the president also saying that america and it's alleys are looking at a number of sangs because of it esinvasion. >> these stand on the side of history that i think more and more people around the world deeply believe in. the principle that a sovereign people, an independent people are able to make their own decisions about their own lives. mr. putin can throw a lot of words out there, the fact is that he is not

abiding by that principle. >> speaking at that school in washington, the president going on to say, there is still opportunity for russia to help the international community stabilize the situation in ukraine. meanwhile, delivering the message in kiev, condemning russia for escalating the violence, kerry is visiting with ukraine's new leaders reayou remember thing support for the government. this has been a day of point, counter point, 2 sides expressing their opinions. talking points, but clearly a very strong difference of opinion on the way things are progressing here in kiev, and throughout the country. john kerry said that many of that vladimir putin said in an hour long press conference, were simply not true. the russian government would have you believe that that will have been

mass attacks on churches in eastern ukraine. that hasn't happened. but vladimir putin remains adamant the west does not understand this country. he says that ukraine is well within the sphere of russia's control. and that basically the west is looking at ukraine as some sort of laboratory experiment, in democracy. in his speech, today to the russian press, vladimir putin also took an opportunity to say that while he doesn't intend to use force, if he wants to, he can. >> if we make this decision, it would be soully to protect citizens and that any military personnel just fry and shoot, and we will behind those people, not in front of them, behind, just try to have them shoot and women and children. i would like to look into the eyes of those that would order that. >> that's almost exactly what secretary of state said while he was here. that there are plans to put pressure on russia,

using diplomatic political, and economic measures. but the secretary of state said that while the u.s. can do it, they don't want to. >> and that is fill ittner in kiev, now, before that, there was tension on the peninsula, russia defending it's position, those same troops firing warning shots as ukrainian soldiers advance. >> the ukrainians marching were met with russians on fire. they were local too. >> the ukrainians carry a soviet flag, as reminding the rushes there was a time when these two sides were fighting together.

he is told to hold off when it became clear that neither side was willing to fight. there was even a line when a football match is played under the watch of russian soldiers but when they arrived the ukrainians fall in and march off. >> moscow denied that there was ever a deadline. this soldier said none of his team without vow allegiance to the government. >> marines never surrender, nobody at the

base wants to switch sides to take an oath of loyalty. which has not been adopted legally. it is just 4 1/2 kilometers away. another stand off of sorts, ukrainian ships, flanked by russian, watching their every movement. the regional capital was quiet. some troll tier security staff guarded the parliament, but there's no sign of the armed men who have been here the day before. >> al jazeera, premier. not everyone supports the new presence, but many living there do support the troops with open arms. >> that's not a ukrainian

flat. the welcoming committee doesn't pledge allegiance to ukraine. they are the only means to stop the violence in ukraine. in this area, the occupation is growing and the resistence seems nonexistence. earlier today, occupy the base without firing a shot. visitors brought sandwiches soldiers relaxed and fort fied position. they brought 50 caliber machine gun, and in the windows heavy sniper weapons that can be used against helicopters. through the fence, they watched us. these troops don't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. >> can i ask you a question? >> please? >> i guess not. >> just down the road,

some welcome their occupiers. they think they protect us and protect crimea. threatened by protestors which is 350 miles north. >> you said that they protect you from the people in independent square, have you seen any of those people here? >> no, we haven't seen them. she says but we heard rumors that they could storm. >> this is where they get those rumors. and the anchor is suggesting they will spread. the battle seasonal on basis it is also on the air waves and it depends on who you watch. 21-year-old is the anchor for the most popular station.

under communist rule they suffered a mass deportation, their allegiance is with the west, and they are quietly resisting the invasion. >> nationalities that weren't united before, she says, are all coming together against one enemy. the russians. at night, they unite to guard their own neighborhoods, one of the first to move back here after deportation. will says if soldiers won't help, he will defend his family himself. >> he invited us in his home, for him the russians aren't peace keepers they are invaders. >> clearly russia wants cry mere yeah back. and at the end of the day, the presence is growing and becoming more entrenched. and they don't have to look far to find support. >> we are following

breaking news coming out of russia, test firing an intercontinental policele. we will bring you more information as it becomes available. law the state house approving that measure today, above ground tanks like the ones owned by freedom industries the company responsible for the leak, measure calls for more frequent inspections but falls short of putting into place mandatory warning systems in case of possible contamination. tens of thousands of residents are without running water for weeks after that spill in january contaminated the water supply in west virginia for 300,000 people.

that's when davis will face off with her opponent. now, texas democrats say the season though, is stimearly, and they hope to carry the current momentum forward. >> here in dallas and other urban counties turn out is on frac to surpass that of the 2012 presidential primary. election watchers chalk it unto excitement, over wendy davis, the democratic state senate who famously filibusters

for abortion rights. and is now on the ballot for governor. >> we have that fire, and i think that's what with is making a difference. awe uh awe making it one of the reddest states in the country. >> living in texas, i see it purple. i see more people become more politically involved in the last year. >> the last time that texanss voted for governor was in 2010. but only 38% of registered voters cast a ballot. that made it the lowest voter turn out in the nation. and historically, half as many democrats vote in gubernatorial primaries as do texas republicans.

there's probably been a lot of depression in the party, why bother, we won't win. >> even now as she trails by 11 points in the polls, dalton and his team are optimistic, that november match up could be a upset. if they were serious, they would have put her in a race she could win. >> they are encouraging that by 2020, more hispanics and more young people like zack bull lard will become eligible. he is already a democratic party volunteer, even though his father is substantially republican. >> have you tries to sway him? >> yeah, i have tried to appeal to him. >> has it gone anywhere? >> sometimes it does. >> sometimes it doesn't.

is something that texas democrats see as progress. witness ten years due to a demographic shift alone, the possibility that texas goes from republican to democratic, is a real possibility. that's because by the year went 25 hispanics will become the largest voting block in texas. and if we look back at the last presidential results, texas hispanics voted obama over romney by more than 40 points. russia could be undermining it's own economy. and they are throwing bees from the balcony right now. we will keep a close eye on the situation, it is fat tuesday in the big easy, now underway.

the united states? >> you don't have a right to make judgements about it... >> they re-trace the steps of myra, a woman desparately trying to reunite with her family. >> to discover, and one of their children perish in the process, i don't know how to deal with that. >> will they come together in the face of tradgedy? >> why her? it's insane. >> experience illegal immigration up close, and personal. >> the only way to find out is to see it yourselves... >> on... borderland

only on al jazeera america >> this is the real deal man...

jump dating our breaking news. russia just test firing a missle. where it is about 9:15 in the evening. he has been following this. because it is so late, does anybody know exactly what has happened? >> we do know some things. we are getting information from a russian defense min city. they say what they have done is launched a missle in the after con region, and that is the far east of russia. out near central asia, they have shot this off with a dumby war head, they say that they hit what they were looking for, this is clearly a demonstration of russians military might against all the tensions over ukraine, very similar to the show of power in the

war games. russia, of course, still saying they may respond or they intend to respond to the situation, the tensions over ukraine. this can very much be playing into that sort of scenario. >> all of this on a day when the white house and secretary of state both condemning actions so far. it appears while everyone sells calling for calm, the russians have doubled down. >> very much so, we heard some very strong language from vladimir putin as well. a day when there's been a lot of statements being made from the white house to the state department. the russians are also speaking and they have said that while they do not want to use force, that they are willing to do so. some very strong language

the russians clearly not backing down. i am curious that the ukrainian authorities have been urging their forces not to fire, not to provoke any action, are they still saying that? yes, absolutely. they do not want to get into a fight with the russians. we saw that very dramatic moment. when soldiers approached armed russian soldiers and the russians shot bullets into the air, warning shots, so mrs. a very strong feeling here, they do not want to provehicle the russians. they do not want to give them an excuse to escape things, to put this into ask actual shooting war, they do not want to see the russians given an excuse to escape this into a situation where they are annexing more

territory. the ukrainians are very conscious, that they cannot stand toe-to-toe with the russians. >> live for us, on the latest information concerning russia, the breaking news they have fired a missle saying it is a test fire in a region that is not near ukraine. on wall street, stocks surging as you can see the dow up 210 points. investors seem to be breathing a sigh of relief, on words that the situation has eased but that was before that missle was test fires. the s&p 500 also back in record territory. it used to be said that if american sneezed the rest of the world caught a cold, but that seems to be the case in ukraine as well.

al jazeera has more. >> as russian flexes it's military muscle and escalates tensions it face as threat at home. w global markets rattles and the international community condemning russia's actions the central bank stepped in with some dramatic overtures it raised interest rates saying it did so to maintain financial stability. it also pumped a reported 10 billion-dollars in reserves to boost it's currency after the ruble fell to a record low. >> they were desperate to try to stabilize the currency, and prevent a vicious cycle of flight of capital from russia. to sell a story that is popular in russia. >> long before the ukraine crisis the growth because weak. it's economy true by just one point 3% in 2013, compared to 3.4% the previous year.

there's been a steady decline since 2010. analysts point to weak growth as a result of a lack of business confident, a lack of consumer confidence. corruption, red tape, and russians heavy department on oil and natural gas exports and little else. it is estimated that 70% are in the energy sector. what is mercury is where youth will come from since russia has an aging population with many young people choosing to live someplace else. one of the biggest threats investors fleeing the country. already, investments in russia fell by 7%. people view the administration, and this is a fairly rash strategy. and i think the risk is that we see western sanctions and that could undermine again, the willingness of companies and western investors to put money in russia. >> the big question now is what effect it will

have on the region. al jazeera. we will tell you what they are doing to keep the business easy safe. >>

in new orleans, it is mardi gras, and they are right in the thick of fat tuesday, lyle every year today's party plans to be huge. 1 million people set to join parades for miles across the city. ben lemons is live around those routs and police ever get used to handling this type of crowd? >> they ever kind of used to it. when people think about new orleans, they think about the french quarter, but this encapsulated the entire city, and it is a tough task. >> as the tourist flock in, there's a certain mentality among many. >> if you drink alcohol last night, you have to start drinking alcohol again. >> police say that approach often blurs the

boundaries. >> that's when you have problems you are looking for trouble, you will find it. >> even with the addition of state troopers parties outrebel 2000-1. >> we want to be looking for people that may foolishly bring a gun, we want to look for people that are ennab rated to the point where they were effecting others around them. >> mardi gras is a special circumstantials and they are well aware that people behave differently, so they say it take as delicate balance between public safety, and police discretion. if you just address everybody, you can have chaos. if we just move them away, let's move on. >> but some just don't know when to move on. last year officers arrested nearly 1700 people. mostly for lewd behavior and public drunkenness. the police have a mobile

unit. we are red necks we take care of ourselves. >> as long as you are aware of your surroundings i feel it is an okay area. >> the troublemakers are a fraction of the crowd. >> we can get people to follow common sense rules that turn into common sense safety, then we can do what we are very good at. >> for those that don't cop rate, police say they are prepared. >> in a very interesting situation, is the fact that they gauge the success of mardi gras so with he see tomorrow, everything shuts down at midnight tonight, hotels, everybody has to go back to their hotel, mardi gras will be over at midnight. ben, thank you very much. and we continue to follow the breaking news that is coming out of russia,

russia test firing an by continental missle the russian defense minister says the test happened we will bring you more information on the story as it becomes available. also the crisis in ukraine topping white house concerns today. the president rebuking russian sha for occupying part of the ukraine also saying u.s. plans to send $1 billion in economic and energy aid there, he says america and it's allies are looking at a number of economic sanctions against russia, for it's invasion his words of cry mia. and secretary of state is in kiev, showing support for the people of ukraine. visiting with the new leaders reaffirming u.s. support for the government. the secretary also condemning what he called russia's act of aggression. and we saw on the ground from ben lemons a second ago, that it is not what dry in the big easy right now, in fact soggy. >> yeah, soggy, and with that rain coming down,

look at this number. not exactly pleasant there, but i doubt they care about that, just to the north it is down below freezing, getting that rainfalling into this cold air, so a big area of sleet and freezing rain, and this is really effected the southern plains through texas, louisiana, down to mississippi and alabama. that band of freezing rain causing big problems the temperatures trying to climb above freezing barely there, but then p dr.ing to 32 tonight. at midnight, warmer weather comes back tomorrow, and rain is clearing out, so it is just the next few hours we could have sleet and freezing rain. storm approaching the northwest again. there's heavy rain and snow forecasted in the valleys and mountains. and this is a lot of moisture coming down, so there's heavy rain in washington, oregon, inland here in montana, that snow where the air is colder. across the southeast, this rain is spreading east, some light snow in

the northeast, this is commenting into very cold air. >> dave, warren, thank you very much, and thank you for watching al jazeera america. in new york, 101 east is next.