america, these are thera stories we are following for you. >> 2014 we are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of democratic leaders. >> president obama in an unannounced visit to the briefing room taking a hard line against russia as the crisis in ukraine forces. elsewhere in washington, it was politics as usual, as the republicans heavy hitters taking to the podium with their sites set of 2016. and an nb action team that uses a rather different approach to help their players get

through the season. >> it has been another day of dramatic developments. this time on the diplomatic front, with back to back news conferences great britain and rome, all in an effort to diffuse a cry that is seems to be growing worse by the day. just moments ago, the president unannounced coming to the podium announcing new sanctions against russia, we have a team of reporters cooing the crisis but we begin with jennifer glass, she joining us live now, and jennifer, western leaders taking a very hard line against russia. >> that's right. president obama says as clear plan he would like to see international on servers here on the ground that won't be easy here right after

president obama spoke, we heard from john kerry he had very harsh words for russia. >> we cannot allow russia or any country to defy international law with impunity. there's no place in the community of nations for the kind of aggression, and steps that we have seen taken in crimea and ukraine in these last days. 40 russian ships are blocking other bays that are home to ukraine and the fleet. ukrainian ships basically blockaded in their own port, and in britain prime minister warned russia it shouldn't go any further. >> if russia doesn't rapidly engage in direct force with the ukrainian government to find a solution, we have been clear in the statement today, that we will go further.

including travel bands and asset freezes. >> and so the real question is whether those travel bans will do anything to influence russia and toss fair, some of the residents here have welcomes the presence. >> if they approve that next week, and sigh if they want to join russian sha, what would be the impact? >> mrs. a really big question. voted that it wanted to be part of russia, and it will move up the referendum. president obama has said it's unconstitutional as it vie lays international law.

russia has clearly made it's position now, it has made it's power noun here. it hasn't said it wants it to be part of russia, this is a big surprise, and could create a real flash point here. 60% of the population is ethnic russian, but it isn't clear that they all want to be part of ukraine, a lot have said they are very happy being a part of ukraine, that they don't want to be part of russia and there's a small minority that is definitely not wanting to be part of it. >> as we mentioned a stern president obama unannounced addressing recorders just moments ago at the white house, mike is there and mike, measured words but stern words on the diplomatic front. >>

so some subtle reminders of american power and what they have along with its allies and not so subtle reminders. >> very carefully choreographed egypt in great britain also in washington, both the president and the prime minister of great britain leaving the podium right after their comments leaving the q & a to others. your take on what the president did and the fact that he left the questions for jake carney. >> this is a way for the president to stay on message. they don't want to dilute it. they wanted to just leave it at that to answer any questions in a follow up. president obama and as we said at the top, we can look at the sequence of events here.

and john kerry, the white house the administration, and p pas in conjunction with david cameron and his government, decided it was time to go public and give this a push. >> our white house correspondent, thank you very much. and also comments coming out of ireland, former prime minister -- speaking just moments ago. and for ukraine to remain one nation. >> . >> we must now find a european wide legal and business solution. in this situation. but there is no time left. if we allow rub sha on march 16 hold the referendum at the point, on the annexation for ukraine -- and stability.

throughout the whole world. >> recently released from prison following those protests she spent more than two years in jail, on charging of abuse of office. and meanwhile a leaked phone call raising new questions about whom shot whom during those protests in ukraine. the call involved i.u. leader and the foreign minister confirmed that the call took place, but says he was only giving a overview of the situation, not implicating the opposition. here is a portion of that call. it was quite disturbing. that they chose the people who are killed by snipers from both sides among policeman and people from the streets. that they were at the same snipers. people from both sides. >> well -- yeah. >> and it's really disturbing that now -- the new coalition that they don't want to

investigate. what exactly happened so there is stronger and stronger understanding, that behind snipers it was not -- but it was somebody from the new coalition. >> i think they do want to investigate. it's interesting. >> this is disturbing that if it starts to live it's own life, very powerfully, already discredit from the very beginning the this new coalition. >> meanwhile, as that gap between widens tensions increase, now reporters even targets. nick chef ring documented an incident involved a u.n. envoy and the armed men who removed h imfrom the region. felon stray tor whose support the russian invasion came to support the tension, and trying to stop it. whether at the cafe or at the airports they control

all access. driven against his will to the international tournament and locked into the airport for a flight to instanbul. the same activist blocked the airport door and ran him out of the country. they feel empowered by the arrival of 16,000 russian troops. they are ex-nd paing their presence but not answering any questions. >> with my producer we asked half a dozen soldiers and got the same silence. >> can i ask you a question? excuse me? can i ask someone a question. can i ask where you are from? can you tell me where you are from? >> he tells me to step away from the car, and then they drove off. to head to this base. a local journalist the russian soldiers demanded ukrainian sols surrender their weapons.

they successfully sent the p toos tracking but that night a prorussian mob showed up outside their gates and dend maaed the russian shoulders with let in. >> he says are stepping up their aggression. scared and under siege, they hunker down and sat in the dark. they told us we couldn't film so we tried to using an i-phone. >> it's been tense outside, ukrainian soldiers allowed half a dozen russian soldiers into the base. in order to -. >> the soldiers told us it was time to go. and that's when things got really bad. we stepped out of the car, and asked these people to move away, the

demand was that we show them what is on the camera. >> they threats to flip the car over, they started counting down from ten, and that's when we agreed to show them the video. >> tongue their threats were serious? >> had we not supplied with their demands, we have had our tires slashed. i do believe that they would have torn the car apart. and it could have gotten very ugly. why didn't you do anything? >> are you going to answer? is it not your job any more? >> no comment. >> if they can do this to a senior diplomate, they can do it to anyone. al jazeera, ukraine.

why he is worth billions his work with the kgb and a look at his rise and return to power. that airs tonight at 8:30, and again at 11:30 eastern time, and for the latest events and is rest of the days headlines you can all follow us on twitter, ournd hale is at ajami. thousands are meeting today, they are in town for the annual action conference otherwise known as c pack. some of the biggest names are speaking includes those with eye on the white house. reports in maryland. >> none have been watched more closely than chris christie. he was snubbed last year, because leading into the presidential election, he was seen as leading in the recovery efforts which of course hit

energy badly. egg tore see what he would say, and whether conservatives would receive him well. well, the governor made a real distinction between washington politics and what they are doing. >> republicans have stood up, and done things. not just talks about them. the most dangerous ten feet is between anybody that wants to talk in a camera, this is what they are about. >> the head of the republican governors association. while he got a stand hog vagues here, many have questions about just how conservative the new jersey governor really is.

libby casey for us. the dalai lama delivered the opening prayer this morning. twenty-first time he has made such an appearance, but the leader is no stranger to state legislatures in 2009, he gave the opening prayer at the new york state senate, the dahlly lamb ma making frequent visits to washington during his tenure. in february meeting with president obama for the third time a move that china has criticized each and every time. coming up, protests continue in venezuela, the longer they last the more you pay at the pump.

giving stocks the lift. declines in both claims and the planned corporate layoffs fueling those gains. the boom on wall street in the housing market giving a big boost to your bottom line. household net worth jumped 15%, thanks to rising stock and home prices. the net worth has steen agofollin crease of 41% from 2008 following that financial crash. first it was radio shaq, now stapled.

saying it is closing 225 stores by the end of 2015. it needs fewer locations because close to half of its sales are online. ladd week radio shack plans to close as many as 1100 stores because of territorial integrity klineing sales. and ale paing note, be sure to stay with al jazeera america for full coverage of the february jobs report, it comes out tomorrow morning at 8:30. venezuela thousands have been celebrating -- but despite the legacy of mew tall disinstruction between his government and the u.s., there's a complicated relationship forged on the basis of oil. this story. venezuela is the fourth larger supplier of crude oil, and has among the largest reserves in the world.

and 24 south america nation, which relies on both exports and gasoline imports to it's economy humming. >> years ago, even under hugo chavez, whens hen talking about our president being the devil, or some of these rhetorical positions the bottom line is the ice is the closest largest market for venezuelan oil. >> despite a recent energy boom, it still imeffort pros about 40% of its oil needs of those, 8% comes from venezuela, which accounts for nearly 1 million-barrel as day. or gasoline, back to venezuela. some officials say their country could put more of the oil business ball into their own economy. using foreign expertise and building out their infrastructure.

>> the government has neglected infrastructure, and left our national oil company in a difficult situation, because they seem to have abandoned the investment we need to keep growing. >> for years the government tries to placate those countries by heavily subsidized the cost of gas. >> this is one of the few places in the world where believe it or not this bottle water costs more than one gallon of gasoline, the government keeps it that way to prop up the economy, especially in poor neighborhoods but to put that in context, this pack of gum actually costs more than filling up this entire suv. but supporter argue that it has eased all eyes are

focused on whether a disruption of government can disrupt venezuela's all important oil economy. al jazeera, caracas venezuela. >> >> so one team is trying something different, chilling to keep in shape. >>

headlines at this hour. the parliament has voted to become a part of russia. meantime, declaying a public vote to become a part of russia is a violation of international law. and financial sanctions against russias and ukrainians who threaten in that country.

governor chris christie one of the leaders to address the annual gathering outside of washington today. thousands are in town for the conservative political action conference also known as c pack. and get plenty of rest to fight a cold, but the nba has found another way to do so, athletes forcing their bodies into survival mode. explains. >> miles plumlee of the phoenix suns is familiar with the saying no pain no gain. but for him and his teammates that saying has a new meaning because a team is using this. a cry owe chamber used to help reduce inthat nation in the body. >> there's a couple of versions of it and we use nitrogen gas, with venezuela a tank here, the gas comes in, players actually are in here, the gas circulates around them.

we usually will get them somewhere around minus 290 degrees. or minus 190. >> way colder than anything like that. >> walking out of the middle of january. and just standing in the snow for two minutes. >> close to that. >> there we go. >> but rushes into the bodies core to protect inner organs. >> just have to be mentally strong. >> they leave the chamber, the blood starts glowing to the body again. >> and everything -- so huh-oh, what is that. we just want to -- and

you know for the first time i was scared but it is good for the body, especially if you have had back to back games, your body can heal faster, recover faster, and that gives you a swing. >> the ox gin nateed blood does help the body heal faster, it regenerates the blood cells and they say they can feel the difference. >> productivity from it and it helps your recovery, helps with speeding up your metabolism, making sure you're getting the recovery you need, and the performance you want. it helps. i think we do it enough to make an impact. >> you feel rejuvenated, fresh, will it's your leg, whole body you feel like you have more energy. >> and the impact of cryotherapy has been a positive one for the team and for a hand full of other teams. al jazeera.

the southern tip here, here is a lot of rain and that line there which is pushing through from west to east, right across florida has severe weather with this. a lot of warnings in effect, even these individual cells have rotation detected. and tornado warnings in effect as this line moves through. it will clear out, with damaging wind by easily tomorrow morning. then the focus is this, the cold air which is trapped below this warm air being pulled up by the storm. that can lead to icing here, right through north carolina and virginia. eventually the temperature barely climbs above freezing not pleasant, with this cold rain coming down, but at least temperatures above freezing so roadways can be mostly wet, although

very sliply especially in the morning. thursday night to friday morning. there's the cold air with this storm, big northeast wind, and then we have that bitter surge of arctic air behind this, this will be pushing east across the great lakes and the northeast. so briefly could see a warm up between this storm, and that cold arctic air coming in. here is this area of icing timing looks like two or 3:00 o'clock, very heavy here with the rain, with the temperatures down below freezing though, that rain freezes on contact. and it will last about a few hours and then temperatures warm up, but that rain continues across north carolina and virginia. >> dave, thank you very much. a viking exhibit opening for the first time also debunking some myths about vikings the british museum saying that they weren't bearded men with horned helmets instead collecting collecting beautiful artifacts they were also master engineers. the center piece of the exhibit is a 40-yard

ship, that is the longest that has ever been excavated. thank you for watching al jazeera america, i'll dell walters in new york, 101 east is next. .. .