greater transparency the u.s. and other countries question a w.h.o. study into covert nineteen's origin saying china didn't give enough access to samples and data. military chiefs all resigned after the brazilian president's son the defense minister and the cabinet over. and wounded myanmar civilian seek help in neighboring thailand after getting caught up in military attacks one ethnic group. a teenager and a child have been among witnesses giving at times emotional testimony during the trial of a former u.s. police officer charged over george floyd's death the court heard how onlookers grew increasingly angry as they demanded derrick jovan take his neil floyd's neck and have a firefighter was prevented from intervening john hendren reports now from minneapolis . as he watched derek show vanilla and george floyd's increasingly lifeless body donald williams called the police to report on the police at some point did you make a 911 call. the police. and why did you do that because i believe out with a murderer. williams testifying for a 2nd time on day 2 of the high profile civil rights trial can be heard on bystander video calling out to officers to stop the man a move yet bro the man on moon is there growth the teen who took that viral video of floyd beneath the needy of former minneapolis police officers show ven testifying off camera because of her age says floyd seemed to know he was dying it's been nice i stayed in. a palace out of the. palace. for not doing more in not. physically interacting. and not saving his life but the fight. is not what i said and it's what he said. she was followed by her 9 year old cousin . and. a. current in her right is. a catholic cardinal. she watched she said as paramedics had to push over an off an unmoving floyd. prosecutors use the witness video to show jurors that what plays out on the video is really all they need to know in the words of one prosecutor you can believe your eyes the defense seems to be building a case that the officers felt they couldn't move george floyd because of what they perceived is a growing hostile and unruh. really mob around them do you recall saying i dearie to touch me like that i swear i'll slap. both of you here i mean. me. so again sir it's fair to say that you grew angrier and angrier you know i've proved professional and professional i stayed in my body. came out to be angry prosecutors are expected to wrap their testimony some time next week that's when defense lawyers will present their case possibly including the testimony of the officer children is the one on trial but for many inside an l. side the court room what's on the docket is racial justice in america john hendren al-jazeera minneapolis well in her testimony firefighter genevieve hansen said she was off duty when she came across the scene she described how officers refused to let her intervene and my memory i offered to walk kind of walk them through her or told them if he doesn't have a pulse you need to start compressions and i wasn't done you know. is this are these things that you wanted to do. it would it it's what i would have done for anybody. when you couldn't do that how did that make you feel. totally distressed. really frustrated. yes. well deborah i was on the joins us live now from minneapolis gabe so we had some compelling witness evidence today and at times as we saw there very emotional. it was emotional and i think that's what the prosecutors were trying to get out today they wanted to grab the jury and engaged a jury in this trial early on they were trying to essentially take the jury to the scene of the incident and the way that they tried to do that was through these witnesses that you just heard there and then you heard previously in john's story it was the miners the 9 year old girl that was there that testified and when she was asked what she felt when she saw the officer show vns need on the neck of george floyd she said that she was sad and mad in her words and then you saw others that testified miners that their faces could not be seen. it could not be video tapes and so you could you could only hear their voice but you could tell in their voice the amount of emotion that they had but it wasn't only the people testifying that apparently. were overcome at moments according to 2 of the poor reporters inside the courtroom and there are only 2 journalists allowed in the courtroom at the judge's orders because of covert concerns and as poor reporters they take notes of what they're looking at in the courtroom and then pass it to the rest of us reporters that are not inside there and they said it certain moments according to these court reporter journalists who were in there to journals who were in the courtroom that some of the jurors were visibly shaken and that they were giving sympathetic expressions on their face at times once at some of the testimony on tuesday so this was a day so clearly that the prosecution was really trying to set the scene for the jurors and then at the same sense the defense was trying do. polk arguments are poke holes if you will in some of the witness testimony but certainly that is hard for the defense to do when there are minors there on the witness stand so clearly a pretty strong day for the prosecution overall i would say. this is just day 2 of the trial what do we expect to happen tomorrow that it is only day 2 of perhaps a month long trial the judge has not given a schedule so we don't know exactly who will be testifying on wednesday day 3 however the prosecution is expected to continue calling witnesses and can continue calling people to the stand that perhaps were there at the scene they can continue to paint the picture of what was going on there the defense of course is going to continue to paint the picture that that show even had his knee on the neck of george ford so long because the crowd around there was getting so agitated but ultimately that will be for the jury to decide but bottom line is we're still very early in the trial and we expect the prosecution to continue calling more witnesses to the stand on wednesday are able and is on the line for us there in minneapolis kate thank you. now the u.s. and 13 other countries of res what they're calling shared concerns over a world health organization backed report into the origins of covert 19 the report from fact finders sent to the chinese city of found it's most likely that the virus passed to humans from bats via another animal they all but dismissed the theory that the virus leaked from a laboratory critical government say more could be learnt of china provided better access beijing responded by reiterating its criticism of efforts to politicize the pandemic but katrina you is out the market linked to the very 1st cases of covered 19. weeks after the w.h.o. team completed their mission here in mohan they released this report into their findings in $120.00 pages they detail the thousands of dollars of stats they analyzed including the 1st corner virus cases and local mortality rates the report doesn't come to any firm conclusions but it says that the most likely source of the run a virus is bats or some other wild animal has been found there really cruise various strains. to sars called. in the region all showing in southeast asia in general going to these bats and leaving is a strong indication that. that's where the sources special attention in the report is given to this location this is the one on the market with the 1st page of the covered 900 were identified the team visited this location although it's been shut for more than a year while animals were sold here but they found that many of those 1st cases of coded $1000.00 were not in fact linked to this market they also visited a hungover met lab on the outskirts of the city and said that it was a very unlikely that that lab was the source of the outbreak however the director general himself says that that theory needs to be more thoroughly investigated and that members of the team face many difficulties when existing glory days where we did not have full access to the real data we wanted that has been good as a recommendation for and for future studies so the idea is that because we didn't have time up because. certain authorization needs to be given before we could get that sense of these data we would bet it would be and could be done in the 2nd phase of the studies critics of the w.h.o. mission and the record data team was forced to take much of the information provided by the chinese government based on history. we're going to hear more about how they curated government tour rather than an independent scientific investigation they doing for its part denies that it would held any information from the show and says it has cooperated fully with the international community has condemned what it says is politicizing of the investigation and called for the show to investigate coronavirus outbreaks in other countries where the white house says there should be a 2nd stage in the study. the report lacks crucial data information and access it represents a partial and incomplete picture there was a joint statement as i noted that was put out we also welcome a similar statement from the e.u. and e.u. members sending a clear message the global community shares these concerns there are steps from here that we believe should be taken there's a 2nd stage in this process that we believe should be led by international international and independent experts they should have unfettered access to data they should be able to ask questions of people who are on the ground at this point in time and that's a step the w.h.o. could take. time for a short break here al-jazeera when we come back more accusations of human rights abuses in venezuela by a police unit during a security operation. in france criticizes u.n. investigators have accused its military of killing civilians in modern marinette stay with us. now the weather is for a short while quiet this was the responsible frontal system that brought the tornadoes to the southeastern corner but this is the thing to watch now that is a late winter early spring snowstorm on its way through the middle of canada a lot of snow with it and it's quite cold that cold air will keep pushing down to the plain states and we get a line here where cold meats warm if you like in you know happens and you develop a line of thunderstorms which possibly produce tornadoes and it's exactly the same sort of area where we saw the last 2 outbreaks so that is one to watch now the temperatures to the north of it on to extreme with subzero in winnipeg we've got down to will go back up to 11 from 5 in denver so it's only a brief blast of cold until you look at what's happening in the eastern seaboard as it all goes off shore a referent of cold air means a bit of late snow but even hit new york it's almost certain the fall in doing didn't ok his job sites are windy picture particularly for the smaller ones in the eastern med lot of showers here and that wind is tending to as a stronger produce a bit more clouds and rain for costs recurring panama and i suspect we're going to see an increase in showers in mexico as cold air streams again across the gulf. you're dealing with a very powerful people people in influential positions in government where we know there were. elements within the police completely admits that we're getting scared that we were getting too close to some people higher up the line to get to. the genital but. it is essentially the perfect part you have a diplomatic bag that part and accomplish al-jazeera investigates the poachers pipeline. welcome back a quick amount of our top stories here this hour u.s. courts been hearing witness testimony in the trial of a former u.s. police officer charge of a george florence death an off duty firefighter has described how she was prevented from giving 1st aid to floyd when he appeared unconscious more than a dozen countries are raising concerns about a report into the origins of cope with 19 investigators sent to the chinese city of found the virus most likely passed from bats to humans through another animal some government save more could be done to china provided better access. to a rising star in the u.s. republican party has confirmed he's under federal investigation the new york times earlier reported that matt gets is being investigated for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 17 year old girl mike hanna joins us live now from washington d.c. mark so what more can you tell us about this probe by the justice department. well daryn importantly there's been no confirmation whatsoever from the department of justice that such a probe is ongoing confirmation that there might be has come from the congressman himself who phoned that online news agency following reports in several media outlets within the united states about this investigation he told the online agency that yes he was and investigations however he attributed this to some kind of. wages being waged by the justice department aimed at him he said he understood that he was not the subject of the investigation but was part of why the investigation however as i say no confirmation from the department of justice but this is a very serious charge should it be proven or should justice department in fact be doing this he's being investigated according to gates himself for transporting the 17 year old across state lines possibly for the reasons of sex and the reports indicate that he did pay for her travel now this is a very serious federal offense which the department of justice has prosecuted on a number of occasions but why the high level of interest in this matter gates very much a rising star within the republican firm and very much a fervent supporter of former president trump and it is understood in the course of the day too that there were reports that he's leaving congress to become men online present or extreme right news organizations so a lot of interest locally in terms of these reports but as i continue to reiterate no confirmation from department of justice itself that such an investigation is ongoing for a time i kind of live in washington d.c. mike thank you. well the leaders of all 3 branches of brazil's armed forces have joined you resigned after the defense minister was sent. his dismissal was part of a cabinet overhaul by president jabil tomorrow on monday expressed fears of the president increasingly under pressure is moving to assert greater control over the military. in rio de janeiro and she says nothing like this has been seen in decades for the 1st time in brazil's recent history the commanders of the army the navy and the air force have left their posts at the same time in what analysts and the local press are calling the biggest military crisis since 1977 the 3 commanders decided to tender their resignations after president variable so now to fire the defense minister as available on tuesday this morning the new defense minister general but agone now confirmed they would be substituted but the fact that all 3 commanders left in the wake of a ministerial reshuffle is being seen as a protest against both and that is that attempts to draw the armed forces into politics. a former army captain has surrounded himself with military advisors and ministers he was hoping they would support him in his struggle to overturn walk downs and curfews imposed by governors and mayors who are desperately trying to fight a covert 19 pandemic. had said they are acting as dictators and that by shutting down commercial activity they will starve brazilians who have been not been receiving emergency aid since january but governors and mayors say they have no other means to stop the infections which have spiraled out of control leaving the health care system on the brink of collapse more than 314000 brazilians have died many of them in line waiting for a bed in an intensive care unit the president has always downplayed the virus by calling it a little flu and by not using a mask but he is now under increasing political pressure to change his attitude. well palace of terrorism former director of the brazil institute of a woodrow wilson center he says military commanders are refusing to be bullied by bolton our military commanders in brazil resigned in protest against president bush will not attempt to impose himself over d.c. to shows his personal will to quote roll and they said no this has wounds this is the army that made the air force we follow a hierarchy we follow command and we will not subject the armed forces to decide of almost it looks like an attempt to president bush on how to to assure him dictatorial powers is the armed forces resisting that in a crisis that is obviously made more complicated by the coronavirus that killed more than 340 people 1000 people in brazil and it will continue to present we. the population is turning against him and. it's very difficult to predict what is next but it certainly is not very good for us secretary of state has deplored worsening human rights around the world and tony blinken was releasing the state department's annual snapshot he had particular criticism for governments accused of using the pandemic as an excuse to further repress their people the report releasing today shows that the trend lines on human rights continue to move in the wrong direction we see evidence that in every region of the world. this is happening we see it in the genocide being committed against the predominately muslim leaders and other ethnic and religious minority groups and should john. the attacks on the imprisonment of opposition politicians and the corruption activists independent journalists in places like russia uganda but as well we see it in the arbitrary arrests beatings and other violence against protesters and the other groups in the violations and abuses inflicted on the people of yemen by the parties in that country's conflict we see it in the killings sexual assaults and other atrocities credibly reported in ethiopia's tikrit region and in the executions force disappearances and tortures committed by the syrian regime as well as ongoing attacks on schools on markets on hospitals for the 1st time since joe biden became president journalists have been granted access to the main border detention facility for children it's crammed with more than $4000.00 refugees migrants including children and families is designed to hold just $250.00 unaccompanied minors are held here until they can potentially be placed with a relative or u.s. sponsor the u.n. is looking into the killing of more than 20 people in venezuela's capital in january is said to have happened during a security operation by a unit that's been accused of abuses in the past 2 days about reports. that these are images of the security forces in the neighborhood of levee in get access. they're part of a unit known as a special action force created in 2016 to fight against crime in the south american nation. human rights groups say during an operation here in january at least 23 people were killed most of them were young and poor men. father i fail in find this says most of the killings were extrajudicial executions. in up most of those killed had no links to gangs or the police that are the ones who are confronting each other the victims were not hit by stray bullets so far nobody has come here to investigate what happened. father in front they says protests had been on the rise in the area prior to the raid due to lack of basic services. we have problems with gas water and food and people take to the streets curiously after those protests there was this huge right that paralyzed people it was an occupation. the united nations and human rights organizations claim the fires have turned into death squads that have killed thousands of people in the country over the past 2 years. they say there is a pattern among those killed. most of the victims are young and poor if you live in a poor area and you have been to jail it is a death sentence when the police have a profile in a computer and the person has a record in 95 percent of the cases that person is killed. so far this year human rights groups say over $200.00 people have been killed by security forces your feeling is that of any venezuela's former prosecutor resort they are told al-jazeera my daughter will be investigated at the international criminal court for the deaths of at least 8000 people at the hands of the country's security forces. they investigate and includes abuses during the protests against the government. but also the ones that happened during raids in poor areas around them one of the great confrontations i had with the government of nicolas maduro is because of human rights abuses several massacres at the hands of security forces i went to the international criminal court to denounce the killing of 8000 venezuelans during a period of 3 years. we are waiting for the beginning of the investigation against madeira and generals for human rights abuses there is no control in venezuela and there are no investigations into abuses. abuses which the relatives of those killed have been denouncing for years with the hope their demands for justice will finally be heard. 3 health workers have been shot dead in afghanistan the women were working for a pony or vaccination program in jalalabad the government says it's not clear who's responsible earlier this month 3 female journalists were killed in the same city eisel claimed responsibility for that attack international donors applauded $6400000000.00 in humanitarian aid to help syria but fell short of a u.n. target it had been hoping to raise $10000000000.00 at a 2 day conference and brussels the need for aid has increased during the pandemic which has compounded the syrian economy's problems. france insists it only killed armed fighters in a mass strike in mali after a un investigators concluded 19 civilians died a un team says only 3 armed men were killed during the strike on the village of bounty in january it says it came to its decision after analyzing satellite images visiting the site and interviewing more than $400.00 people france says the evidence is weak well the u.n. secretary general spokesman says they stand by the report and its findings. i think the next step is really included in the recommendations to both the mali and the french authorities to conduct you know what we would want to see is an independent credible and transparent investigation to examine the circumstances around the attack. has more now from paris. well statement by the french defense ministry effectively dismisses the findings in this u.n. report the french defense ministry says that it stands by its version of events it also questioned some of the methods that were used by u.n. investigators in mali this report done by the u.n. mission in the country now the french defense ministry men tains the what happened in its point of view and generally the 3rd is that it carried out an airstrike in central mali targeting armed fighters on the ground the french defense ministry statement says that these armed fighters had been detected less than an hour before 3 bombs were dropped more than a dozen people were killed what the u.n. report says is in fact 19 civilians were killed they had been attending a wedding party and this was the sort of story that had emerged after this airstrike local n.g.o.s on the ground in mali had said that i witness is had talked about the fact that there had been a wedding gathering in this village people talked about planes flying overhead now the french defense ministry virulently denies this they say that these were armed fighters u.n. reporters saying that they were civilians however they do say that at this wedding party 3 armed fighters were also killed 3 men who were linked to an al qaeda group nevertheless this is embarrassing for the french defense ministry because the u.n. of course is a sort of international multinational organization that it would support and respect so it is unusual for the french defense ministry to take this sort of a stand against an organization like minister but nevertheless standing by its version of events it will not help however you'd imagine the growing anti french sentiment already in the region of former congress rebel leader will. a 30 year jail sentence after the international criminal court rejected his appeal. was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity he was found guilty of murder rape and the use of child soldiers is 3 decades sentence is the longest handed down by the court his lawyers argued unsuccessfully the trial was full of legal heiress . time for a quick check of the headlines here on al-jazeera u.s. courts been hearing witness testimony in the trial of a former u.s. police officer charged of a george floyd's death an off duty firefighter has described how she was prevented from giving 1st aid to floyd when he appeared unconscious.