a yes, and what are you going to do to keep out of the sort of language that keeps a fight for it while if you've got them eric, i was told the thing that texting women were made a challenge in the region. i will not being pro life i want to sleep. we don't have read them in study about 2 weeks now, 3 days, journey to with someone destroys our country. someone needs to rebuild. ah, you are a secretary of state anthony, blinking pers phones his visits a beijing after the discovery of a chinese surveillance balloon and

u f. f. faith ah, hello there, i'm associate, hey, this is al jazeera life and doha also coming elite is gather in here for a summit, pledging more support, but no fast tracked process, the ukraine to join the union assigned to new u. s. job numbers that while the economy struggles with high inflation and rising interest rates plus let's take you straight to a briefing at the pentagon, where general patrick riders, spokesman, is speaking to the media. let's this not available. so for those who have had to call and we apologize for the inconvenience, however, and we will aim to get our briefing transcripts in the audio up as quickly as possible for reporting purposes. will also aim to answer your questions through our d o. d press desk when you send them to us moving forward, we'll look at ways to improve our briefing operations in the facilitation and

expect that our regular press briefings will resume back in the press briefing room and middle to late may. so again, we appreciate your patience and flexibility extend our thanks to the department of the air force for allowing us to use aarons hall is our temporary briefing home. i another new secretary austin returned yesterday from a very productive series of meetings in the republic of korea. in the philippines, the secretary and his korean counterpart minister lee john, so jointly reaffirmed measures to enhance extended deterrence on the korean peninsula. the 2 liters additionally pledged to closely cooperate regarding us strategic assets in the future. as well as further expand and bolster the level and scale of combined exercises and training. and the philippines secretary austin had his 1st in person meeting with his counterpart secretary galvez and reiterated that the u. s. commitment to philippine security is iron clad. the secretary expressed

his appreciation for the philippines, approval of 4 new and hands defense cooperation agreement locations, and both secretary austin and secretary galvez noted that the dca is a key pillar of alliance co operation and supports combined training exercises and interoperability separately. the department of defense announced today a significant new package of security assistance for ukraine. this includes the authorization of a presidential drawdown of security assistance, valued up to $425000000.00, as well as $1750000000.00. and ukraine security assistance initiative funds. the presidential drawdown is the 31st such drawdown of equipment from b o. d inventories for ukraine. in total, the u. s. is now committed $32000000000.00 and security assistance ukraine since 201429 point 3000000000 since rushes unprovoked, an illegal invasion nearly one year ago this month. today's announcement includes

critical air defense capabilities to help ukraine defendants. people as well as armored infantry vehicles and more equipment that ukraine is using to effect so effectively including jazel and anti tank missiles, artillery ammunition and conventional and long range rockets for u. s. provided high mars digital information on the security package can be found on defense dot gov. in regards to our announcement last night regarding the high altitude surveillance balloon, i'm not going to have much new information to provide other than to say that the north american aerospace defense command continues to monitor it closely. while we won't get into specifics in regards to the exact location, i can tell you that the balloon continues to move eastward and is currently over the center of the continental united states. again, we currently assessed that the balloon is not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground at this time will continue to review, excuse me, continue to monitor and review options. finally,

secretary austin will host a bilateral meeting today. here in the pentagon, with australian deputy prime minister and minister of defense richard morals, the secretary looked forward to discussing bilateral defense cooperation and our mutual security efforts within the indo pacific region and beyond. a full read out of the engagement will post later today to defend start go. and with that, we'll go ahead and move your questions. we'll start with a p. tarka. i pad. thank you for doing us. and china has said this is just a weather balloon that has veered off course. why is the pentagon convinced that this is a surveillance balloon? and then can you give us a little bit more on the status of the blend you said is in the central of the central central us. what state do you have any guidance for people as they see this balloon or they're trying to photograph it or maybe try and interfere with it? sure, thanks tara. so 1st of all, we are aware of the p r c's statement. however, the fact is, we know that it's a surveillance balloon, and i'm not gonna be able to be more specific than that. we do know that the

balloon has violated us airspace and international law, which is unacceptable. and so we've conveyed this directly to the p r c at multiple levels. and in terms of specific locations, i'm not going to be able to go into specific locations. again, other than to say it's moving you sword at this time. yeah, you had to follow as people start to see the bullying, do you have any guidance for should they try not to interfere, not photograph. so the balloon is currently assessed to be at about 60000 feet. so again, well above the range of civilian air, traffic, or work civilian air traffic would normally fly. i'm certainly aware that there are cameras, no civilian own commercial cameras that could spot this balloon in terms of guidance to folks. again, this is something that nora is closely monitoring. we do assess at this time that it's not pose a physical threat,

as i mentioned to people on the ground. so just leave it at that, jennifer general writer who is controlling this balloon right now. again, we know that this is a chinese balloon, but beyond that, i'm not going to have specific but is it you say that it's moving eastward and it's over the continental us it's, it's not over montana anymore. is the chinese government controlling the movement of the balloon, or is it just floating with air streams? thanks, jennifer. i'm not going to go into any specific intelligence that we may have. again, we know this is a chinese balloon and that it has the ability to maneuver, but i'll just leave it at that. and once it's over a body of water, will you shoot it down again, right now we're monitoring the situation closely reviewing options. but beyond that, i'm not going to have any additional information because tony, when quickly on the, on the, on the balloon, can you confirm the photos that are out there that this is not the man in the moon,

and that is the actual balloon. thanks tony. so i certainly aware of photos being posted on mine. i'm not going to get into the business of confirming whether or not those are, you know, where those photos come from. again, i can tell you that the u. s. government nor ad is monitoring this closely. and we will continue to review how close was the u. s. to ordering a was the present ordering a shoot down of the balloon? yeah, so again, i'm not going to get into discussions, internal discussions within the white house again. right now we assess that there is no threat physical threat or military threats, people on the ground. so we're continuing to monitor, you know, then we'll just leave it at that. thank you. we go to genie and they'll go to real . thanks janet her we're come to home. i have a 2 cases, comma ok in response to say could have totally osteen reason to do the marks that the more u. s. is started, the assets will come to this. i was korea,

north korea wanda, all was stronger, provocations in the near future. what is your comment on the? i'm was certainly not surprising, given north korea's track record of making bellicose statements. again, what we're focused on is on preserving peace. security is to police in listening there to a media briefing at the pentagon in the u. s. or general patrick right at the pentagon spokesperson has been speaking. he says, they're monitoring what the u. s. continues to insist is a chinese surveillance balloon, which he says is now moving eastward over the continental united states, but doesn't pose a direct french people on the ground. general writer says they're still reviewing their options well, that speak to. kimberly, how's that for all the latest you joins us now live from the white house. kimberly, amid all this, rory as well as the blinking strip to beijing has also been postponed. that's right. i in a statement from

a senior administration official from the state department of the explanation from the chinese government that this is a weather balloon and not a surveillance balloon is not one that the u. s. government is buying. in fact, it says we have note of the p r c. statement of regret that this is a weather balloon, but the presence of this balloon in our air space in the view of the united states, is a clear violation of our sovereignty. as well as international law, and it is unacceptable that this is occurred according to the united states. and after consultation with our inter agency partners as wells with congress. we have concluded that the conditions are not right at this moment for secretary blank and to travel to china. so the feeling is, according to the state department that at not only is this a violation of the united states, a sort of understanding of respect,

international borders, international law. but also that there is a feeling that the discussions could not be productive at this time given what has occurred. there were already a lot of big issues to be discussed between these 2 nations. there are issues of trade. there are issues of the south china sea and there are so many issues that they had to tackle. this would be over arching over all of them. and so as a result, they felt these discussions would not be productive. and so the, the trick that antony blanket was set to take off for in a matter of hours has now been postponed. and we do not know when that is set to resume. still though this sends a very strong message, doesn't it? kimberly, where does this now leave us china relations? well in terms of relations, not good and in terms of national security also not good right now i can tell you that lawmakers on capitol hill are very angry and demanding an update

immediately from the by the administration. a number of big security concerns about how this bus surveillance blue, which the military is admitting, is open at lee, openly doing intelligence gathering how it got into the united states in the 1st place. it was 1st spotted in the us state of montana. you heard there from the pentagon, though it is now drifted into the center of the united states is travelled some distance. that was 1st spotted in montana over top of a very sensitive nuclear silo. a feel, this is an area where there are very secretive defense sites that are located with the pentagon says that when it was detected, not by the military but by bystanders on the ground civilians that the military then dis able to any ability of the chinese government to sort of vacuum up any of

the sensitive material, a collection gathering that they may have been trying to gather. but at the same time this is alarming to the american public and to us lawmakers. so republican lawmakers, democrat lawmakers asking for some answers on that front, but also we can tell you that there are some questions about where it goes from here. and you heard that from the reporters at the pentagon briefing there, the question being asked why this is still being allowed to continue drifting and why it has not been shot down. for example, the explanation from the pentagon is that this would be too dangerous because of the debris on the ground that this could injure those bystanders that are potentially could be hurt by the falling debris. as this balloon is brought down. a very upset of developing story with all the latest that from the white house committee house. thank you. kimberly ah,

well, top e u officials are in queue for a highly symbolic summit. president brought him his lands. he has, once again edged his western allies to supply long range weapons to help keep push russian forces out of the dumbass region. he also pushed the block for speedy membership, but the u is urging cave to implement more reforms and fulfill the conditions for its membership application. there are no richard timelines but their goal that you have to reach reforms, for example, to improve a situation in the canada country to then reach the exception negotiations and the session accept itself. if you look at the history of the european union, it started with 6 member states. today we're 27. so that 21 different stories of accession negotiations to the european union. and this

shows that there is not one size fits all, but it depends a lot on the candidates country, how it moves forward a whole route to 3 through you crew in the european room and earlier as soon as possible. this is another step in winton to quinn and you closer to develop the president of leukemia. you is miss you to do your will be with you and your people to morrow. onforce, florida should fish. we will be right by your side to we built a logo proof to show cred for insurance on our coleman the represent pass when it has about for has been following that summit for us in keith e. u and ukrainian leaders all agreed on one thing and that this was an historic

day. this was a symbolic day, or this e u ukraine summit happening in keith in a war zone. this was a show of unity and also a message to moscow. the key is very much turned towards the european union, turned towards the west. now ukraine wants to be a member of the european union, or after this, or summit, president fellow to mayor, as the lensky said, the keeper do everything that he could use every day in his efforts to try and speed up the process of it's a membership. what keep wants is for an accelerated negotiation process on it, succession is ready, a candidate country that was approved last year, but it wants things to go much faster. so it becomes a full member. the e. u, though has, may declare in the past and again to day off to this prescott once we heard from leaders that it will take time. the keys still needs to put in place

a number of reforms or meet certain conditions and criteria. and that's just the process, it's there, and it always has been, it takes time for a country to become part of the european union. even though your pin union leaders made it very clear that they certainly hope that that will be the place that ukraine will reach in a few years time. while it's not that here from moscow with us on the binge of ed, as on, as the summit's been taking place, there's been some strong rhetoric to from the kremlin. well, there is something that should be of interest to me also, especially when it's right next door in ukraine. but so far, there's no direct comment either from the coming in or from the president's office regarding this meeting, which is taking place in ukraine. we've heard in the last 24 hours from a president loud to meet with commemorating the anniversary of 80 years of studying abroad. where he said, if don't be patient facing once again, german tank with

a crosses on them. referring to what happened during the 2nd world war, and he says that he is going to continue his defying tone of trying to make sure that they continue to have an upper hand in the conflict in ukraine. but also we heard from the kremlin, regarding the sanctions that are incoming in the next 4 viewed, i was on the exports of oil and petroleum products on russia, saying that it actually is making funds to save interest in the wake of more challenges. and this is what we've seen russia doing in the last year as well, that it has continued all the with the lesser amount. it's oil and gas exports. the various can be the 1st set of functions came into effect in december and a harsh instead of that banking company that comes into effect on december. the 5th with russia being able to find alternative market and continue to explore what it calls a central lifeline for economy, someone than just

a there was the latest force from oscar. thank you, or someone. while still ahead here on al jazeera, the indian stock exchange has limited share trading, and one of the country's biggest conglomerates will have an update ah, in depth analysis of the days headlines from around the world to try right extremism is real and need to be tackled as soon as possible informed opinions, why is the theater or position concerned about this rather small when turkey anthea those and really with 30 this is and so forth. frank assessments, you know, there was a joke about the interim government that it's not in for, nor does it got inside story on al jazeera. oh, february 1, i just need a ride nose and tigers, in the pool, post to the brink of extinction. $1.00 oh,

$1.00 east discover how they're 14 happy turned around a year old from brussels evasion. great. ojo 0 looks at impact offs where events might need from here. rigorous debate, unflinching question. up front, mclamore hill cuts through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom nigerians vote. and what's likely to be the most close and contested election of the country's history from those that wielded to those who confronted people. in paula investigate the youth and abusive power around the world. february on a jesse lou ah

holiday watching al jazeera. i'm mr. how's your day here and are hop that's remind you about top stories. the chinese foreign ministry says it regrets what it called a civilian balloon. straying into u. s. s base. the pentagon had early called it a spy balloon and says it was tracking it over the state of montana. president brought him, his lensky says, ukraine will fight to hold onto the eastern frontline city of buckboard. he's edged western allies to supply long range weapons to help keep push russian forces out of the dumbass region. and you as president joe biden says, his economic plan is working after a surprise surgeon new jobs. despite high inflation and rising interest rates, the unemployment rates dipped at 3.4 percent. not the lowest level since 1969. but as we've been saying, there's been a surprise such in new jobs despite the looming risk of a recession, the labor department now says employees made more than half a 1000000 new hires last month. that means the unemployment rate is at its lowest

since 1969, and that's despite the federal reserve raising interest rates in an effort to cool inflation. how does joe castro has more from washington d. c? this is more than double what wall street had been expecting. $517000.00 new jobs created just last month alone. and as well as this falling unemployment rate. now it's at 3.4 percent, which is indeed a 50 year low for the united states. and this comes also as sort of a conundrum, because we've seen the headlines from last month of some, $10000.00 layoffs going the other direction with especially the tech sectors of companies like meta amazon, microsoft, all announcing massive layoffs. so how does that all make sense? well, economists have said that perhaps it's because these are laid off. tack sector workers are so quickly finding new jobs that they're not unemployed for long,

or they're choosing not to look for new jobs as of now. and that theory seems to have been supported by these new numbers out today, given that we're now looking at close to 2 job openings for each person searching for a job currently in the united states. while the head of the roman catholic church is calling on the leaders of south to don, to end violence, tribalism and corruption preferences, as in the capital, juba, with the heads of the anglican church, and the church of scotland as part of a so called pilgrimage of peace, the roman catholic pontiff has long been an advocate for peace and the wilds. youngest country. since its independence in 2011 at seen, civil war and drought. that of displaced millions of people. how much has the reports from juba people here 1000. i know that the pope being here will not perform miracles. they won't all of a sudden be lost in peace. they hope that his presence will put pressure on political leaders in the country to sit down, talk together and work towards peace. a peace agreement was signed in 2018,

but part of that cleveland have so not yet implemented. for example, the re, unified, national army has not been deploy too well at our parts of the country. so thousands of people who are still living in id pecans, camps were displaced. people are still tuesday to go home because of insecurity in some parts of the country. it's going to be a jam packed program for the pope in the other religious leaders. they will be meeting a different politicians, the vice president of the country, diplomat civil society. i mean there's a meeting in the town hall where the pope and his leaders wouldn't speak to. people have been displaced by years of conflict. the some to support with their because some of those people hope that the pope and the other lee bills will be able to go to the camps with these people live and see how the lives see how they talk about these light enough food and the cabs. they don't have clean running water that they this, but that's not going to happen. and then later on they'll be a mass on saturday and sunday. and then the pope leads for most people here in south to down. they hope that the visit this high profile visit over pressure on

political leaders insulted on to force them to lay down their guns. sit and talk and try mucus country foliage. now pakistan's prime minister, prime minister, shabazz sharif, has called for unity and condemned to the rise of violence in a meeting meant to review security measures. it was called days after an attack that killed a 101 people inside a police compound investigator say the suicide bomber managed to get in because he was wearing a police uniform. he designated his explosives inside of mosque, where officers had gathered, press a palestinian man shot and he occupied westbank on friday has died of his injuries . abdulla corolla where was shot at the who wore a checkpoint south of nablus. the palestinian red crescent says he was injured by israeli gunfire. israeli media rather says he tried to grab a soldier's gun. the times of israel says he was unarmed. israeli forces have killed $36.00 palestinians in the occupied westbank since the beginning of the year

. 8 of them children now, the indian stock exchange has imposed restrictions on the trading of shares of all companies. owned by tycoon gout, m, a donnie, more than $100000000000.00 has been wiped off the value of is a donnie group after allegations of fraud. and his government is denying links to the conglomerate. having met our reports on the political fall out now from new delhi, adonis financial crisis is threatening to become a political one. friday session of parliament was adjourned within 10 minutes as opposition parties continued to raise the issue. the governing bgp is distancing itself from the attorney. controversy for the government has nothing to do with it . there is no connection. the opposition is accusing the bgp of favoring a danny for lucrative infrastructure contracts. this is the company's founder gotham or dani is close friends with prime minister nearing through the. as you know, the government is resisting. they don't want these issues to be discussed. they

didn't want china to be discussed in the last session. they don't want unemployment and appraised to be discussed in issue that the government thinks will embarrass them. didn't want to discuss. economists say put a to put pressure may force the government to get involved. if the opposite reason the issue seriously in the on the streets, then i think is a since mr. what the if they don't do that, then mr. moody could escape and they would walk out a strategy of how to billy, then quite easy to drag on. there for some time and this is not, there's nothing opposition parties are demanding a judicial inquiry and a debate in parliament opposition party say the concerned about the impact on public money. a government run insurance company has invested billions of dollars in advance companies. and in just largest public bank has given the group to wind a half $1000000000.00 known. the government says the exposure is too low to cost concern. the national stock exchange has limited trading activity for summer dining

companies in the us. the dow is removing one at bonnie group members from some of its indices opposition party said they will continue to demand answers and planning a nationwide protest next week. path new metal al jazeera new delhi for hong kong is fully reopening. it's porter with mainland china from monday. it's dropping visitor quarters and free travel, coping 19 tests, and it will also allow unvaccinated travelers to enter. for 3 years, hong kong had maintained some of the strictest rules. visitors on that set for me and the stars the attend. but i'll be back with and use our for you here very shortly after inside story to stay with us here on al jazeera. ah ah

hello esther looking little disturbed across the good part of the middle east, particular cross northern parts of the region, bands of rain, sleet and snow, still tumbling in from the eastern side of the mediterranean, across to live at syria, lebanon jordan, seeing outbreaks of rain quite a brisk wind pushing its way across into northern pass over iraq and easing further east was as we go on through sunday, we'll see some snow. they're coming into afghanistan at that state. more wet weather, more windy weather, stormy weather, streams and across east and met cypress, seeing some lively storms for a brisk wind pushing through. and that's the case too. as we go into west syria, noticed a fair bit of snow there across a good part of her to care for the south. done re, dry winds easing off here in carter though hard around 2122 over the next couple of days. so that stormy weather across the east side of the matter will of course affect the far north of egypt. some storms to just around dutch nicea little circulation. added larry of low pressure lifted. dustin said there were some

sandstorms and across a good part of algeria. and also into libya over the next day or so. yeah, we'll continue just around the gulf of guinea. right away across good part of southern africa, more storms coming through here. but it does look less wet to say for south africa . ah, the tough times, the man tough question. what exactly are you asking for you? what the troops on the ground, the rigorous debate we challenge conventional wisdom racism is some deeply entrenched in the country that is identified with america. so when you challenge racism, it looks as if you're challenging america and demand the truth. there is no serious discussion about this because it goes to the very root of new we are up front with me. mark lamb on hill on al jazeera, spain's prime minister made a visit to morocco this week. if government has agreed to support robots plans to

grant autonomy.