a new political age for scotland. rory challenz al jazeera edinburgh. ah, this is al jazeera, these are the top stories, more than 46000 people are confirmed dead and took here and syria after last week's earthquakes. the focus is shifting to relief efforts and helping millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance. the tremors of up routed entire communities. durkis vice president said more than a 1000000 people are living in tents. i said bags got more from the heart, had area of carmen marsh. there seems to be that transition phase, 3rd phase where people are being put up intensity is, is vice with humanitarian aid being delivered to them. schools are being used to give out blankets, food, water, clothes, anything that people may need. but also there's a few people out on the streets now before there were people waiting for their loved ones to be rescued or recover their bodies, nursing fewer and fewer people as they go into those tensor is all relocate to other people. but if i could to show you the destruction around this city center, they is rubble. absolutely, everywhere you can see mattresses, you can see books, you can see close all the contents of their homes crushed in a matter of minutes. senior defense officials of war leaders discussing the ukraine war during this 2nd day of the munich security conference representatives from keeps western allies have been using the meeting to show solidarity with ukraine. the most important lesson from the war in ukraine is that north america and europe must stand together in the more dangerous world we need our transatlantic alliance . more than ever without natal there is no security in europe. north korea's fight a long range ballistic missile into the sea of its east coast. japan's defense minister says the miss r landed and what it, what it calls the exclusive economic zone. and conflict and democratic republic of congo is one of the issues being discussed of the african union summit in ethiopia . leaders have gathered for the 1st day of high level talks and addis ababa those are the headlines. the news is going to continue here on al jazeera after upfront. good by one to 3000000 j register to vote in the 2020 geno the next 10 to 30000000 more than the entire vote and population in the rest of west africa. the vote to say they care about the economy insecurity and unemployment. hundreds, it would bring your comprehensive coverage of this election. the candidates, i'm the issues 2022 was the deadliest year in 3 decades for journalists, mexico. the country has been grappling with cartel violence and corruption for decades. placing the journalists who report on these issues at great risk when simply trying to do their job. what is the situation at a critical point and his journalism in mexico facing a point of no return. that conversation is coming up, but 1st, ongoing fighting in the resource rich democratic republic of congo, between the army and the march 23 movement or m. 23 has left hundreds, did, and millions displaced in the countries eastern provinces. the d. r. c. government blamed neighboring rwanda for supporting in 23 and allegation for garley has denied, but as fighting intensifies, many fear the conflict could escalate into war between the 2 countries. so what's in store for the congolese people? and is there a path towards peace? will ask the minister of communication and spokesperson for the government of the democratic republic of congo this week. the headliner, patrick? yeah. the patrick we, i thank you so much for joining me on upfront. thank you. tensions are flaring between the d r c and will wanda, which your government has accused of backing the armed group m 23. is that that's an accusation. that one has repeatedly denied, of course, despite evidence documented by the united nations and human rights watch. there's also been a war of words with ca, golly, as violence proliferate sparking fears of further escalation. rwanda has said that your government is quote, preparing for war. is war with rwanda a minute. thank you for your question. and i think once we are living today, it's not like for the 1st time we are in this kind of situation to respond back. in the past years, they've been fighting almost 5 time the government of democracy probably could. congo, you can remember 996. we've been, you can remember our std center and 23 didn't been doing it for years. and they always keep the same speech off denying the fact of what they've been doing in the early part of years today. we don't even want to go on detail of that because they're read it documented report from united nations expert. they're read the white paper this year in kinshasa. there we do a lot of condemnation from always in the countries talking by united states, a key one that to stop the or the to support em. 23 democratic republic of congo, which the prison to say katy, we are busy because we have some tough challenge. we need to pace in, in that condition. we don't need any war. we've any money. we need to teach and walks to get orders and we've been killing people for the past year and that's reaching back year year. that's prisons, guy me because we don't think that these people are you seeing on the wall that use this will ease doing that because yes. order interest such like continue looting in as 0 see me. it's a trying to clear the some economy arisen can interesting what the prison again me doing to use one of the challenges here, of course is what's happening with him. 23. there are the military challenges there . the legitimate threats that you've raised. another piece of this though is the actual war of words that has been escalating president to 2nd. he called romano president, apopka guy may a war monger, he also referred to his actions as diabolical that kind of language. that type of rhetoric certainly doesn't de escalate the tension. is it adding fuel to the fire? we don't change, you know, years since the beginning of this war we've been talking with quantities from the past to july. first it was in glenda and then we went to the name, it will be 2 or 3 times, one key on wednesday prisons, my wife everywhere and ear differs and to see if he's known by being a demo or someone would been fighting to get him power i think the prison got me, you can just look back on his background and then you know, what kind of liter east saw the president got me. but the question i'm less asking about the type of leader he is and more about if the language that's being used is making matters worse at the goal is piece language using doesn't strike doesn't mean anything. if you have to compare it with what's present to me and these 2 are believe in some years the especially let me give you an example last november and she was a kid almost 20200 people were men and women lady in the correct condition, it's not your balance loads each about the act of violence they've been doing and or the international community can then work that i think issues. so there is certainly ample documentation of m. 23. committing human rights violation summary executions, rape force, recruitment of people into the rank you reference some of the stuff yourself. to date. however, your government has also been accused of backing militias with similarly poor human rights records. i'm talking about groups like the democratic forces for the liberation of wanda, the f d l. art. they've been accused of killing hundreds of civilians. they've been accused of widespread sexual violence. president just 2nd. he has said that he opposed any alliance between the congo, leave army and militias, but there are reports, credible reports, the document, the supply of arms is applied. they munition food all to these groups. you know, why is your government backing these militias? i think we must make things clear because there is a lot of manipulation and bad news, especially one of the special needs or fund government spreading bad news news. what might be clear that speaking about both ways those people are there we've been fighting then since 1996. today we continue to fight them because they force, there are, is security programs for companies, people in the past 2 years. and fortunately, they are a moment of those people who killed the cell number in the region. so we cannot walk. those people were called. thank you said you cannot. you cannot work with f d r, but there is credible evidence. when i look at reports from human rights watch, just as one example, there are credible reports of people who say that the congress army has supplied armed groups with aid and weapons of one f l. our fighter, for example, told human rights watch in october of 2022, that he himself witnessed for transfers of ammunition. and he says that it's the government quote that would always provide us with ammunition. he was specifically referring to the troops. he said they also gave us uniforms and then we will have these level of reports of arm groups getting support from the colonies. army. how do you respond to this? oh no, i don't see. don't let, let's, let's be clear on that question. there is no chord aberration between army and any major. so non tech for rent that don't give credit to all those people. oh, some of them can be by there under strategy to make sure they are like complicated because right, i know that here are you, are you disputing or are you disputing? human rights watch. we have often criticized. we will want in government as have other people in your government. one of the places that they have looked to, to just to verify their claims of the violence and atrocity committed by the rule, wind and government and groups like him. 23 has been human rights watch. now the same organization which people have trusted human rights watch is saying that your government have done the very same thing or are very similar things. examples of the congress army supplying armed groups with, with arms and 8 ammunition uniform boots. this has come on multiple occasions from multiple people, people from f d alarm fighters from the my mark copied on militia, also make claims that cargo army supplied them with, with, with ammunition across the board were hearing these claims. are you disputing human rights watch account, and if so, why? you must be clear. but you cannot make any comparison between am plenty a treaty, which is like a proxy of one than different forces. and a movement like failure m 20 degrees doing or p fission. by doing my factor on people that are 1st point to be clear, you cannot make any comparison between there is no preparation between army and need to show. but they've made some reforms. in some situation here, you might just need to make it in january. and there is no, like a plane between army and media shop. it bounce back in all doing seems a guest, one o m 33 inside your seats, which is very different. we've. i'm 23 fighting with one and you from forces killing equal doing my soccer. there been a number of talks and initiative aimed at brokering and into the fighting most recently at the east africa community stomach in burundi. earlier this month. these initiatives have largely failed to yield any real results and of course the violence has continued him. 23 is asking for direct negotiations with your government. is your government willing to talk to them? we don't. we cannot negotiate but we agree that we can talk with them, but their condition, it was my end of state just back at what's happened in luanda in november 23. in november 23. there was a meeting between entre state of the eastern african community and worked on in french one or my in english in each one different school initially was. he's 5 year cease fire evacuating like and then these are moments. and then after the or process, we can see the way we can talk am 23 guys. and the way we can deal with the run down government because we want to stay in the state of war for the rest of our life. so we can, we move, i mean we are able to talk, we fund that or to talk we am 23 after new with respect what the road map of why not recommend this friday or retreat from new territory, governments. and then we can see the way we can talk, it will be done just if they can respect what the state we commanded after the meeting in london. and it was back in the united states, united nation, and in patrick maria, thank you so much for joining us on upfront. and to sir, ah, mexico was known as one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world. the country experienced a record number of journalists, deaths in 2022 criminal cartels and corruption have played the country for decades . continuing a cycle of violence, even with some efforts to protect the press. the fact remains, journalists, and mexico are facing undeniable threats to their lives and their livelihoods. so what does the future hold for journalism in the country? joining me to discuss this is award winning investigative journalist and the author of narco lamp, the mexican drug lords and their godfathers, annabel hernandez, she is currently living in exile after receiving death threats because of her investigative work on a bell. thank you so much for joining me. on up front. 2022 was an awful year. in fact, it was the deadliest year on record for journalists in mexico, according to the press freedom group article owed 19. there was an attack on a member of the press, every 14 hours violence by drug cartels. it's not new journalists are often targeted for their reporting, but the number of journalists killed last year had a record high. is the situation for the press in mexico getting worse? absolutely. it is very sad and am i speaking to explain these but yes, absolutely. a easy getting worst these attacks. these are threats, these violence against them job relief and can't been in increasing in the last 20 years. even at the same time that the drug could be that, that they want between that got this cat being gracing. so in one way you have these wadlington that got this, and i know that way at the same time, in almost in this same sea piece where these wire east had been inc, a cure hours. so they did. so they of the journalist and sadly, no one, even the government or all the air force of all, all of these and none convert them it over number organizations can have been able to stop these by the 2nd stage of wrist. there is a growing number of areas inside of mexico that have gone silent, you know, places that have become information dead zones where the press is effectively silenced. because of the intimidation that they receive from the cartels and other actors as well. what does the emergence of these zones of silence mean for the people living inside of those communities really affects and deeply democracy? of course, because if you don't have me be at that report, there's that are able to inform to their society what is happening. not just in the matter so of vogue safety. also in matters of government accountability, all these things that are necessary to have a healthy democracy. most of the journalists in mexico, every there are fighting to protect the right of the people to having permission. the problem is that they are clock and fighting alone their media, many times are corrupted. their media, many times receive money from them, from the government group that people of, from the got this. and even better judgment is one to 2 public day information. they media many times said know all that, oh many, many other times they generally have a very low salary. they even don't, doesn't have life insurance, they need the support of the government. they need the support of the society, they need the support of the media. so i have been talking with many of michael legs, independent fights of mexico, even in these spots. like for example, them only past that is one of the biggest states where this silence is there for at least 10 years. and when i talk with these journalists, they want to do their job, they want to public information. but if they don't have deb platforms, media, all orse or safety places to public, they, they are not capable to do they job even if they want to. and they are suffering and not because this much of the violence against journalists in mexico was happening at the local level in smaller cities and towns in august for staff members at a local radio station and see that water is over shot and killed. and what is just one of several recent violent incidents there seems to be a pattern of violence in areas away from bigger cities, especially against journalists who work independently or for smaller outlets. in your view, why is local journalism bearing the brunt of this violence? it's really, it's really very, very hard to try to explain these complicated tuition in mexico in just few words. but you have to understand that in mexico currently at this moment, our operating 109 creamy not organic stations. some of them are the beek guard this that everyone knows shanella got. they got up in cali schooner back in it as yawn all of these big conference, but also exceeds medium and small characters that have gone through in every town in the country. so when i look i journalist want to do corporately, they job, they got not capital to do it because in one point you have the look at betty local am a gang a grim leg station that control street by street and these gang many times most of the times arctic connected with a major of the c d without don't use of the c d even if this it is very small. so these group shown m and really makes to their, to their, to their daughter, least almost impossible to do their job without risking their lives. that's, that's why what is happening in mexico isa human. right? it writes an emergency, and that's why, since many years ago, a many journalists, as, as me, we are asking to today, is the national community to, to pay attention is when, what and what is happening there? because now we have, again, i repeated 109 creamy lens. i sessions controlling all the country a decade ago. or mexico introduced a set of protection mechanisms for journalists refer to l as l. mckinney. small are providing thing like police protection and relocation services. in cases of extreme violence, now at least 9 reporters have been killed while enrolled in this program. i de la navarro beg your general director of to one is magazine. data said that in making the slow, obviously does not work. many of my colleagues who were killed in mexico was under the protection mechanism when they were murdered. why is that mckinney small not working? well, i can tell you in my own experience, because i am also inside them mcneese. i cannot believe in mexico because these make any doesn't works obviously. but what can i tell you is 1st, that really dig government, the federal government doesn't care about the georgia list. now we have the president and that is my no lopez. so, but i thought that almost every day, if he's ever a in, he's in a frank press conference at that journalist at back there media because they the one that any one a can, it could be good thanks. p b do do critiques against him. so for they, they're part of the state that are very could hook that, that don't that, that don't want that they don't really do their job for that. god. there's that one also to keep silent to the journalist if they see that just a precedent. a man who supposedly have some breast baked about their democracy about that point, ability about their freedom expression. if you see that the pressure than is the 1st one that east at that can every day to they don't release of course in one way or another. the depression, then even you permeate to do whatever you want to do again they jordan is that's why that's why last year became the most terrible dupont, the germans, according with united nations anesco night, 2 journalists in mexico were more there in mexico. these, the crisis when you talk about the government's role in this, there's the president in his words, for sure. but there are many people who argue that the government and security forces are also complicit in what's happening to journalism that i'm thinking about in 2015. for example, jose moisture, sanchez said ethel ah, was killed after he published content that was critical of the local government in, in better cruise. where he lived in 2022, a bare lopez vasquez was shot a day after he published a story, accusing a local politician of corruption. people who say no more afraid of the government. at least some journalists, are there more afraid of the government than the cartels? what do you make of that? i mean, if you go to the is to buy straight and you asked for to i journalist who is smaller than yours? a chapel was man, the head of this, an alert cocktail or the governor or the maker of the ordered the chief of the police. they degenerates, will tell you that the out tory t, their members of the government. i'm more dangerous because they also can do these with all the impunity given, given what you're saying, you know, the violence, the impunity, the structural deep structural problems that we're seeing throughout mexican society. do you think we'll see a new generation of journalists actually emerge in the country that, that, that, that, that be so one kind of a miracle, you know, because for example, many times i go back to mexico to continue my work. and many times i gave and gone fans in universities, and most of the time all these em classrooms are full of young junk students that want to be came jordan and is even they got a freight e been, they know that their salaries are not good for me, it really is that huge hop. see they face this of the german is that even all these tragedy that is happening again, journalist, they want to became a journalist and they want to serve to the, to the society. and that they also want to the offense then, right of the society, to have the information to try to save aware betty, a quick democracy annabel hernandez, thank you so much for joining us, an offer. thank you everyone. that is our show up for. we'll be back ah a to was the 5th year on global record stretching back more than a century. government report says 2022 was a bad year for whether 2023 isn't shaping up to be much better already year in california series of severe storms as battered the coast line and the interior of the state and a number of deaths and up to a $1000000000.00 in damages. climate scientists say the warming is caused by industrial age, heat trapping, gas emissions, which have been rising steeply since the 1960. they say rapid reduction and emissions are needed across the globe to flow over 1st. the greenhouse effect. oh, a in a notorious waterside community. what kinda sucks rule one p i 2 director ventures to stage a play that com is to empower the women that whole month 15. right? a and we defined a status in society. misses and nigeria as women will come with whitney on out there is no channel that covers world news like we do, we revisit places, mistake, i'll just really invest in that. and that's a privilege as a journalist ah .