is this right on this right now? in a 4 part series al jazeera is investigative unit on the cover in southern africa is birth control, 90 percent, it was done, and once it's recalling, it's perfectly brandon good part to on al jazeera, breaking down the headlines to exposing the powers attempting to silence reporting what did you do? what did you investigate? why didn't you ask the fact? the question? there are many during that said sensor, it will have a chilling effect on subsequent stories. the listening post doesn't cover the news . it covers the way the news is covered to suppress moderate, and in some cases amplify the content you see on your final bill. if he post on al jazeera. mm. mm. donald trump becomes the 1st you as president to be charged for

a crime in connection with a case of paying money to an adult film star. ah, i'm told mccrae, this is else is there alive from doha. also coming up. russia's closest ally calls for a truce in the war. new crime will have the latest on bell russian president, alexander lucas, chicago, and you'll address to his nation. malaysia's child, former prime minister in achieve restock, loses his last chance to overturn his corruption conviction. i'm hotter mccarthy and saw that in the governing african national congress. these a supports of power for taking is to maintain the majority. but what is the strength of by the economy getting agitated? keep wanting to find out a for the 1st time in history, a former u. s. president has been charged with

a crime. donald trump has been indicted for grand by a grand jury in new york. the charge or charges have not yet been made public, but the jury was investigating a hush money payment made by trump's former lawyer to an adult film star. gabriel elizondo begins our coverage from new york. after more than a week of intense speculation and anticipation, manhattan district attorney ivan bragg leaves his office in new york. having just made history minutes later, a spokesperson confirmed that a grand jury bragg convened had voted to indict former president donald trump over alleged hush money to a former adult film star. and that prosecutors were working out the arrangements with trumps lawyers for the former president to turn himself into authorities. it wasn't long before a typically combative. trump responded through a post on social media. trump calling the indictment an attack on our country,

the lakes of which has never been seen before. stormy daniels and her alleged sexual encounter with donald trump is at the center of the criminal case against the former president. after she threatened to go public about the affair in the final days of trumps, 2016 presidential campaign trumps. then fixer michael cohen paid her a $130000.00 to keep quiet. cohen, who testified before the grand jury has said he made the payments at trump's direction, and in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws. not revenge. right? what this is is about accountability. i don't want to see any one, including donald trump indicted, prosecuted, convicted incarcerated, simply because i fundamentally disagree with them. this is all about accountability . he needs to be held accountable for his dirty deeds. trump is always denied the affair, and also initially denied any knowledge of the payment,

but now says it took place as a legitimate legal expense ah. under new york law, it is the falsification of business records, not the payment itself. that would be trumps cr time. a misdemeanor and only of prosecutors can prove he made the payment and falsified records. specifically to hide the affair right from the voters or the i r s. would it be a felony or a more serious crime that could come with jail time. the source of occasion of records for the purpose of committing tax evasion would be the addition, specific crime to elevate falsification of business records from a misdemeanor to a felony. the exact charges against donald trump in the indictment are still under seal, have not made public. it's expected early next week. trump will arrive here in new

york to turn himself into authorities. he'll then face a judge and then be released. trump is the 1st current or former president of the united states to ever face criminal charges. gabriel is on dough al jazeera, new york. mike hannah is in washington dc with more reaction to the indictment has largely been along a partisan lines. republicans generally criticizing the decision to bring an indictment against donald trump. many describe it as a with an eye zation of the legal process. that is the words used by the speaker of the house. kevin mccarthy echoed as well by the governor of florida run to santos. who importantly also said that he would not cooperate in any attempt to extradite trump from florida to face trial in manhattan. this an important point should trump

decide not to surrender himself to place the charges in a manhattan court. but on the other side, we heard from representative adam shift, who was typical of the democratic reaction, basically saying that trump's criminal acts as he put his have caught up with him and saying that no matter how rich and powerful nobody is above the law. but the interesting point from hearing from republicans that the electro system has been undermined by the district attorneys decision to bring charges against donald trump . this in itself ironic, given that under binding the electoral system or attempting to subvert the electoral system is a charge that donald trump may well be facing in georgia in the months ahead. david bolger is a national security consultant who worked for joe biden, when he was a sen. bolger says the indictment is unprecedented, but is not political. members of a grand jury,

are there 12 or 15 individuals who are citizens of the state of new york? decided that we're convinced that there is a possibility that someone has broken the law. this is not joe biden. this is not any republican out there. in fact, they're doing just the opposite. this is a just citizens who've found a, beyond the reasonable doubt that there's possibly a violation of the law. so there's no politicization here. and i think it's a little disingenuous for the former president to be saying that he is raising funds off of this. and this is the, the whole point about donald trump, which i think many in this country do not understand is that he hasn't. he is not interested in the common man. he is not interested in benefiting

society. he's only interested in one thing. and that's donald trump. he adores this tomorrow morning in newspapers around the world, he will be on the front page, and that is donald trump's main purpose. we also spoke to adolfo franko, who's a lawyer and of republican strategist. he says, trump may be seen as a political hero. this is entering new territory for the united states. and it is depending on your point of view. and i certainly have one political persecution when you have that sense in america, it's 1st so extraordinary. i actually thought it might not happen, considering some of the late developments in terms of the grand jury deliberations of last week, and mr. collins, testimony, and so forth. it seemed to have a pause but was otherwise, we haven't seen the details of the indictment, but certainly in the short term, it has already paid dividend since the president trump announced

a couple of weeks ago that he was on the verge of being indicted. so it's very clear that this will further help him in the primary. you might have some appeal with other candidates saying they'll pursue trump policies. but there's a fear. there's only one genuine, donald trump, and therefore i think he will garner support among republicans and possibly among independents and democrats, if this indictment and eventually whatever trial or whatever, and soon next, if it falls apart, it will then be perceived. ready as political persecution and can really put them in a position to win the white house in 2024. the battle russian president has been delivering his annual address to the nation. alexander lucas shameka, a friend and ally of russian president vladimir putin, has called for a truce and ukraine. he also address cushions, recent announcements. moscow would station tactical nuclear weapons on bell russian territory, saying the deal was made

a belive versus request. let's have bring in tulsa jibari, who is in moscow for us also. what more can you tell us about the school for a truce from prison look ashika? well, the bell russian president said that he is willing to host lot of mirror zalinski and he urged the cranium president to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible. lucas shinkel said that nobody wants to fight, and his proposal includes a complete freeze in all the forces that are fighting in ukraine. he said, all those forces the russian forces will basically hold their positions where they are. and that is when the ukranian president could come to the go shading table and continue a process that would not involve any western or eastern countries. in those talks, the alexander location called also said that people don't want to fight. he did

also say that his country is under attack. he accused the polish defense minister of saying that nato should consider opening a 2nd front against his country if ukraine fails. and he also made the accusation that the west is preparing to invade bella ruth, to destroy the country. he also use this occasion to highlight the fact that his talks with the russian president vladimir putin, our ongoing, and they are going to secure an agreement that would see the return of nuclear weapons to bela roost, which hasn't had nuclear weapons on its territory since $996.00 after the fall of the soviet union and $91.00, the bellow, russians agreed to return their nuclear warheads to russia, and that took about a few years by 996. they didn't have any in their country and haven't had any since . now that is about to change, of course, bella ruth became a signatory to the nonproliferation treaty in 1992. so there is

a lot of details that need to work out, but it's clear by the speech being delivered by the beller, russia president, that he feels his country's under attack. and that the return of nuclear weapons to his country would be as defensive maneuver. but certainly it will see a increase and tensions in this region. ok, thank you so much. that is dosage of our for us in moscow. finland is a step closer to becoming a member of the night home to key is parliament has passed, a bill approving the finish application to join the military alliance. the turkish vote was the last one needed for the country to join the military alliance, finland and sweden applied for night membership after the russian invasion of you, crime and crew initially blocked both beds, citing disagreements on kurdish groups. it considers terrorists. ledgers, highest court has dismissed an attempt by former prime minister nor jeep, resolved to have as corruption, conviction reviewed the jeep, is serving

a 12 year sentence. the case relates to the embezzlement of the states investment funds. and one of the biggest financial scandals in the country's history, he is the 1st human leader of the country to be child foreign slurry has more from patricia. this was not deborah's out final chance to have his corruption conviction overturned through the judicial process. now that he has failed, he will have to return to prison to serve the remainder of his 12 year sentence while he seeks a royal pardon. his lawyers had hoped the highest court in malaysia would review it earlier decision nadia browser was found guilty of corruption, abuse of power and money laundering in 2020. that position was subsequently reaffirmed by 2 different appellate courts in 20212022. now on friday, 4 out of 5 judges voted to dismiss nudges application. the majority decision said

they were satisfied that there was been that there's been no miscarriage of justice . and even said nudges was the quote, author of his own misfortunes, unquote. niger faces 3 other trials related to the one m db financial scandal. although he was recently acquitted of or did temporary closely al jazeera who to jaya malaysia, former south african paralympic. oscar pastorius is up a parole that a hearing in pretoria on friday. he was child and 2016 for the murder of his girlfriend, re the steam camp. if granted, parole, he is expected to be released the same day that the steam camp families lawyer says they will oppose an early release. the story is claimed he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder. the night she was killed was at africa's governing african national congress has for years. relied on the support of trade unions to cement it's, hold on power,

but labor activists hit by the countries economic crisis. so they're getting frustrated with the i n. c. i room, a tasa reports from johannesburg. protests in south africa happen a lot. sometimes every day, low ages rising poverty, the high cost of living and corruption, a, some of the issues raised by workers. the country's biggest trade union group positive feels the governing african national congress at times, excludes it from crucial decision making processes. we hope that will begin as we started to reconfigure the alliance. but what does the call of course are to? we want to reconfigure elias reconfigure in dallas means that any program that these companies could grab, it must have a support of their lives. of course i do communist party. the amc has governance at africa since white, my natural ended in 1994, but it hasn't been easy. unions have a lot of bargaining power here. the gap in the african national congress is part of

an alliance. along with the congress also advocate trade unions and the south african communist party and the agency needs their votes. con, affords ignore them. differences about who in house of africa should be run, has seen some unions placement to pull out of the alliance with the agency. and form their own political party. those differences have no loose been there, and they will always been able to resolve those differences is not the 1st time, but some within cassandra might have felt that don't want to leave the alliance and consistently engage into fund common ground in some into common spot. yet or so, felt that no one to contest elections. i don't miss the, but those contradictions are there, but consistently we to gait prison. sir. my processes as administration is working on turning iraq economy, create more jobs and deal with those implicated incorruption elections. our next

year, analysts say if a spit were to ever happen between trade unions answered africans governing party, that could hurt the agencies chances of holding on to its majority. advertised al jazeera janice beck basil a head on al jazeera giant bowl snar returns to presume. boutwell before the president make a political comeback, plus i rob mcbride and jen, hey, south career, where the early shore side of spring is an even sure aside of climate change. ah hello, welcome to look at the international forecast. we will see more in the way of wet weather just starting to push its way to pause the philippines over the next couple of a southern part of the philippines. a particular could see some heavy in foundry showers

. could cause a little bit of flooding here. so certainly something keep an eye on, we have got some showers able struggling. they are quite of the seasonal rains, of course, pretty much as they should do as we go on into west sunday, or the way west, whether they're all the way down into indonesia, some shower, she notices still in place across the, in their china, particularly at the central and southern pos cambodian now pushing across into a thailand. wet weather into western parts of australia, but just look of stuff. sure we have what is now severe tropical sy cloner, herman. distinct on the storm. there it will stay off land, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem. but you can see that the larry or cloud was to stretch out of the storm just pumping that moisture in see what western parts of australia i w, i say some wet weather. said he down towards the south as well. and we'll see cloud and re pushing across into the interior for a time, showers just hugging that east coast of australia over the next day or so. things

will grassy turn. try and find out for much of the zealand. ah, in south korea, you generations tightened the stage shaking up social media session any time when our 8th made the world hold the floor on out there. ah, al jazeera with blue. ah. oh, a

watching, i'll just hear a reminder of our top stories this. our former us president donald trump has been indicted by new york grand jury. the pennell was investigating money paid by trump's former lawyer to an adult film star. the veneration president has been delivering his annual address to the nation. alexander, look ashamed of friends and l i. of russia's present person, has also urged keep in moscow to stop peace talks without preconditions to key of parliament has possible approving finland, application to join nato. the vote was the last needed for the country to become part of the military alliance. human rights organizations say prisons and pakistan are holding up to 60 percent more inmates than their authorized capacity. a human rights watch report documented boarded, says a wide spread deficiencies in the prison system, as it beg reports from fossil r beds. this cell isn't meant to hold this many people. human rights watch says

these prisons are overcrowded, and detainees are keen to tell us what they are going through. debit card numbers on it. every time i go to court, the judge is in there. if you're late, the police beat you and ask you for bribes. then they tell you to get ready, how can you get ready on time when there are 3 washrooms for over a 100 people are going to run that. there aren't enough bathrooms. there's no cleanliness and the food is terrible. lewis have to speak to the clients through bars. there were, i'll put a bucket found gum with lag. the main reason for over crowding imprisons across pakistan is the poured you diesel system. prisoners don't have clean water prisoners sit on cold floors and if there's a toilet meant to be used by 10 people. it's being used by over a 100, a normal person, congo inside there. it's so disgusting. we'll put you out. but some are making attempts to increase standards. authorities here acknowledge that there is an issue of overcrowding within prisons, but they say it's not

a problem for the prison system. they say the problem is with a pretty thing and justice system it takes consider a time for trials to start at a verdict to be handed out. at this prison fessler paused dickie show us the arrangement for visitors to acknowledge the facility is hold him twice, its capacity 93040. the capacity of this is one department, and today's bonding is 219 prisoner in the of the zill. and it is definitely over overpopulated. jill, we are getting constructed to the 7 motor story better for the business. and it in sooner the, this problem of, or probably before they tell us medical staff are available for prisoners 24 hours a day. and meals have been put together with the help of nutritionists from the cities university. the prison is a legacy of colonialism. it was built by the british in the 19th century, but with the country in economic and political crisis unit,

bringing it up to 21st century. western standards may take some time. as that bag i'll jazeera fessler, bud pakistan. at least 35 people have died after a floor collapsed at a hindu temple. and central india had happened in the city of endorse dozens of worshippers celebrating religious festival plunged into a communal stair lined well when the floor gave way. rescuers have been working through the night to pull people out and recover. bodies pirates have abandoned, a danish owned oil tanker in the gulf of guinea, but holding some crew members hostage. the armed men bordered the vessel 250 kilometers off point the law in the republic of congo on saturday. the ships owners say the rest of the 16 strong crew are safe. brazil's former president valuable center, has returned home, where he is facing investigations for crimes, including inciting riots. party officials are hoping he will lead the opposition

against prison. will of the silver monica in a key of reports from the capital priscilla ah, hundreds of supporters gathered from the early hours at the capital z airport hoping to greet the former president on his return to brazil that federal police had other plans for symbol scenario to leave by a side door and shattering his hopes of an open corporate through the streets of brazilian dania. so as i had travelled, 1500 kilometers, just to greet her political hero, she says bosa. amount of supporters have been vilified since his election loss and was disappointed that she could not see. so don't they, my st. jackie berkener, we have been called terrorists when most of us are peaceful. brazilians who are committed to a cause, work hard to get both and are back in power. tensions in brazil have been high since bosom out of fail to formerly acknowledged defeat. in october's divisive

election. i've only been right and then refused to pass the sasha, his successor, present reason as to lula, thus your vo. instead, he flew to florida last december, 2 days before leaving office. one week later, thousands of his supporters stormed the presidential palace. congress in the supreme court, claiming the election was rigged for the court to not oh, so narrow is at risk of being charged and imprisoned or made ineligible for future office will. dom was, he is the target of 20 investigations. he has been accused of spreading dis information about the election result and of allegedly stirring up the insurrection . and his supporters believe lead them to victory in 2026 persons. there will be so small to narrow as ready laid out his mission. he has said he will travel over brazil to rally support for his liberal party from now until them when a simple elections next year. he hopes to help elect at least 1000 mess and

strengthen the grip of the brazilian conservatives new freights. it's a global sonata told his party he will pursue. oh, here we are practically holding 20 percent of the benches in congress. in addition, having the support of parliamentarians from other parties, we have a majority within congress. we want the best for our country today, the boards in your court. i'm sure that you will leave brazil to a safe haven is with great pride, but i return. also, nato himself has said that he will not lead the opposition in brazil, but the return of the former president from his self imposed exile has raised hope among his supporters. they say he's the only one capable of uniting the brazilian right again. monica inactive, al jazeera, brazilian, brazil, thousands of israelis gathered and television thursday to support prime minister benjamin netanyahu and his plans to change the judiciary demonstrate as marched across a major city highway. the rally led by far right organisations follows mumps of

anti government protest. supposing netanyahu's proposals, bernard smith has moved from television after more than 3 months of protests against benjamin netanyahu, is attempt to overhaul israel's judiciary and give more power to politicians, appointing supreme court judges. this is the 1st time supporters of those reforms have come out to protest. insignificant numbers here in tell of even the liberal hearts of israel, where most of those anti reform protest have been taking place over the past 3 months. most of these people will have come from settlements in the occupied west bank and from towns and cities elsewhere in israel. the march organized by a far right group. and an indication really, although the numbers are less than those taking part in the anti reform protest, it's still an indication of the real split that there is an israeli society. the people here been chanting the people voted for reform

a reference to the election. the returned benjamin netanyahu to power towards the end of last year, and an indication about challenging is going to be the netanyahu to balance the demands of those who forced him persuade him or forced him to put the reforms to one side. and ours says he'll bring them back towards the end of the next parliamentary session and the next policy and mentor session in april. and the opposition who just won the reforms completely shalt and south korea crowds have been enjoying the peak of the cherry blossom season festivals. were scaled down or cancelled during the corona virus pandemic. but a changing climate means the flowers blooming earlier every year from mcbride reports. it's the sure sign of springs arrival that is eagerly anticipated in south korea. more so through the pandemic, when from the 1st year in 2020, the cherry blossom season coincided with the end of the 1st surge of the virus,

the delicate beauty of the bloom coming to symbolize the hope of new life. so i think that it's great to come back with friends and even better with my baby, gaza. oh, wait a minute. it's nice coming that to see the flowers after such a long time from now the one blessed with a 3rd of a 1000000 cherry trees or long gold railway lines and streams. the town of gin hay has the longest established blossom festival in south korea. and in this 1st full year of welcoming back the kraus, it's hoping for nearly 5000000 visitors with warming temperatures. this southeast corner of south korea traditionally sees the cherry blossom 1st before it rolls north up the peninsula in a wave of color. but it's already bloomed in soul. the 2nd earliest date on record, the earliest being set just 2 years ago. in this district in sol,

the annual celebration of the forsythia bloom has been brought forward a week because the flowers have bloomed early. neighboring japan is also experiencing earlier cherry blossom tokyo this year, equaling the record for the 1st balloon. and back in the southeast of south korea as the city of young ju prepares for its festival. the blossoms are already falling with several days to go. by listening to him, it seems to be passing earlier each year, which makes you think about the environmental. nature is beautiful, but seemingly ominous barometer of dangerously changing times. rub mcbride al jazeera, young jew, south korea. ah, this is al jazeera and these are the top stories the sour for me. you as president donald.