to afraid to return because of the sporadic shelley and now increasing phase of a potential renewed conflict. ah ukraine cold for an urgent meeting with russia to explain the buildup of troops on its borders. will take a close look at russia's claims that ukraine's paramilitary groups of ties to neo nazis. ah, hello and welcome on peter w. watching al jazeera alive from doha, also coming out after a week long stand off a police crackdown finally ends. the truck has protest on the us canada border and

the country with one of the highest rates of smoking in europe has just approved a ne, a total ban on tobacco advertising. ah, it helps story deterrence and diplomacy. that's the stance of the u. s. and ukrainian leaders as russia's military takes part in war games along its northern border. ukraine is calling for talks within 48 hours with russia and other members of the organization for security and cooperation in europe. the country's leader of law to me as the landscape as invited the us president joe biden to kiev, after a phone call between the 2 leaders. while the german chancellor, all of schultz is showing his support, varying immediate sanctions. if russia invades he'll be in here this week before flying on to moscow, while the number of russian forces and bellows is the biggest since the late 19 eighties, they are engaged in intensive wargames which nature considered as

a potential starting point for any potential invasion step boston reports now from the proper air field close to the border with ukraine. at the bluff field, rush and helicopter gunship steak through the air near by dozens of russian trucks leave the training grounds. armored personnel carriers are transported towards the border with ukraine. the south of barrows looks like a rush and military zone is abandoned in the field. and her boss guy, near the city of homo, is one of the 12 areas of russia unbearable conducting joint drills known as allowed to resolve. this is not allowed in the local people tell us the if rip is in bad shape and has recently been used for the sports competition. with its release by the russian ministry, a blue france show state of the art military equipment in action near the border between bellows and ukraine and natal,

several divisions of as 400 missile defense systems and dozens of so called fighter jets taking part in the exercises in response to questions from the baltic states that loose has confirmed that russian forces are also active outside the scope of these drills. so military units and sub units from the eastern military district of the armed forces of the russian federation, a performing task outside the framework of the exercise. they have been deployed and performing practical measures to guard the southern state border. lead are no opportunities to enforce it using border patrol units of the republic of barrows. there are a lot of questions about the exact size and real purpose of these exercises happening around 20 kilometers from the border with ukraine. for sure, russian forces are a lot more active this close to the ukrainian capital key as a lot more active than it had been since the end of the cold war. but for many here, it's hard to believe that war is imminent. after

a government crackdown on port passes in 2020 independent media will shut down in dallas, and it's embattled leader alex on the lucas shanker to russian president vladimir, put in for help for people living at home, out close to the border. it is difficult to find out what's going on now because he won't happen. we were told, it won't happen 1st. they said there will be worth, but i wish the news and lucas ship, because if there won't be a war, they brought tanks and trucks and we thought it was a war. but it turns out it was a test of military readiness. vladimir cuts off the lead off an opposition party and home is not that optimistic. he says many people in ballard, i would like to demonstrate against a possible war, but are too scared to do so. when you those moved that move on personally, very worried. i have family, i don't want war, like most of the russians, but as i see, the developments going on so far under the disguise of military exercises. it naturally makes me very worried on this main road to ukraine's capital. kia buses

and trucks are still crossing the border, but key of is only 200 kilometers away. and russia show of military force nearby is making people in ukraine and western powers. very nervous that fastened al jazeera into blood sugar levels. hydrogen, castro has more for us from washington on that ukrainian invitation to joe biden. what's telling is that this detail out of that call came not from the white house, but from the office of the ukrainian president lensky. now, in his read out of the call and his offices read out, it says that the loan ski invited biden to go to keys in the coming days, quote unquote, because the u. s. presidents present there in the ukraine and capital would be crucial for de escalation again, there is no mention of this and the official read out that came from the white house and we are waiting for a response to that invitation. well, we do know from the white house is that this call lasted about an hour and that

vide instead zalinski that he affirmed that the u. s. allies ready to respond, he said swiftly indecisively. if russia furthers aggression against ukraine, it recall yesterday biting use nearly those same words when he spoke with the president of russia, a lot of you couldn't. and in that call, which was aimed at these de escalate the situation. apparently, there was no break through with a white house a this morning repeating warnings that russia continues to prepare for a possible incursion. and that an invasion of ukraine could happen at any moment in the pentagon spokesperson, also speaking this morning, saying that the time is narrowing for a diplomatic resolution. melinda hiring is deputy director at the atlantic council eurasia center. she joins us on skype from dc. melinda hiring, welcome 120. what's the real purpose of these military exercises?

hi peter, it's great to be here with you. so there's 30000 russian troops in belarus, and i understand why everyone is scared. it's only a 140 miles from where these troops are to here. and there's a beautiful new paved road. so it's pretty easy to roll in russian troops. and that's why there's a lot of fear right now that guten, may give the signal for these troops to go and, and go straight to here. what are the chances that joe biden accepts the invitation extended to him by the ukrainian leadership? 0. there is no way that the fighting is going to go to here. the call did not go very well today. the meeting was tense. i and i understand that basically, i and biden made a statement like after ukraine are sorry, after kia falls, a winkie of falls. so it from the ukrainian perspective, it was

a pretty alarming phone call. what is mister by basing his understanding on if he comes up with statements like that because as we've all engaged with the potential for what could go catastrophically wrong here. all right, i guess if you of letting me a putin, every one has engaged with the reality. and it's this that russia doesn't have enough boots on the ground to take care of. it has enough boots on the ground, of course, to cross the border to stage some sort of cross border land grab. but beyond that, how much further could it go? and yet, mr. biden seems to be reacting to, or even perhaps, predicting something much worse and much bigger. so it is a great question, peter, i think biden is looking at this through a domestic political lens. it's not just a pure of purely international ends by and can't afford another foreign policy screw of after i can't stand. and he remembers in 20 i 2014, the u. s. was not ready when russia put its little green men in crimea and annex

the peninsula to president biden. doesn't want to get caught off guard. he's done a great job of telling everyone about the threats, and he's basing it off of our intelligence assessments. the ukrainians disagree, but they, i am just back from here theater and that the ukrainians are upset. the biden is making so much noise. they don't disagree with the actual intelligence assessment. they disagree with the interpretation of it. and i think that's a thread this we're pulling on. it's possible that vladimir putin is going to sit at the border. he's at the north, the east in the south border of ukraine, and just continued to menace ukraine. it will drive ukraine's economy into the ground. that could be his play. he doesn't want sanctions. i so he can probably get what he wants, by sitting on that border and just being a royal minutes. what will we get to think out of the 2 key note visits in the next 48 hours from the relatively new german chancellor. mister schultz. he has

been roundly criticized around the diplomatic will for being so low key up to now. and he hasn't been able to get out from underneath a shadow that still being caused by anglo merkel because she was such a conduit for the, the optics, if you will, between moscow, europe, europe, and washington, particularly when it comes to that relationship with the kremlin. so i would not expect anything a if schultz stands up and i pray to god that he does. he's got a great foreign minister who understands russia, who understands the importance of ukraine. i and he seems to be sort of waking up to the russian threat. the, remember, his party is very deeply linked to business interests in germany. you know, it would be beautiful if we woke up to morrow and he said, i, nor stream to we've got a st. jude nor turn to the gas pipeline from germany. i did, but it's not going to happen. i the business interests, artist,

super strong. i am not putting my faith in the german government on this one. i don't really go to her. zalinski is either so many different aspects to this. very important crisis. melinda, thank you so much for explaining it to us and taking us through the the different kinds of aspects to what's going on here. thank you so much. melinda herring, the in dc. thank you, peter. with the blue so clear, the remaining protest isn't vehicles from a bridge on the canadian border with the united states, but the crossing is not yet open to traffic. the blockade was part of protests across canada against cooper. 19 vaccine mandates and b. c correspondent, cal perry has more now from windsor ontario, just under a week now since the ambassador bridge has been blockaded and shut down. and this is really the 1st time that we've seen police be able to get protesters physically out of the area. you can see the intersection that we're talking about. we are about a mile from the ambassador bridge. and what's happening now is police are reinforcing

this road, this road leads to the bridge. it's about 3 kilometers from the bridge to one of the major interstate in canada. so this is the main thoroughfare and police are clearly trying to get it. not only this open, but to have it secure. the question for police moving forward is going to be whether or not they continue have to, to continue to have to play this, this game of whack a mole with protesters. because protesters have made it clear, it only takes a very small number of them to shut down. what was until this week, the busiest crossing in north america and similar demonstrations of now spread to parts of europe as were a challenge. now reports after nearly a week of protest and disruption, this was the end of the stand off on ambassador bridge. since saturday the canadian police in windsor, ontario had been gradually enforcing a court order made on friday to end the demonstration. by sunday, only a few stragglers remained most had left or been arrested on

a vehicle towed away. the bridge is one of canada's most important roots to the us with 25 percent of trade between the 2 countries using it. but for 6 days it was shut as a protest started by truck is angry at mandatory covered vaccine certifications blocked it off. no mandate in the past. worse. they let us live or large. we're sick and tired of it. can it is freedom convoy? has they called? it looks to be over now, but the idea has spread. this is paris france a $150.00 or so ca, setting off 1st to leal and then on to brussels. this is on that. i knew we will tell europe to join us so we can change things because the people need to make the voice heard to know that we are here. today. we have the impression that we look down on things are forced on us and we are forced to get vaccinated in order to keep our jobs. we don't want that. we don't want the suppression. we want to be

free. brussels was quiet on sunday, but maybe not for long because of cove it governments in western democracies have placed restrictions on people's lives, not seen outside of war time. most citizens have complied, seeing them as for the greater good but the vocal minority finding ways to make their opposition rory helen's now to 0. hundreds of protest as have marched through the dutch city of the hague for a 2nd day to denounce corona virus restrictions. there, the crowds demanded the right to move freely installer, directly with that truck drivers protest in canada. a congo vehicles did the same in the hakes city center on saturday. protests against cubic 19 vaccinations of or on hundreds of people in australia as capital since november, unvaccinated people have only been allowed to the home for essential purposes. the restrictions are being slightly relaxed, but next month the police will begin random checks and people who break the rules.

risk prosecution still to come here on al jazeera. yeah. protest getting loaded into his ear against the president's latest power playing. and people getting dressed up again to the been his carnival after 2 years of cobit disruption. ah, ah, look forward to burritos guys. with sponsored by capital airways. hey there you're locked into your weather update for asia. great to see you. beginning in india, we look toward the northwest, where things are still foggy, and smug in new delhi has a high 24 degrees activity toward that southeast corner of india, the northeast spawn soon steering some showers in here. but there are no weather alerts in play. sundry downpours to be expected around colombo with

a height of $31.00 degrees next stop se asia. so what picture for the malay peninsula rounds of rain rate across java that includes 4 jakarta with the high of $32.00 degrees. a band of rain is stretching right across from lose on island. pouring rate into indo china. sundry downpours here as wal, bangkok has a high of 31 degrees. here's the situation for central china. things actually looking a bit above average in terms of those temperatures along the yangtze river valley. so we'll hon at 12 degrees and tokyo may wake up some snow on monday. i know last time it was a boss, but maybe a centimeter or 2 as this disturbance starts to pull away. things will mount quickly though, of course, with the height of 10 degrees and also looking at some snow for the korean peninsula, more northern portion. so that includes young yang with the height of 3 degrees on monday. that's a snapshot of your weather see later. ah, the weather sponsored by katara ways born into different worlds,

but creatively and philosophically and 9 out of the world. the surprisingly between the addiction islamic scholar mohammed abdul and russia novelist, the toasting french addiction realists, aubrey bread and literally i think is and to me on al jazeera, the a welcome back you without, with the rely from this hour. these are your top stories. ukraine has called for talks, quotes within 48 hours between russia and members of the organization for security

and cooperation in europe. it's also invited the us president joe biden to kiev following a 50 minute telephone call. ukraine seeking transparency on russia's military. build up, the number of russian forces in bella roost is the biggest since the end of the cold war. they're engaged in intensive war games. and canadian police arrested several people while clearing the remaining code, 19 processors and vehicles blocking a bridge on the border with the united states. the bridge is due to reopen on sunday. not the ukrainian governments is often accused of ignoring what's described as neo nazi paramilitary groups. spicing russian back separatists many se such groups have been an effective fighting force in the near each year. long conflict and eastern ukraine. charl stratford picks up that story from khaki have loved these men training on a football pitch in easton, ukraine. say they want to defend their country from russian aggression cry. coal

has its origin in german nationalists, groups of the 18th and 19th century. and the leaders of the group say it has thousands of members warm up would not, but only 60 have bought their own license weapons and regularly serve alongside ukrainian army soldiers on the 420 kilometer front line. 24 year old glib, studied homeland security and crisis management university. he says one day he wants to open a gun shop. why did you choose? why? because or more logically closer to me. so i decided to join the when you said they are more ideological closer, you can you tell me what you mean by that? how. what do you believe in idea what you can pause that. why call is not the only group accused of being neo

nazis that is appeared in ukraine's is the conflict with russian bank separatists started in 2014. the others, like these men, with the powerful as of the battalion, been incorporated into the ukrainian security services under the ministry of interior. for i call on many groups like them have been praised by ukrainians for their willingness to take up arms and defend the country against what they describe as russian aggression. but that does not mean that they are popular amongst voters at the ballot box. the coalition of right we groups only managed to win leslie suite, the center of the vote in the last parliamentary elections in 2019 with some of its leaders such as demetrius yarrow sh would be made, advises to the head of the ukrainian military participants. in this torch riley, resembling nazi gatherings in 1900, says he's germany, hold a banner honoring stefan bandera, ukrainian nazi collaborator,

widely recognised as organizing the massacre of tens of thousands of ethnic poles and ukraine towards the end were to go forward. and dera is the nickname, fellow fry co volunteers, gave this man 24 year old. barden says the group has its origin and what he calls pans slow visible, connecting similar minded people across slavic regions of eastern europe, including russia. but that changed when the conflict started off and it moved the market. if the west respects democracy and pluralism views they have to respect of use to get the political future, we would need to show people we can be competent leaders. we need to gather light minded thinkers, qualified and educated people. if we manage that, we will have a political future and political strength. experts say the far writing ukraine has its origins in football, hooliganism, poverty, and a country that along with many other post soviet states,

as struggled with political corruption, the russian ukrainian border didn't really exist for the move and the russian far right. and the ukrainian far right moved in the same circles and then when the war came, some of them chose one side and some of them chose the other. and the fact is that the connections are still very much there in some parts. and it's almost certain that there are russian agents of some sort within these movements. for co leaders say they've been overwhelmed by people wanting to join since the crises between ukraine and russia has escalated that as nato countries throw their weight behind ukraine, they should have to be aware of what this conflict is creating on both sides shall stop it. al jazeera car kid used to new grain. a saudi coalition, air strike has destroyed a telecommunications system and yeoman's capital st. mom as, according to saudi state television, who the rebels say the ministry of telecommunications was targeted. the coalition

says the facility was you to control groans and surging civilians to leave jamini ministries, opposition parties in tune, as you say, they will unite against the president case said after he announced sweeping changes to the judiciary. there have been more protests in the capitol after, so he gave himself the power to dismiss judge juice. lucille balkan reports from tunis protested, defy covert restrictions banning, protest together in that thousands essential genus. the angry president chi site is dissolved in asia. judicial watched of the supreme judicial counsel and his latest law against him near total control over the appointment and dismissal of judges. critic say he's now consolidated power over all the countries. institutions. i, the president has relieved some judges of their posts, dismissed others, and prevented them from objecting or striking the judiciary that we resort to is now under the control of the presidency g 7 states in the u. n. her voice concerns

about science actions and his increasingly authoritarian rule. the says its members states are discussing, cutting, funding to tunisia and tenacious judges have been on strike demanding independence for the judiciary and the reinstatement of the watchdog pi side supporters and many lawyers, however, support his decision and accused the counsel of failing to root out corruption that they say is rife among judges. these demonstrators say they're afraid that ty side is dismantling the state. deliver their said that there are no longer any independent constitutional institutions today. and as them, yesterday was the law said before i decided to establish a temporary body, etc. supreme judicial council was said, but a movement calling themselves citizen against the to say they're not giving up. al, i could be looking at the a shared are see at the political and democratic movement of the st continues and with the same objectives and the same approach in what he out. critics say that chi

side is gambling and gaining total control over tenicia at the risk of losing the financial support of the g 7 and you. but this process shows that many tunisians are prepared to define his authority and fight against dictatorship. that they fought so hard to overturn 11 years ago. alicio holcman al jazeera sooner. no, i was really police of clear protested and leave flash point suburb of shake gerra in occupied east jerusalem. demonstrations broke out as a far right is really mp, began reopening a political office in the neighborhood shake. gerard has become a symbol of palestinian resistance against israel. hundreds of palestinians have either been evicted or they are facing eviction for afghan female answers have been found after going missing weeks ago. the un says they were released along with relatives by the countries de facto authorities. quote, the women disappeared after protests against the taliban,

demanding rights for women to work and access to education. the taliban has denied detaining them. voters in switzerland have approved a near total ban on tobacco advertising, despite strong opposition by the government supporters hope it will discourage young people from taking up the habit and a country with one of the highest rates of smoking in europe. he is need barker. it's an image of odds with the countries healthy, environmentally friendly reputation. but for you, switzerland, be the haven for tobacco firms with some of the most lax laws in europe. sundays referendums, change things with voters defying the government and approving a ban on tobacco advertising in newspapers, the internet, anywhere young people can see them. it's laughable that for 2 years mailing a health policy to fight coven 19 has been in place. and now we really have the opportunity to introduce a new health policy, yet the swiss government has advised people to vote no. for me, it's obvious that we have to vote yes to the van. those backing the van say,

the government's opposition is down to the presence of the world's major tobacco companies. several have their headquarters here, and the industry generates more than $6000000000.00 a year for the swiss economy. but the old economic arguments no longer hold sway. there were $9000.00 smoking related deaths a year in the country. the impact on its health system is now at the forefront of people's minds, which are at the blue gym at the coolant. at least i voted in favor of banning tobacco advertising and minors. i think the only argument of the opponents was the collapse of the swiss economy. i don't see how it is linked. maybe i didn't understand well, but it seems more important to me to protect children from tobacco. so that if i can, firms have lobbied hard to avoid the bad with opponents, claiming cake and even sausages could face pamela restrictions for the campaign. fail to convince most people swiss voters showing politicians a big business that it's time to get tougher on tobacco. neve park have al jazeera, almost 80 percent of swiss versus of rejected a proposal to ban animal testing,

act of his say more than 500000 animals, died and swiss laboratories in 2020. they wanted switzerland to become the 1st country to ban medical and scientific experiments on animals then is, is once again getting all dressed out for its famous carnival. the festivities of returned to the italian city. after 2 years of pandemic and loc downs, priyanka, jupiter has more ah, to the wisdom of drums this latina opens what has been called the carnival of hope . good dollars and botches sale in the cold winter air signaling that the city's most famous festival. it's finally back by it thought the whistle, but other was this parade wants to sent a message with a walt that to venice is a life the carnival is here. ah,

and so at the splendid mass, the library costume, the towering weeks. we stand all about a thick day, even if it be attention india. i concede it this year, everybody wants to go back to norman to go back to splendour of good time was not out of the festival, was curtailed for 2 years by the pandemic. now with infections in italy, declining restrictions are being lifted, and venice is inching closer to what was once norman equity. ma jordan. okay, daniel, this is a for, as they were see, so many people before 2 years as we haven't been recognized as working people. we haven't seen a euro. people are finding escape a private parties are we are out of the dark here out of the go get out of it within. it's just a fabulous night. a centuries old tradition that maybe now hope will

mark the start of a bright future. proctor on to 0 the biggest sporting spectacle in the u. s. is now underway. the los angeles rams are leading the cincinnati bengals in america's super bowl. more than a $100000000.00 people are expected to tune in a feature as the half time show, of course, which includes some of the greatest names this year in west coast rap. ah, this is al jazeera at exactly half past the hour. your top stories, one more time ukraine has called for talks, quotes within 48 hours between russia and members of the organization for security and cooperation in europe. it's also invited the u. s. president joe biden to key f following a 50 minute telephone call. hi de jo castro has more from washington on.