prosecutor, prosecutors also filed charges against the judge overseen the case. i am, my job is the deputy director for the middle east at amnesty international and explains why the investigation into the port blast is significant for lebanon. we see this as really a battle for 11 on the future. are we going to have a kind of country where those individuals who are responsible for blowing up the country are held accountable or one where they're allowed to escape accountability . as you know, the invest domestic investigation into the last has been suspended now for almost 13 months. on monday, the lead investigator issued an opinion, legal opinion that he said would allow him to move forward with the investigation. and on that basis he charged 8 individuals, including the top public prosecutor,

the son always act in relation to the blast. and he also ordered the release of 5 of the 17 detainees who currently remain in detention since august or september of 2020. obviously the political establishment and all rally around him, they said that he did not have the power to move the investigations forward. that the investigation was still stalled and just culminated with the public prosecutor who him health is charged in the case and who had refused himself from being involved in the last case due to his familiar relations to some of the defendants. previously, he issued a decision to remove at still reduced all of the detainees in the case. effectively bypassing judge started the type of investigator in the case a very complicated legal situation. but we all this to say is that the political establishment, the ruling establishment, are doing everything that they can to prevent judge from moving forward with the

investigation. they are doing everything that they can to prevent the truth from coming out. and for those high level officials, responsible for the last to be held to account europe court of human rights is announced. it will hear a case against russia over the daphne of flight and may 17 in 2014. nolan submitted the complaints or 298 people on board. the militia airlines flight were killed when it was shut down by russian made missile. it was launched by ukrainian separatists backed by moscow. my, they could do who is an assistant professor of international criminal law at the university of amsterdam. and she says, this routing shows the code is ready to move forward with this investigation. the court today asset that it is now beyond a reasonable doubt, clear that from april 2014 onwards, russian armed forces, russia, military personnel was active in the dom boss. and so that is a very clear statement. and also because of that,

russia was under the obligation to guarantee human rights in that area. and so what ukraine and then that ends of submitted to the court is that russia because they were responsible for safeguarding those human rights and violated european conventional human rights by setting up all sorts of torture camps by killing people by detaining people. but also by like down in flight made 17 where old people on board died. so this was a flight step, flew from amsterdam to qualify for on 17 july 2014. and that was down and the dutch courts already set in last november, the dutch criminal court that russia indeed had already overall control and was involved in, in downing this with a russian book miss l system. and now this european, quite a few men, right? agreed with that indeed, already from april 2014, there were russian armed forces present and fighting into dom boss. and so whether

or not russia then also violated those rights will be the next stage, the merits phase. but now the court says yes, these cases are admissible and we're moving to that next step to south africa where the main opposition party has been holding rallies nationwide against rolling power cups and an increase in the price of electricity. demonstrators have been picketing outside the ruling amc parties headquarters in johannesburg. most households go without power for at least 6 hours a day. i'm going to mila has more now from germany. what has been going on for more than a decade and now people are increasingly frustrated because these blackouts have worse and especially over the last 18 months. so. so i'm away. last year there were more than $200.00. there's about electricity. and this year, so far, there's been blackouts every single day, and the power utility is farmers said that these blackouts will continue for at least another 2 years. they say they want to manage it so that there is some level of predictability and that businesses can run, the household can run and people are less angry. but people are still very

frustrated by just how bad the, their lives that impacted. now the reason he's a power cuts happen is, is what the is come calls. low cheating is that they cut the electricity to certain parts of the country for a number of hours throughout the day to try and manage the demand without that, they could possibly have a complete shut down of the national grid. but, you know, the reasoning behind it most of africans is it's very difficult to swallow, because critics would say it's because it's probably what, it's because there has been the deployment of officials to that to power utility, which is state owned by the african national congress deployment. of people who are not capable of doing the job, or they're also issue around the supply of coal, the supply of diesel, which is used as a back up to cold. but also the infrastructure is aging and hasn't been adequately maintained. and the power plant that were meant to have open to haven't been yet, and also others have closed. so it really is

a very difficult situation for is from to try and get itself out of the government to say that is going to try and push will clean energy people in bangladesh are facing their own energy crisis with fuel costs and power cuts increasing the main opposition party called for nationwide rallies to demand action on the soaring cost of living. it wants prime minister shake unseen it to resign, and a caretaker government to take over until election to health clinic schools and service centers in refugee camps in the occupied west bank of close their doors for a 3rd straight day. that's after more than 3700 workers at the u. n. 's relief in works agency started an open ended strike and protest against low salaries. the agency is appealing for more than $1600000000.00 for the year as needed. abraham now reports here in the occupied west bank. this un clinic at al m id refugee camp . neither am a law is closed, it's the 3rd day workers have gone on strike, to demand better salaries at the u. n. c. relief and works. agency owner was

mandated by the un general assembly to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to palestinian refugees expelled from their homes during what they called the neck by ot catastrophe. in 1848 to my mother is one refugee who usually receives treatment at this center. but not to day the bank gala dental care, of course, the agency was much better before they are withdrawing the services have diminished over time. the agency provides services for nearly 6000000 palestinian refugees. less than 900000 of them live in the west bank for them. education and health are the most important services. o s commissioner general says the agency is under funded. on tuesday he appealed for $1600000000.00 for 2023 to cover needs in countries hosting palestinian refugees. donors, financial support for the agency has been declining over recent years. but on what

employees say it can afford salary increases for its local workers. the head of the workers union says the agency is using the financial crisis as an excuse to avoid discussing pay raises gambrel out in our present, outward simulates, our family is in 1989 overall budget was 6500000. now 30 years later, the budget is still 6500000, no adjustment has been made to the valley over the past years. or so. salaries have increased regularly and urged the union to and the strike may a humble underwater my home will. on the i had the law now the own rose priority for this years to keep providing services to employees and keep paying salaries. this way we can survive in the besieged garza strip. employees are holding a partial strike to support their colleagues in the west bank officially on or was mandate is valid until a just and lasting solution to the plight of refugees is reached. but with their

numbers in re thing, donors spending their money elsewhere and the lack of a political solution. that goal is looking increasingly distant need that abraham l just either the occupied west ben ritchie soon. i could defend that. the appointment of the conservative party chairman saying he was not aware of any tax issues at the time. the british prime minister was grilled in parliament, but not he was a hurries types of hers soon. okay, ordered and independent inquiry after it emerged to hurry, agreed to pay millions of dollars in back taxes and penalties now was billed as a world's leading expo and wearable tech has opened in tokyo. japan has always been seen as a pioneer at the latest high tech consumer gadgetry, but that reputation has been slipping in recent years. oh, went bry reports now from tokyo. there the latest and wearable gadgets are the way we live and play. and the way we work whole supported by advances in the virtual

ways we interact with our world. oh my god. ok, there's a woman here. i feel rather. 2 embarrass okay, that's rather disturbing. and then some devices that leave you wondering whether humanities, the winner or loser. so you can check 100 workers to make sure they're all concentrated? yes. and if someone's not concentrating what happened to them then? japan once plays the trail is the world's pioneer in the personal gadget. oh yes. but it now lags behind its rivals in finding innovative ways to use its high tech skills. i'm using this kind of glass, it for more than 20. you know, you were in the west, especially the united states, is more of a mood of innovation. japanese consumers are not as excited about this technology. it's hoped big events like this scaled back during the pandemic will now help japan restore what it sees is it's rightful. position as the leading provider of the

latest and nifty as must have. i think we're getting a lot of people coming today and it seems like we're back to like 2018 with mass with massive virtual mass one. yes. hopefully. many devices now find the natural role post pandemic as we become more contactless. but all of them it seems more complex. one of the new areas of innovation is so called energy harvesting, whereby gadgets of the future will be powered by your own body heat. so even if you don't understand them, simply wearing them will be doing some good adorning ourselves with evermore gadgets, but still a little room for the part that human public bride al jazeera, tokyo. ah,

so this is our desert. these are the top stories that.