Also coming up, usually as crew leader bows, he wont give in till threats or sanctions that as regional leaders discuss how to reinstate the countries elected president , the hello and terry martin, thanks being with us. We begin in the United States where a former present donald trump is doing court in washington. Hes charged with plastic to subvert the will of us voters. In the 2020 Election Security is being ramped up ahead of the hearing where trump is expected to plead not guilty. He said the charges against him show the corruption of the bite and administration. This trumps 3rd set of criminal charges as seen as the most serious as he contains for next years election crowds, which is what theyre doing. I was bringing catherine through us brook here. Shes a political analyst and executive Vice President at the bath respond foundation. Catherine, good to see you. The slightest charges against donald trump are very serious, but do they pose a genuine threat to his efforts to regain the presidency . Well, not on the basis of the american constitution, terry. Oh, you have plenty of constitutional experts right now trying to figure out whether or not a president s or someone whos running for the highest office in the nation could in fact, will the country from a prison. So the constitution does not make that crystal clear. But these are very, very serious allegations. Its donald trump effectively against his own country. Thats effectively the summary of a jack smith presented to the public when he announced his indictment. Um, so its going to be difficult a year ahead. Certainly for donald trump, but its a highly polarized country and still 54 percent of the republican based believes this to be the man for the white house. So the legal aspect of this is still unclear, but trump does have rivals for the republican nomination. Will they not be trying to exploit the former president s political troubles for their own advantage . When we saw something extraordinary yesterday, which is to say that the Vice President for Vice President mike pins on the campaign trail side, the donald trump had attempted to put himself above the constitution and that no man should be elected president , who sees his role in that way, and that was the 1st public pronouncement that we heard from my parents who was now running for the presidency. You remember that he had a hard time being, quote, unquote dragged in front of these type of tribunals and the Congressional Committee that was looking into january 6th. So for the Vice President to come out with those strong words, yes, he is trying to compare. Hes trying to capitalize on this latest environment, but i dont think well see a Ronda Sanchez or anybody whos much closer to being in the running for that kind of candidacy and make those kind of comments so split feel there. Now trope remains extremely popular with a large chunk of the electorate. Despite what prosecutors say was an attempt by him, does a bird american democracy, culminating in a january 6th attack on the capital. How do you explain this continued support for trump, despite what happened . A local were now calling the big lie, which is to say the donald trump, and thats effectively the, you know, understand or the cornerstone of this indictment. I came up with these big lines that he had in fact one me 2020 election that was incredibly persuasive. To his space, if you recall the people who stormed the capital on january 6th thought that they were legitimately defending their vision in their version of their own democracy. And i think that makes this moment so dangerous. Because if for whatever reason donald trump gets off with a lesser sentence doesnt go to prison. So much as the future of american democracy hinges on this indictment hinges on what were going to see play out over the next year. Because we also know that donald trump has a now, as it was a big piece, and then your time that if he is re elected to the highest office in the land, he will begin dismantling the bureaucracy and the systems of the state even further caused by attempting to turn the United States even more into an executive lead slash dictatorship of a country. This is a very dangerous moment, a very dangerous precipice for american democracy. So all eyes in the world should rightly be on what happens over the next couple of months. Precisely on this federal indictment and just briefly, catherine, the prosecutors have called for a speedy trial. How could, how soon could that trial happen . So . Well, they are trying to use every legal tool. They have to actually speed this procedure up, but we also her job tomorrow. The defense lawyer for a or one of the lawyers for the Donald Trump Team saying that they in fact and try to slow this process down. They want a very close reading of the documentation and as a quote unquote evidence. So there will be a battle of those 2 camps in terms of how this actually ends up playing out on the the trump team will play for time because there was a moment of immunity ahead of a president ial election wins or legal procedures cannot continue or cannot be brought in, that is what the trump team will be playing for. But all in all this will be a difficult process and procedure. I expect it to take, at least from start to finish at 66 months, 9 months. And whether or not that ends up playing out fully over the election cycle will depend on how quickly the prosecution can begin their actual testimony, proceedings, jury selection and everything that goes with such a process. Catherine, thank you so much. That was catherine clear ashbrook from the purchased one foundation. My pleasure. Thanks, terry. Do need here now where the us has ordered a partial evacuation of a time to see a week after the nation was rocked by a cool us state department. Stopped short of advising all americans to leave. Many countries have cut age to new share since the crew and the west African Regional block known as eco last insist use of force is possible within days. Now if deposed, president mohammed buzzer is not reinstated. He is not the 1st leader to be forcibly removed from office in the region. These are status as one of the few democracies and this, the ho appears to be going up in smoke. The west african nation as its name to a list of countries in the region that have witness cruise. In recent years of the new share joins neighboring molly, which saw the military stage and mutiny in 20202021. A 2nd crew took place there that same year, gimme chad and sudan also witnessed their leaders being overthrown and burkina faso. There were 2 crews in 2022. The instability cost in large part by militant islam as groups has caused a particular concern to democracies across the region. And especially to those in the block of countries that form part of the Economic Community of West African States or equal was anchored by africas most populated country. Nigeria. Equal was also serves as a peacekeeping force. During times of political instability and unrest, Member States send joint military forces to intervene but the most potent tool in the eco was arsenal is its ability to suspend Member States from its economic grouping. Molly gimme burkina, faso a know new share have all been suspended following cruise. These arrows, one to has been given an ultimatum or by equal less to it has threatened the possible use of force. There are fears that any military intervention in the share but you go out could descend into a full scale war in the region. With molly and burkina faso both warning those they would defend their fellow crew leaders. And the effectiveness of an equal boss force has been questioned by experts who say Adequate Funding is required if it were to have a chance of succeeding. Plus, it could be to a worsening of an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region. Spring in our west, africa corresponded at least a cheerful, not here. Hes covering the story from our legal, his bureau in neighboring nigeria, lisa military strong, that are now in charge in the share. Molly burkina, faso and other countries in the region. As we saw in our report, why is this a hill in africa that region so vulnerable to cruise a well terry, you have to go back and you know, to the history books for this one, especially since the 9th and sixtys when uh, many of these countries that get your independence, im going to know power inside the lights of the french. I know say for the british nigeria is of us have is a series of successive crews up on the 60 seventys eightys on. So uh, 99 seems before we went into any brand new, you know, somebody that really nice and 99 with us. That situation actually happened. So its almost like a dish out bu, situation saturday, because uh you have since been pandemic, a sort of a reverse of up in trend where democrats and governance, im beginning to get thrown in money, but cannot process the analyses yet. And with the reasons being that the corruption instability and also aspects of uh, you know, do you have using this . I have do see that governments being on able to tackle this is such as innovation. And thats why these names in general, so to speak as just talk them in governments, you know, lift frankincense at a specific turn in the west africa look into the crew coming to the west. Africa is regionally, bulk eco. Laws has impose sanctions on new to air, its threatening to intervene. Perhaps militarily, nigeria has cadillac, tricity supplies with the country, etc, etc. Can the qu leaders withstand this kind of pressure as well . Do that, right . You have to look at the latest. So yes, and the wednesday speech up on monday, uh, you know, the subject of the day himself, whos in charge of the j. A general either on a as jani who came off of state broadcast yesterday. And to come to the, im going to say hes basically not create any way of defiance. I did reject goal sanctions from echo, as i think the once any dimension from any but anybody be echo as the western powers. And hes called on the people of the j to, to defend as a whole under units into different countries. That is defiance coming from the general, who said eventually colinda, which means this spend the terry is really on between echo as i may say because they forget the one because its amazing given by it was on sunday. Is there any accounts in uh, you know, weve got a couple of days the 1st sunday that deadline is off and we know that that immediately meeting seats, the defense to some echo as well meets. And yes, didnt have to be downloading, meets again today. And they say, which intervention might be a last result . You know, you maybe people that will be so much about statements coming from the beach that the headquarters would be teaching flux. Acosta has sent a delegation to new share to negotiate with the coo leaders. How much hope is there for a diplomatic solution . So yes, so, so why didnt we need to choose . The country in a booze aspect was blocked a sense, the delegation 11 back from a nigerian meaning to let himself 5 is that on the ad . So use the, i mean, see that goes to it, say it was a case of fingers crossed all the options on the table, open the echo as a and i also for the judge and how many people might take solution. When you look at that statement again yesterday on when that i put the cost on my general it see i need it to need to disclaim a well head into a stand up and i think of from a night dream perspective is almost fingers crossed the days itd be to me, id say so not know about this thing, mind me to gather upon because my network cannot, paso have many cases they will back the j should echo as is it being so is it last me so fingers crossed into the region. Ok, so thank you very much. That was our west africa correspondent, elisa tacoma in lagos. Lets lets take a look at a couple of other stories making headlines today. Rescuers are rushing to help residents of the flood hit chinese city of cho to just outside beijing. The city has borne the brunt of some of the worst storms to hit the areas in over a decade. Torrential rain and flooding of left at least 21 people dead in the capital and the surrounding of a problem. In the winters of thailands last general election, had been excluded from attempts to form a new government. The reformers moved forward for the has failed twice. The getting its leader installed as Prime Minister due to opposition from conservative law and government who stormed the synagogue in pittsburgh and killed. 11 worshippers will be sentenced to death. The 50 year old perpetrated perpetrator spread his hatred for jews in white supremacists, Police Online before the shootings. The 2018 massacre of the tree of life synagogue was the deadliest. As you some basic attack in us is just reminder of our top story security in washington is tight with forward present donald trump doing court there. These pricing has most serious indictments. Yet for his efforts to overturn jo bidens victory in the 2020 election on terry march. And thanks for watching the criminal pretty clinic