king mswati has ruled the kingdom, previously known as swaziland, for 35 years. for the past week, the people have been defying curfews to demand democratic reforms. they're angry at widespread poverty, while the king spends millions on private jets and luxury cars. opposition groups say soldiers have killed dozens of protesters, and the government has denied reports the king has fled to south africa. eswatini's regional allies are calling for political dialogue to calm the unrest. we will bring in our guests in a moment. first, this report. reporter: anger and frustration in eswatini. crowds built barricades and burned tires, despite an overnight curfew, what the opposition is calling a tipping point for the nation. demonstrations like this are rare in the small landlocked country, formerly known as swaziland. but dissent has been simmering for years, much of it, focused on king mswati, africa's last absolute monarch, and one of the few remaining in the world. >> ladies and gentlemen, his majesty, the king of swaziland. reporter: he was crowned in 1986, aged jus

the country formally known as swaziland.ked us not to show her face and to disguise her voice because she was concerned she would be attacked for doing this interview. when we come back, lebanon's caretaker prime minister once the country could face a "social explosion" as lebanon confronts what the world bank has described as one of the worst economic depressions in modern history. we will go to beirut. stay with us. ♪♪ [music break] amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. lebanon's caretaker prime minister is warning the country is days away from a "social explosion" as the country confronts what the world bank has described as one of the worst economic depressions in modern history. prime minister hassan diab made the comment in a meeting with ambassadors earlier this week in beirut. >> i call on the united nations, all international agencies, international community and wod public opinion to help save the lebanese people from dying. lebanon is a few days away from a socia

yes, so this goes back to the period in which he's 15 year old and swaziland claimed us independence from the united kingdom. it was a protector. it. and when that independence came, and king abuser whose between his father there was a process of kind of nation building the involved a kind of strong cultural element of separating aside what is kind of typically with teeny versus south africa and creating that divide of trying to politician against what was then apartheid south africa in creating this very distinct and separate country. and so the king's authority of the absolute monarch has been partly built upon this building of a culture and a cultural identity for the country and his place within it. right? so there has been some form of democracy within the currently system, but this is what in the king has, has came to the form of democracy under the tinker system, where you have people up appointed, you have some elections, but as your, as your piece at the beginning said, it's largely a selection process, but it's still under the control of, of the king himself. now, whether h

of the people of swaziland. i need to do that when the king realized that the most effective way of shutting them out of the people of london is to pass some production of terrorism at that effectively and to demo and you would leak avenues of being blocked. let's talk a little bit about economics, menzies, to what extent is economic hardship driving the discontent? some estimates for poverty, it's above 60 percent and unemployment, depending on how you measure it at 40 percent. absolutely, absolutely. i think we can discuss the importance of economic factors being a key driver of the address at the moment. we've seen this why the state struggle to pay its workers, and that can lead to a whole class of protests that, that occurred prior to this that we see. the state has struggled to pay teachers. the state has struggled to deliver services all the while. as he mentioned, the king and his close circle has been living opulent life. so meant that you can only call him right action. i think in the sense, yes, i thi

and what's the me do for contempt of court after he criticized swaziland to just sort of system. and it's the international declared him a prisoner of conscience. introducing that prominent human rights lawyer, delani mythical idols that thanks for joining us. you have a chair of a multi stakeholder, coordinating team, an umbrella group. what do you represent or who you represent and what exactly are you calling for? thank you. group group then all the political part to the. ready fatherland and what is kind of the group then the, the, you know, in your women and your youth, the and the of the groupings and putting the call that we're making as the, the, the towns you know, the country into a multi party. and then we had a question where then when i became defiant in that request, one key issue is that put us to have a challenge with the king and the power he welds someone's him to step down what you expect him to do. they go get for the thing to step down. they then call for him to t k. no commitments doing gauge in the process of that process, which we determine the job of the

of the world's last absolute monarchies, kingdom swati has ruled the kingdom previously known as swaziland for 35 years bought for the past week, people have been defying curve, used to demand democratic reforms that angry at widespread poverty while the king spends millions on private jets and luxury cars, opposition groups, se soldiers of killed dozens of protesters, and the government has denied reports. the king has fled to south africa. that's what he and his regional allies of calling for political dialogue to come. the rest will bring in our guests in a moment. first, this report like say, o'brien anger and frustration. and it's what he crowds built barricades confirmed tires despite an overnight curfews, while the opposition's colon a tipping point for the nation, the demonstrations like this a rare, and the more landlocked country, formerly known fatherland. but the saint has been simmering for years. much of it focused on kingdom swati, africa, his last absolute monarch, and one of the few remaining in the world that he was crowned in 1986 aged just 18 and has unfettered politica

wednesday, soldiers clashed with demonstrators killing several people, as with any formerly known as swaziland, is africa's last absolute monarchy. and a major supply route used to deliver much needed food to eat the up. his water to drive region has been destroyed and thought play, who did destroy the bridge over the because the river, but relief work and say it's a major setback around a 1000000 displaced people need food. the man in charge of securing kind of virus vaccines for africa has blasted europe the failing to deliver a single promise. those 3, they, marcia says that fewer than one percent of the continent has been fully vaccinated . and infections are overwhelming. hospitals. those are the headlines i'll be back with more news and half now here on our next witness. stop filming us. the news. ready the late of us for the s and go in nor does contrast market a film and this is a n g o a's on the face of a film of and i've been so low, but i think sleep in his 5 or 5 nor does full of fabrics and build w states professors. what are the news that the guy today, you know, to films here c

guest spent a year behind boss, and he saw the new jail for contempt of court after he criticized swaziland to just a little system. and the international declared him a prisoner of conscience introducing that prominent human rights lawyer, delani me, a circle. how does that? thanks for joining us. you are the chair of a multi stakeholder, coordinating team, an umbrella group. what do you represent or who do you represent and what exactly are you calling for? thank you, the group, then all the political party, the fatherland, political part is kind of in the group. then the, the, you know, i'm trying to do it and i think your women and your youth and the people and the rest of the groupings and putting for the call that we're making as the trans, you know, the country into a multi party session. and then we had a question where then one defiant in that one key issue is that protest s have a challenge with the king and the power. he wails, someone's him to step down. what do you expect him to do? they go, let's get for the thing to step down. there is a call for him to t k. no commitments do

guest spent a year behind boss and so at the new jail for contempt of court after he criticized swaziland to get a single system. honestly, international declared him a prisoner of conscience introducing their permanent human rights lawyer, delani mythical. hello. thanks for joining us. you are the chair of the multi stakeholders coordinating team, an umbrella group. what do you represent or who you represent and what exactly are you calling for? thank you. who group then all the political party, the. ready scotland are better than what is kind of the group then the multi, you know, try to do it in your women and your youth. the and the rest of the groupings and putting the call that we're making as it is the towns you know, the country into a multi party fashion. then we had a question where then when i became a defiant in that was one key issue is that put us to have a challenge with the king and the power he welds someone's him to step down. what do you expect him to do? they go get for the thing to step down. they then call for him to t no commitments doing gauge in the process of gal

be non uniform people who are trying to intimidate the government of martini, formerly known as swaziland, is inviting southern africa regional, blocked, investigate. after days of protest against the king. very poor, dozens of people have been killed and injured during the demonstrations. the crowds accuse king with 45 fling defense and want and elected prime minister. the government says it's before the military to restore order as what is africans last absolute monarchy. let's speak to bundle in glued to who's the secretary general at the people's united democratic movement is joining us via skype. thank you very much for being with us. attention have been very high in your country. in the last week, authorities have not confirmed any deaths in, in the recent race, but they have been reports of death. can you tell us about the situation as you know it? thank you very much. my sister indeed the dead. but currently, if to me to, to be 70, that have happened in the last 4 days. character of his, my just deeply clearing the wall on, on civilians. quite grosse and never seen. you know, i us

swaziland is the last absolute monarchy in africa.ecurity forces and belarus have rated another 25 homes and offices of activists and independent journalists. it's the third day in a row of search -- of searches. afghan forces have launched an offensive to retake a key border crossing with pakistan. the town fell to the taliban on wednesday. a major supply route into the province in pakistan. doctors have been treating fighters wounded in the latest fighting. the tele-been made significant gains in recent weeks as foreign drops withdrew -- foreign troops withdraw from the country. there were close to 52,000 new infections on friday, coming days before the government relies this -- the government relaxes restrictions. i will have more news for you after "inside story." do stay with us. ♪ mohammed: back to square one. lebanon's prime minister designate resigns again after failing to form a new government. who's to blame for this latest setback, and is there political will to pull lebanon out of this crisis? this is "inside story." ♪ hel

the regional block is due to arrive and s latina, formerly known as swaziland, going to fact finding mission. after weeks of protests against the king, there are reports, dozens of people have been killed and injured during the demonstrations, alexia bryan reports enough to fill in a 13 e capital in bonnie patients who say they were shot by security forces. i went out to see what was happening and so the cars were on fire. we went to look at the supermarket, which is also burning. but when i got there, the police chases, i just got back to my house when police arrived and they shot me videos like the hard to get the whole landlocked kingdom, formerly known as the lead internet and phone access have been sporadic since protests against the monarchy escalated this week, but opposition to the se, dozens of people have been killed and injured for the dead. that currently, if the me to, to be a venti that have happened in the last 4 days, catch a few of his might just didn't clearing the war on, on civilians. quite grosse and never seen. you know, i used all mama, the demonstrations began

guest spent a year behind boss and what's in the jail for contempt of court after he criticized swaziland to do to settle system. and the international declared him a prisoner of conscience introducing their prominence human rights lawyer, delani mythical. hello. thanks for joining us. you are the chair of a multi stakeholder, coordinating team, an umbrella group. what do you represent or who you represent and what exactly are you calling for? thank you. croup. then all the political party, the fatherland. political part is kind of in the group. then the multi, you know, some try to do it and i think your women, your youth and the people and the rest of the groupings and putting a be called making the tons, you know, the country into a multi part version. and then we had a question where then one nice advocate defined in that request. one key issue is the put, assess, have a challenge with the king and the power. he wails, someone's him to step down. what do you expect them to do? they don't go get for the thing to get down there, call for him to t k. no commitments doing gauge in the pro