I could check the headlines he on al jazeera, the u. S. Secretary of state, as urged his russian counterpart to let drain shipments take a lead ukrainian ports under deal signed last week. It was a 1st time anthony blink and, and sylvia elaborate had spoken since the russian invasion we said a long time, if we thought there was any opportunity to advance saw diplomacy to and russias aggression against ukraine. We would of course, take it unfortunately, tragically, weve seen no, ah, opening willingness on the part of russia to engage meaningfully on ending the aggression at the same time, ive also said that if there are issues where it could make a difference in senior russians hearing directly from me or from colleagues, we would of course, um, pursue that ships and ukraines black. See ports now loaded with grain and ready to sail. But a signal is needed from turkey on the un before they can leave his ready forces of shot dead, a 16 year old palestinian boy in the occupied west bank. Im just about aaliyah was demonstrating against attacks by settlers in an area near amola soldiers opened fire, scuffled, broke out between palestinian protested, unsettling. Former yes, President Donald Trump has defended hosting a saudi bat Golf Tournament at one of his courses. Im at a backlash. Im families of 911 victims. The controversial lives series event is being held less than 75 kilometers from where the World Trade Center one stood. A judge in the u. S. As rule that civil lawsuits brought against libyan warlord and etha. Hafta can be heard in federal courts after i was a u. S. Citizen, as accused of war crimes and extra judicial kennings. And im of People Killed in floods and Eastern Kentucky has risen to 25. The National Guard and state police have been using helicopters and boats to rescue dozens of people from homes and vehicles. It follows days of torrential rainfall and the mountainous appellation regions. Those are the headlines. The news continues here now to 0, after talked about a 0 station. Thanks for watching bye for now. Free fall precision. These athletes are experts in the art of jumping out of planes. More than 40 military parachuting teams have descended here to the desert of could chart to compete for the World Championship title. The competitors are all active military members and have been training for years to get here. Most have tens of thousands of jumps to their names. Each country will compete in 3 disciplines. Freefall, skydive, accuracy, landing, and 4 way formation. Men and women compete separately, but under the same flag. You know, i cant do a story about parachuting and not jump out of a plane as we climb up. The teams mentally prepare for their job. I try to do the same then minutes later, once the earth is just a blurb below its time to freefall. With milan, we have enjoyed peace and political stability since its independence and 1964. But the landlocked nation is heavily dependent on foreign aid and food imports. And food scarcity has become a pressing issue. According to the wild food program, some 5400000 malawi and thats 33 percent of the population. Dont have enough to eat the code, but 19 pandemic. And the war in ukraine have made things west for the small country and its people facing rising inflation. Hundreds of people have been protesting against the government of president lazarus to clara who took office in 2020 promising and ambitious economic agenda. At least 70 protests as have been detained. Raising questions about the president s commitment to democratic freedoms. Chiclare, as government has ordered an investigation against former president putin was eureka in connection with the matter of an albino man in 2018 people with albinism in the region. Often a target of human rights abuses, stigmatization and discrimination. And while president , aquarius, as human rights must be guaranteed to all ma, lauins, Police Detained investigative journalist, gregory conway, who said he was pressure to reveal his sources on a government corruption story. With his time in office ending in 2025 wilma law in see the country and economy their leader promised to deliver during his president ial campaign, the president of milan lazarus took where it talks to al jazeera lather as to clara president of maloney, thank you for talking to al jazeera, i want to start with a pressing issue for your administration, and for many ma lauins, the global food crisis. Now we know that malawi is a very heavy net food importer in 2018. Something like 17 percent of that came from russia. I believe including majority of your wheat. Now since the start of the war in ukraine, the price of a bag of flour i believe, has risen by 42 percent. And weve also seen floods late rains. How worried to you about your country going hungry isa . You know, these are real issues you raise their warm has not helped because prices of food fuel on fertilizer is abs biking and youre right about our consumption, particularly of wheat related food stuffs is being affected negatively. It. We pray for peace and we pray for there was a list of this things. However, what we do in currently is to diversify and have other food systems that can enter into the equation. So we can still survive and thrive this period despite the pain that we all experienced. As a result of the shortage, im curious about what you mean by diversify because i see the World Food Program says Something Like a 3rd of your people are currently facing moderate to severe chronic food and security. I know you removed the a t on cooking oil and a number of other products earlier this year till that isnt enough. So what are your other plans to tackle free prices . We did remove. Ready d, and some of they ported materials that are needed desperately. We did have a shortage in terms of major production. Even though what we were able to produce would still be on average higher than the last 5 years. But we are encourage into production, cassava, potato and others in order to supplement that which cannot be important. And so our biggest challenge right now is to be sure that even in places where there were floods because of psycho and, and gone bay and drought because the res came late, we should have sufficient supply of mays to cover everyone. And we believe that that is doable, of course. But amidst all of this, weve seen inflation skyrocket. Equator has been d valuing, and theres also a Foreign Exchange issue around that. Yes, theyve evaluation of the quarter was a necessary evil. And i think bad realignment has helped a lot for free up some for x, so that were able to. Busy important what is necessary, our continued discussions with the i m f r given us prospects of our whole that we could have a program with them. But their responsibility would still be on us to produce added value to what we produce and then export. And you mentioned the i m f, i understand that theyve said they will pay well they will give aid to malawi as long as the Massive Public debt issue is dealt with. I see youve also introduced austerity measures, but its also hitting the Public Health sector. So now there are fewer ambulances than allowed to collect the dead patients in hospital only getting one meal a day. I mean, thats really quite the trade off. Quite the sacrifice. Our discussions with the i may have a huge on, for example, how to manage our did because its become in something that causes distress. And so we believe that our discussions are bearing fruit because we had entered into certain deaths for some of which we inherited very expensive rates. Were believe that this to can be managed. You say that youve been met with understanding, but there has also been a lot of disillusionment and anger. You ran on a campaign that got you elected to produce 1000000 jobs. Now in february, this february, you told parliament shed created 997423 jobs in the last year. Thats very specific number. The year before the some 600000 jobs will last. And i know that you will form a labor miss that expected 1500000 job losses due to the pandemic. So let me ask you then, so how many jobs have you actually created since the start of your term . And are you satisfied with them . When youre talking about jobs, were talking about sources of income that could give someone a livelihood. And because of the panoramic to year and they make yes, jobs were lost and Many Companies were closed. Others are just trying to we have also tried to do the best we can encourage Construction Industry infrastructure across the country to make sure that people get jobs. Our National EconomicEmpowerment Fund has dispersed the 37200000000 boucher to various groups in order for them to create jobs. 162000. Such groups have been held across the country. We are just trying the best we can within the circumstance that you are right, that the pain is being failed by every one. But we want to be sure, even though the whole world is, is sharing in these issues. We want to be sure that we can mitigate them, allow them to, to a sion and be sure that people will gone well. It seems that there are many people who dont believe that your administration has being very successful at this mitigation, so to speak. There have obviously been Anti Government protests that weve seen several rounds of them april last year in november last year, and also just in the last few weeks. So in your minds then, who are the people who are on the streets, who are marching . And what do they want . Did they have a valid complaint . You know, it is a constitutional right for people to protest and to do it display on to do it safely. And so if you also consider the hundreds and thousands of those that we have been able to do a house through social cash transfers across the country affecting over 4000000 people. And these other issues and programs that i just mention about empowerment that is not an answer for everyone. And so we realize that this is not supplied the jobs that are needed for everybody. And so they are, protest didnt have a right to do that, but we are also doing something that if you ask that millions that have been held, they would also tell a story that sometimes is not being towed when the emphasis is just on those protest. Doctor where you talk about the constitutional right to protest, but in this latest round, Something Like at least 70 people were arrested during these protests. And that does also include human rights activists. I believe an injunction was also issued to try to stop the protest from taking place. That doesnt give a very good impression of will always commitment to democratic freedom. Or you have to understand when i said, people have a right to protest visually. You will notice that they have been hundreds of people that were not even arrested. And so in this particular case, you refer to. There was a case where people begun alluding, breaking into shops, and the police have been recovered some of those stolen items and returning them to the shop owners. This is definitely a criminal, but it has nothing to do with whether people should be able to protest or not. In fact, to other companies and other groups of people continue to protest regarding several issues that they are not happy about. This is a particular case where people are answering charges of criminality, but a number of human rights activists were also arrested. Will you make a big commitment then that if people are not participating in criminal activity, they will be released . They will be released mimes permitted man has never wavered. Oh, let me ask you then about other democratic freedoms like press freedom malawi, i see has been falling, and the ranking for media freedom. An investigative journalist was detained, back in april, interrogated while working on a story specifically about government corruption. I believe a nurse was recently arrested for insulting usa on whats up. Another man was arrested as well for insulting the minister of labor. Now, earlier this month, you yourself said that no journalist is in jail for publishing negative stories about the government. No, for insulting the president. Do you still hold that to be true . Do you must understand when such things happen . They have been one or 2 cases. We have need that in the bud precisely because we dont want people to feel like they have no freedom to express themselves. They got to, to show is pretty clear on and so far as im concerned, i have stated not once, but many times, but i will not have journalists harassed or imprison. So those people have been released. And you, as the president , do you believe that people can publicly insult you or they are doing that daily . Well, so one of the things that people have been criticizing you for has been allegations of corruption. Now your former labor minister lands minister, energy minister, are all being investigated, not to mention the vice president. I see in january, the catholic archbishop and several bishops in malawi, along with Civil Society groups. They released the statement that said the cancer of corruption sadly. Now imbedded in malawi, as launch and responsible for keeping the country very poor and underdeveloped. You stacked your entire cabinets just a few days later. How confident are you that your new cabinet is entirely clean . Well, you know, even as we speak, you know, there is a National Conference and resetting moral tone as a nation. And i want everyone to know that we do have that political wheel. But we must address such issues across the board. And we must have all stakeholders participate and this is the conversation that is currently taking place, but it goes beyond the conversation, doesnt as it goes into systems and implementation of those systems. So let me ask you then, mr. President , how was your new cabinet vetted the cabinet is doing fine. I can tell you that every time that we have issues raised, we know that they are institutions that are mandated to investigate the same. You have been witness to the actions that i have taken. And we were even this morning brief on what has been done, not just talking, but the talking still needs to happen because everyone must participate and then agree on their way forward. Let me rephrase my question then mister president , whats different this time round with your cabinet . What will stop corruption from happening now . Better want to scan. They can, they can just well, nearly do whatever they would want. That is the message that is that even at capitol hill, you must understand that its been this study is, will show you that much of their rupture. And as much as politicians will be central to it because of their political will, thats needed. A lot of public sector, private sector collusion has been bad. This is what we are addressing currently. Well, so you yourself have been accused of nepotism. I know youve taken it very personally when your daughter, violets positions, were questioned. I believe she now holds the position that the Malawi Embassy in london, your son in law, sean camp, denny is your executive assistant, the state house director of communications. Now obviously Public Perception, as youve alluded to, is hugely important. So what would you say to those who believe that you are just perpetuating the behavior that yourself of has criticized . You must understand that a person like sean come funding, for example, has been with me from 2013 and nobody said anything at that time. And so he is the one that works with me. But even those that have raised that question, have come to realize that this is not really the issue because we can show you that there are so many others that are qualified, that have been deployed in various ministries and departments on the edges of this government to the end that you cannot take one example and then blow it like youd say, anything out of proportion. But im just talking about Public Perception here. And i think that thats a fair question to ask because other people have raised it as well. And its about how people view you and how you, your government. And i know that you are very recently assured me allow, in that you will achieve your vision fuel plans for your developments of the country. That the desire by profits of doom to see you fail will not succeed. So let me ask you, in terms of perception and the way that youre trying to communicate with your electorate, who are these prophets of doom . And they want to say, come out, rise, anyone who says not been work. Anyone who say is that this country will never develop. Thats who im talking about. Im talking about people who instead of encouraging others to work like we wanted to work and get the millenniums united and it is not a specific name. Im just talking about the attitude that needs to change in order for malaria to truly arise. Well, one of the other critics very vocal critiques of your administration is former president piece was a recall after that 2900 election debacle. What is your relationship like now . I see that your government has also recently requested that he be investigated in connection with the murder of an albion. Irma, those matters, came out of port hearings and important judgments and so forth. But my relationship with the former president as well as other former president s, is claudio. And so presumably youll watch that case of the albion take place and you encourage a full investigation to take place. I will not force anyone to do anything. I will just let those who did him because me, i want people with ive been is, am protected. I want him to leave freely work freely rom freely in this country. This is the land. I want everyone to be able to feel safe, that as well. I, we, we can do that well, so id like to ask you about another case of interest thats come up recently as well. A chinese man who is now being charged for producing races, videos, getting malory and children to say derogatory things about themselves in chinese. Can i ask you personally, what went through your mind when you saw those reports, especially given how involves china isnt allowing, i wasnt happy about the foot edges that i so when this thing was revealed, but they appeal is to everyone. Its not abuse. Others for whatever reason, let us leave as she manages one family. Your country obviously has a very robust relationship with beijing. China even built your parliament house. And i see you just on the National Data center that will host all government wide sy