ah, a south african president is marked by the political opposition as he delivers his state of the nation address. that those he declared a state of disaster and the country over its crippling energy shortages. un peacekeeping forces kill 8 civilians and wound almost 30 others in the democratic republic of the congo. after protesters spend it outright about a lack of progress in combating terrorism in the region and powerful explosions from apparent drones. drugs are reported in major ukrainian cities destroying electrical power infrastructure a

coming to you live from the russian capital. this is our t international. i'm rachel blevins here with the top stories of the our welcome to the program. the south african president, recent state of the nation address devolved into a mass broad between members of the political opposition and the ruling party. o position parties have accused president ro, abusing his state of the nation address as an attempt to consolidate his power. a medicaid attic start to the speech. the president outlined his administration's plan to address the country's most pressing challenges. he declared

a state of disaster because of each crippling energy crisis that he said he hoped could be overcome by an stating emergency authority. the national disaster management center has consequently classified the energy crisis and its impact as a disaster. we are therefore declaring a national state of disaster to respond to the electricity crisis. and it well meant is an announcement that was pretty much expected by throw it on the plaza. considering south africa's grapples with the energy shortage. the opposition was always intend on fighting or an intended on hagley speech. ending nearly got to the men, but remained resolute, and after some 45 minutes, the lake continued on with his speech and stating that the african national

congress, the party, which he comes from and of the governing party of the country, still believes in energy mixed, mixed up of a lot of fossil fuels and he says that the country will not transition at a pace, it cannot afford all of these measures will result in a massive increase in power to the greater over the next 12 to 18 months and also beyond. now this power will be in line with our diverse mix of energy sources, including our current coal fired power station, sola when you clear hydro and that you storage outside of the renewables. we haven't seen that much room. and especially when it comes to issues such as securing wood here, we know how long it takes to think she will be a project, get it up and running. but i don't know why there's another problem. and then is

that internationally? no saga which continues to hand them and that is the bomb gauge where a large amount of foreign currency was stolen from his private game. in the northern province of south africa, something that the opposition continues to take him to task with. un peacekeepers have killed civilians and wounded 28 others in the democratic republic of congo. as protesters were venting outrage over a lack of progress in combating terrorists in the region, there has been rising anti us sentiment in the central african country. locals believes the peacekeepers haven't been doing enough to defend civilians from attacks by the end. 23 insurgent group and arrest a region near the rule on new border. the un mission has insisted that is troops open fire only to protect their own convoy. as the protest devolved into violence, the convoy was attacked by demonstrators who had previously barricaded the road

with large stones forcing the convoy to stop. the civilians died, while peacekeepers tried to protect the convoy. the class happened about 10 kilometers from the major eastern city of goma, while the u. n. convoy was returning from a re supply mission. the un mission in the d. r. c has around 18000 personnel. it's mandate includes supporting the congolese government's efforts to stabilize the region which suffers from continuous attacks from the insurgent group known as i'm $23.00. local residents say they are dissatisfied with the peacekeepers. as the conflict with m. 23 is still ongoing. near goma, with thousands of people having been forced to flee their homes. we off leave the m 23 war. as you have heard about the situation in all villages, we need help when he tats. but above all, we need the return of peace. how buddy, a cupboard, the situation is very complicated. at the moment in cavity, we came from there under a hail of bullets. when they arrived kemati,

we decided to leave. we were scared of the bullets and the bombs that fell. there are many people who have been injured. oh victor. busy the m 23 started fighting the day before yesterday, crashes continue in the area. and that is why we're leaving our villages in kinky, we're looking for where we're going to rest, but we have no idea. we ask our government to do everything to displace the m 23 rebels. so we can return to our villages so that we don't die of all the diseases or of hunger in the camps. now the latest in the ukraine conflict explosions were reported and at least 3 major cities. i meant claims of a series of drones drugs on friday morning. let's take a look at the latest unverified images we have received with electrical power infrastructure allegedly targeted. the stripes, reportedly had ukraine, 2nd largest city of markoff, and its eastern city of never petrovitch, as well as the ukrainian house city of zapper, oci, and the recently ratified russian territories. this comes,

as russian forces have been intensifying and offensive, and on bath artes emerge. it on up reports from one of the front lines. for months, this boss of the front was an estates of a dead stalemate. ukraine tried to capitalize on last year's counter offensive, and sweep through the la guns republic. but its troops eventually get bogged down. and now russia is trying to turn the tide this is the russian artillery, providing cover for the advance of the crown forces.

a vast and dense natural reserve here has become the main fighting arena. key of troops are swarming in the woodland. that positions are scattered every few 100 meters away from each other. so far, rush has made its gains there. it's a modest yet steady pace of an over the phone too. but you know, the situation on the front line is stable, were advancing toward severs moving forward little by little from the sit chance and it's becoming more quiet. there is now much less return firing of the enemies artillery was forced to retreat through suppression fire from the sullied our direction. also, there are plenty of firing positions. it has become easier to work here. we can stay on firing positions longer and shoot more. tea of soldiers are forced to abandon their long held trenches and some simply don't make the escape in time.

like this fighter. now in captivity, he revealed that many don't make it out a tool. children, people say to the full battalion, good back to hide of knowledge. 25. out of 60. it's sold to survive. we're all were mobilized from hike of we have no local send trenches. it was only my 4th day on the position. russia has beefed up its forces on the ground dramatically through the wave of mobilization. and now it seems is starting to reap results. but its troops grew, not just in numbers, but inexperienced 2 of them. it takes us 10 minutes to occupy a position and open fire after reconnaissance locates an enemy target. or if we're already in position, it only takes 3 minutes. rush is offensive, may not look impressive on the map. yet, as ukrainian and west and officials unanimously raised the alarm,

there's more where that came from. i'm like is done of reporting from the dumbass ot see. meanwhile, ukraine's president zalinski has openly admitted he personally refused to implement the uminski agreements, which were a roadmap for peace and don bath, as approved by fellow european powers, germany and france. you can read more about that revelation and numerous other topics on our website, r t dot com. meanwhile, the head of the wagner group says his company has stopped recruiting from russian prisons. however, replying to a cnn request on what could be the reason for that, he said they received many applications from the united states. after we released the wagner p. m. c. advertisement for the american audience, we received more than 10000000 applications from us citizens wishing to join us to fight against nato. at the moment we are considering about 1000000 american citizens for employment. therefore, we temporarily suspended the recruitment of volunteers from russian prisons.

however, if there is a corresponding request from the us state department, we will recruit from american once. the wagner group is one of the most formidable forces. at the dawn by the front lines, its fighters have varied backgrounds. some of them are formerly in prison. criminals who were given a chance to redeem themselves by enlisting our to steve 3 nice spoke to one of the fighters who just recently completed his contract with a group russian father. but she company wagner has shot the global prominence. partly due to his road in the complet. can you, craig? it's 40 to played a crucial role in k military operations, a theme russian forty's take control of many town it. so does have been deploy is sylvia livia, on many african companies where they have been welcomed as heroes. but in the west volga is controversial, is accused of war crimes, another authority,

according to western rhetoric. this is partly because of the policy of recruitment from roches prison population. we're in st. petersburg where we met with spartak, i wagner, commander and former convict, who says that he joined not to be pardon, but to fight for his country. and almost there wasn't money cuz i didn't think i would end up in wagner. i signed the papers to go in here. i am. the boss came to our prison. he just made an offer and told everything how it was. the war was brutal. it's not the chechen war, some decided to go and some didn't. so i decided instantly i wasn't even thinking about the amnesty. yes, of course, amnesty is great and my term as long as i had other motives, my relatives died there and i was ready to serve the motherland if needed at any time. we asked him about his previous crimes. and if he feels that serving involved is an opportunity for comics to redeem themselves for us also of sheesh,

i 1st went to serve in a security force in chechnya in 2002 was there were many issues to deal with in the motherland. i served until 2005 and was wounded in a special operation. but after that, i worked here and there, studied to become a construction worker. to be honest, i didn't manage to find myself. i began to break the law and got locked up after the war. i was young, may be mentally unstable, may be, i didn't understand something in my own reality. i didn't make any further plans for the time after the contract. i was thinking about the guys i was thinking about the performance of the soul group. we thought about the job and serve this faithfully as we could. we try to be useful. so i personally saw death 10 to 15 times in front of my eyes. there it was, i left the trench for a 2nd and my friend was killed. i believe i ever deemed myself when it thought told us how he joined the private minutes he company on about the equipment and supplies

on the battlefield. along with the relations with the group leader describing wagner as a brotherhood. thus a thumbs after the head of wagner came to us and told us everything. the federal penal service speaks to us whether we want to go. if we're ready, if we understand what we're getting into then and in 2 to 3 days, he comes back and then begins all the paperwork, all the bureaucratic issues. i don't know the details. i haven't delved into a too deeply abroad. we talked and he took me away as he promised he said he'd come and he did, and we flew there by plane than by helicopter. and then we arrived at the training base. we are given 2 pairs of the best uniform rations we have good timely deliveries. wagner. this is my family, my brothers. i can call them sit down to talk, drink tea, go somewhere, help out. if needed. they have their own brotherhood. the main thing is for them to do their job. i'm proud in general that i served that i met the boss. i'm proud

that i shook his hand. he taught me a lot thought i could convince that russia will win, despite fighting against foreign mercenary of western buck. as of the k of regime captured, ukrainian soldiers have been brainwashed. he tells us the thumb with if silly will leave a lot of propaganda there. they think that they will soon take moscow, but they're afraid of wagner. i captured this one ukrainian and he told me all sorts of nonsense. i think many guys are ready to serve with us because they start seeing the reality. even though there is information on the internet, they're still heavily zombified. here we had our 1st battle. there were mercenaries, there weeds, norwegians polls, and many others. we fought with dignity, and we shot everyone. the task was completed in full and then we left us russian advances on the battlefield. continued soto for west sloane doesn't live at

indication that the co ukraine is flipping through the ha. meanwhile, france is withdrawing troops from the west african country of burkina faso. that's a mid rising anti french sentiment in the region with local st. the french forces failed to prevent re occuring terrorist attacks. the latest deadly incident happened in a northern provinces. week 25 people were killed. among them, 3 police officers began vasa as under constant attack from jihadist groups linked to al qaeda and isis. the government has now as for hell from a top russian private military company to counter them. a local journalist explains abra keena. vasa was battling against terrorists with the help of the wagner group . as book in a fossil, his face settle a pass for years. now, the situation is still not getting any better governmental facilities, simply decided to expel, refresh. military con patient which have been present in the country seems 2018.

while more than 40 percent of the country is under the control of till his group. the decision was welcomed by visited here, who have called for new partners, especially the russian private military group. wagner. therefore, by their fast on that, do you know that in my opinion, we have waited long enough with france. we've suffered for too long. they were here for a long time, and we did not see any results. they killed many of our soldiers in many of our family members. and in just 4 months, captain ibrahim came and we already can see change in with the health of the wagner group in our soldiers. we know that things will get better for us. why, if i truly believe that the wagner group will do far, much better than france for the last 20 years, they did nothing. they had all the power to change things around here. but nothing change will be what we need, someone who will bring concrete solutions. someone who listens to the people of burkina and can achieve our common goals. with that in mind,

the wagner group is more than welcome. mikaela is also called for the d. pepto fresh ambassador in december as compelling to naming new diplomats in what god local last month, only kept in abraham towering. diagnosed the military cooperation agreement. we phrase the head, the prison. so 400 place troops in book in a fossil. this comes is been new authorities and will killer, have improved coalition with russia since october 2022. the corporation has increased the cup abilities of able kill abby army. but clarity in the control of its f space now will kill out is able to be more reactive to, to re school's attack. last month, 6 major to his her tact received a sweet response from the army which use don's emily captors in a counter attack. however, at the same time,

the tories have changed tactics by systematically killing civilian. they come into contact with a former mayor of a city in norfolk bo killer and former political adviser to kept him to my son, kara, his, the only survivor of the military called what killed son, kara, and 12 other 40 years ago. he so pre new is clear, the bud wagner, group of the blad at animals, we cannot eternally be submissive. i do not understand how france cannot understand that france who claims to be the leader of freedom in the country of human rights. it does not recognize any thing for france. we are slaves, we refuse to be slaves. france liberated itself from the old regime. let us do the same and be free from france. the french troops failed. that is for sure. our people will succeed to remember his 3 and more importantly, learn from mistakes, is a cardinal rule that those in miley and book in

a fossil are set to embrace. as the countries have moved away from the colonial past to a future of partners with their lulu assay wondered more than 19000 people have lost their lives in the devastating earthquakes that read through turkey and syria. this week, the scenes of devastation around the epicenter are simply shocking, so far, inter kia alone, more than 18000 people have been confirmed dad, and over 71000 people injured. formerly high rise apartment blocks had been reduced to rubble were signs of those still trapped, getting more difficult to the attack. nevertheless, the search for survivors goes on. the city of adiana in south eastern turkey is one of the most affected areas. artes peter scott reports from the seen on how the emergency services and logos themselves are trying to cope with the terrible aftermath of the disaster. is in 4 days since the massive earthquakes that

shook the city of adiana and the sun provides little warm and absolutely no comfort to those who have lost friends and family in this tragedy. the temperature still jock, well below 0 at night, and that provides their own set of challenges to those who don't have a home. the sites and breed families struggling to contain their grief is all too common on the streets about a young man. the government's estimate to the number of death here to be 900 on tuesday with 5000 wounded residence though say the figures are much higher. we spoke to one man standing next to the body of a young boy, wrapped in a blanket, took by them. yes, this is the son of my younger brother line here. they recovered the body of my brother this morning. and now we've received the body of my 10 year old nephew, where now waiting for body, shall the 2 daughters of my brother to be recovered or for them to be rescued a life alive. ah, many of the people we spoke to here said that help was slow to arrive in the days

after the earthquakes hit turkey. his presidents had one himself admitted that there had been shortcomings. but the relief effort now appears to be gathering pace and especially steam from algeria reportedly restroom to children on wednesday, there was apparently no sign of their relatives. people here angry that 4 days on and rescued team still haven't managed to reach many homes. one man told us it was the poor here suffering the most. many of the buildings on the streets hopping completely destroyed without the stop the people he was live there, still gathering around desperate for any news of their friends and relatives with the hours march on the fair is that this is turning into more of a recovery operation. that a rescue, 17 bodies have been found in this building and they're about to be removed. humanitarian aid is starting to get through to the city with people cuing to get badly needed food, water, and clothing. as soon as the earthquake struck, thousands of volunteers flocked to the airport in the stumble to join the search and rescue efforts in the does the area. although the him, he stumbled i'm

a lawyer originally from madonna, but now i live in his temple. i came here to rescue people from the class building so much any of us could have found ourselves inside one of these buildings. there were 34 families living in this building before the earthquakes. hope is fading fast, but every now and again, still someone is found alive against the odds. a little girl called elidah. those her life to volunteers like nish met in united. elijah is now doing well and recovering in a hospital. but unfortunately, we have recovered many bodies of the people who lived here, and this building has been completely destroyed. and out on one of the highways leading to ado yemen, there's a stream of ambulances, trucks carrying excavators and vans, filled with volunteers and aid. the sound of sirens fills the air as a long road ahead for this city and others lie kids when it's hard to imagine when his residence will be able to return. but when the dust eventually settles,

many of the people here will have questions about how this disaster was handled. and it's not just people who have been suffering from the disaster search teams and volunteers have been working hard to save every life, including those of patsy that trapped under the rubble or have otherwise been injured. and r t chris will to one rescuer, hope all the dog out of the debris, the noise like this. maybe this is nice. you will get maybe a nice noise in thirty's. good name. my. my wife is a nice. this is nice name. i lower in response to

the humanitarian crisis. russia has provided a both turkey and syria. freshman services are helping clear away rubble and russian verifying aircraft significantly contributed to extinguishing fires that are active in turkey. amid the disaster rush and rescue team, we're also quick to distribute medical supplies and other humanitarian aid to affected areas in syria. as, as western sanctions, particularly from the us have been blocking vital aid from getting into syria after the disaster. as you can see here on this map, major air carriers have been avoiding russian or syrian territory. people from around the world have been trying to collect money to help the survivors, but their assistance is failing to reach the ones in need in syria. as western sanctions are preventing money transfers to that country. already affected by years of war, even donations on the go find me platform has been rejected due to financial restrictions . are key heard from last. the mohammed assyrian, based in germany,

who personally faced barriers when he wanted to send money to help victims is homeland. i lost my cousin and her son in the es 3, or you want to do it. i don't people and then i try to find contacts. i can, i'm going to be 10020000 euros to send it to the people. so i know that we get to him and i tried, i tried, i couldn't go on the street and just out i need, i need, i need, i need that form where i can get this money. and after the service and all the people. busy using it and they, they get the money and i was accused, it drives me to go more to go public and just to invest my time the people are the same since this is what is happening.

exactly. do not forget us. we are still there that so people, they are the life that i can see and we need to help in order to go back as we syrians are struggling to deal with the earthquakes aftermath as the countries resources have already been drained by more than a decade. of devastating war western powers sanctions are now preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the middle eastern nation and adviser to serious president assad is outspoken out on the issue in an interview with going underground, hosted by action responses. you can watch the full interview here on our tea throughout the day, as well as on our website, r t dot com. here's a short preview. the situations it is truly been and particularly, and i little i'm let that can come on the blade the badly stricken by this week. and what made it worse is that city has been fighting for 12 years.

again, missed the horrible, better store that had been imposed on us. and what is make it 3 times worse is the american and european sanctions. again, the city a which would event us from updating our means and, and ways of helping the people hard job and that oven while they last is talking that they allow human it did in a system which is absolutely not true. unfortunately, ashan there they were. so it talks about governments either they don't see people and syria. and if you compare between b s p one day, how that was immediately dispatched to debbie, would they had that love this back to city? i you see that there is no human, it did and consideration a tone that will do us and come to, they only put the political at home and humanitarian. that's all for

now. be here to check out our t v dot com for all the latest breaking news. and dave, was he right back here at the top of the hour? ah, a tillman told me focus, you can hit that. we're having an issue. you're right on my, like i said, they said that you're not in place. i work with iowa all the way. so yeah, this place that people come from one water course was to be titled, i mean i had major was haggle it with lemons, but i'm only support almost now the navy is i can man,

that's what process i see all case. i'm normal. kind of double muscle, most of these are more los mcdonald with i have seen and my universe she immediately millipedes one on the list with will i will. ringback there's one more plant that you want to talk to you, what i mean by them, and then we had no mask. not there's only one on the spot. commit bugging media. you all know me fussy. this one not played to play. ah ah . next murat, this is a private negotiator, a fixer arranges ransom payments to kidnap us.