celebrate the human spirit again. oh, lou, how does your selects express himself? ah, it's a personal to assure, continues. the military buildup nato expresses further doubts about russia's current draw down from ukraine's orders as moscow shows more at st. pulling back ah, hello, money inside. this is out there life and doha, also coming up owners gather in the occupied west spine, comped, a palestinian man was shot dead by israeli. a former soldier who deserted

a fierce regiment of me on mazama describes the brutal tactics he seen. and school children in zimbabwe left on supervised with nothing to do off the governess and striking teachers in a pe dispute ah claims and counterclaims, giving a mixed picture as to whether tensions could be easing in the russia. ukraine crisis. moscow says it's further reduced. it's true, presence ne ukraine releasing these pictures. it says off from crimea. the region was annexed by russia. back in 2014. when president vladimir putin says he wants dialogue with the west, but the 2 sides. a fundamentally at odds about new countries, particularly ukraine, potentially joining nato. the alliances defense ministers all currently meeting in brussels, but they remain highly skeptical. russia has pulled back its troops. the nato

sector general has said the opposite may be true. we have heard the songs from moscow about her readiness to continue diplomatic efforts. but so far we have not seen any de escalation on the ground. on the contrary, it appears that russia continues to military buildup. we are ready to sit down on the, on, discussed with them, but at the same time we are prepared for the worst on the fir, rashaw, once again invades ukraine and they will pay a high price. let's get ne barker to join sly from brussels. they from the language we're hearing from nato and its allies, it appears that will fairly skeptical about russia's draw down. yeah, they're very, very adamant that they are not prepared to give moscow the benefits of the doubt. and as you heard,

the yen stole to bug very quick to pull cold water on the suggestion that this is in any way a de escalation intrude numbers by russia. some of the intelligence that sir nato defense chiefs have been looking over, of course, is that video submitted by the russian defense minister, showing military hardware being shipped by rail over the strait of coach, a bridge form crimea into to mainland russia. but at the same time was seen pictures also from bella, rufe, snow, abreast, in the, the west of the country of joint military operations with the bell russian forces. and also a image is of russian warplanes, conducting exercises over the skies of eastern europe as well. so of course, nato stands will be very cautious, very, very skeptical. defense chiefs are here to reaffirm that it is nato's view that russia is planning an invasion, and nato needs to be prepared. so what could we hear from nato later today?

is it likely to announce additional drinks to the region? isn't it right now? our sultan berg has suggested that they could well bolster defenses in eastern europe, while at the same time, making sure that all diplomatic channels remain firmly open as well. there has been some suggestion from the kremlin and the last few days that they would be willing to take part in talks. although they yet to respond to a formal invitation from nato or to have her negotiations. and just to give you an idea of truitt numbers, as they are sizable from nato in eastern europe, we're talking about 7000 combat ready troops in poland. at 1200 in estonia, latvia, 1500. in lithuania, we're talking about anti ballistic missile bases in romania, one being built in, poland, multiple warships. i mean, the list goes on. the question is, will adding extra troops to these parts of eastern europe make any difference?

all will potentially vladimir putin spin that at home. as another example of nato regression is a very, very difficult decision that nato has to move it out carefully, calculate the consequences. ok, thank you for that need back there for us in brussels and remarks directed and native gathering and brussels rushes, foreign minister keys, the alliance of threatening peace with relentless expansion. yet the lineage don't look at europe, so called open door policy, violates every legal norm and commitment and is turning into an unstoppable expansion of nato in the east. that is threatening the security of the russian federation. and we've informed our interlocutors of the steps we are taking in our dialogue with the united states in the clear land. meanwhile, earlier struck a more positive tone about the prospect of talks with the us to us into mary has the latest from moscow. we've just been hearing from the kremlin spokesperson, dmitri pascall, who seemed very optimistic. he said that it's

a positive sign for the u. s. president to at say that he's willing to talk to russia. and he said that vladimir putin has also expressed his desire to really start it's intense negotiations. and direct talks with the united states about the concerns that russia has. now whether or not they'll be able to hammer out a specific time and date, an agenda for these negotiations will remain to be seen. but i think all sides here pointing to the fact that it's very positive news coming from the white house, and that the russia is ready to talk to the u. s. i think vladimir putin was insisting that he wants to talk about that nato's expansion issue. now. and that it's not something that can be put off any longer. begin, according to the country's defense ministry, there is a number of units from russia's western and southern military that have been taking part in military drills alongside the border with ukraine as well as in crimea. and those units that are finished, those drills are now on the way home. and on wednesday, we south further footage released by the defense ministry that showed

a number of military equipments being put on trains and heading back from crimea to russia. this is, according to the russian defense ministry that says that this is standard process for them. this is the procedure and that it is nothing unusual. this is of course, what has been causing all this concerned by the united states and western countries . the russians have said that their own movements troop movements within their own boundaries. it is something that is not up for discussion with anyone, and it should not be a cause for alarm. meanwhile, ukraine has been holding a day of national unity in the face of the russian military presence near its border. the president law demand zaleski called on the citizens to show brazilians and wave the national flag. i live with you. we are all united by our wish to live in peace, to live a happy life with our families, parents, and children. we have the full ride to all of this because we're at home here in ukraine. nobody will love our home as much as wages,

and nobody can defend our home as much as we can. i wish you a happy unity day, my blue yellow ones, a happy day of unity of ukraine in the east and west in the north and south. it works only together and when it works west strong evening. and tasha butler is in here present for lensky called for this national day of unity. really to rally some patriotic spirit. he said that it was a day to show the ukrainians all standing together. united not just amongst themselves, but also with that allies. this is a found a sending a message to russia to say that ukrainians of strong and if they were to be attacked, that they would not hesitate in fighting about patrick to them. it's all about nationalism. this is the lensky trying to say that ukraine will not bow to what he sees as the threats of russian aggression is that military build up is still very

much say on ukraine for the despite russia saying that it has pulled some troops back. a funeral has been held for a palestinian teenager who was shot by israeli forces and the occupied westbank 19 year old. they had killed during the confrontation between processes and israeli soldiers in the town of not be sally. the death comes days, often not a teenager was killed by really gum fi near the town. if janine abraham has moved from cooper in the occupied west bank another day, another funeral and another young man loses his life in the occupied westbank. by the way, the force is higher. this time you had better lucy, who has been killed in confrontations with these really forces. on tuesday, he's been a man who was arrested by the way, the forces before he was injured, also multiple times. and it's only been

a few weeks since he was outside his resale. now he's being taken to his family to bid him define it for well. and if i'm and he says while they almost have gotten used to him being in jail and behind bard, this is too much for them to handle. young had the valued side and he had to buy it out of ebony. i'm crying for anyhow and for my son to because i can't protect him even though all our children's lives are under threats. you can't protect them from the occupation. overall, there has been an increase in violence and people fear that they need this escalation, that there's a shamrock neighborhood in. okay, why these jerusalem, that this situation is going to be heading towards an escalation, sort of common about how to rooms? how do you really are behaving as if they owned the land as if we have no right to it? they want us out. well, we'll keep fighting even if one of us is killed every day, so that it will only be at least 3 people have been killed and shelling by

government forces in northwest syria. others were wounded in the attack, which happened in the town of terminus in rebel held it live province. the president, bashar assad, who now controls most of the country, has increased attacks on a lab. a former soldier, his dessert sent me on mas army, as told al, jazeera of the brutal tactics. he says, being committed by a feared regiment since last year's crew. the army is faith, allegations of abuse, including torture and massacres. all of which it denies will tony cheng spoke to the ex soldier who is now in hiding near the tie me on my border rebel fighters approach a convoy of burning vehicles on christmas eve. it was the scene of a massacre. they say more than 30 men, women and children executed their bodies burned at you. they say it was mere mas army. specifically, the much feared 66 light infantry mia mars military leadership have denied

involvement and that, but those tactics a well known to captain, me unto whose name we've changed for security reasons. he served in the 66 light infantry until november when he deserted. now he's in hiding. he says he and his soldiers were taught to believe that any one who stood up to them was the enemy. and with angrily, diana, the army seized the ethnic groups like terrorists. now they tell the soldiers that all the ethnic groups are taurus, that's why they fight against them. they want to control everything. despite decades of oppressive rule, members of mere mas army or tap my doors, they are often called inside the country were held in high regard. their role as guardians of a divided nation often superseded reports of atrocities against ethnic minorities, including the ringer. last year's military coup changed all that the stature and

the reputation of the tap would i have taken a massive hit. ah, the people of myanmar, white white, frankly, heath and are view them as terrorist. at one stage it was thought that the trickle of de thank tis, coming from over there in myanmar might turn into a flood that didn't happen, the army closed ranks. and since then, it's been very hard to know what's going on in military minds. i, on a misty hill side along the time. yeah. my border. we got a rare insight into the concerns of enlisted soldiers. as we filmed a border outpost, several soldiers in plain clothes approached us friendly. they chatted openly in english and ty, with a worried about the fierce fighting going on between mamma's army and its people is talking like of our dog. and i say she is. we worried about that, but in this region, like in the site, we don't have any globe and about that. another adney grove. yeah. but are you

worried about the fighting inside man? mar as well. yeah. a little bit. ah, captain, me at tow can be more open about his concerns. since february there is no happiness, he sings, my homeland is destroyed. now he's committed to fighting against the army. a fight song lurk says we will win. toni chang al jazeera on the time. yeah, my board of stella head on al jazeera, struggling to get by find out what griggs are doing to cope with rising feet and electricity. decade after they were killed, the u. s. gun makers order to pay millions to families of victims at the sandy high school mask. ah

hello, they were got high pressure keeping it settled across much of northern china if got low pressure kicking it out, unsettled for japan, here's our low. we going to see this system here just dragging in a fair bit of snow, lots of windy weather coming into that western side of her honju around 40 centimeters of snow coming in here as we go on through the next couple of days. so that will cause some disruption. we push on into friday. yep. more the same, not quite as widespread, but it is still there. nevertheless, it's not quite to whether across the korean peninsula, temperatures picking up in salt around 5 celsius and the dry weather. they're continuing afore beijing, not so dreyfus. central is southern parts of china. we some snow coming in to we're central areas of china, further south or heavy down post coming in here over the next couple of days. and we see some heavy downpours into parts of malaysia house of indonesia fight. and roy across the philippines over the next day or so, but you can see across much of southeast asia,

similar distribution of chows to what we have seen recently. some weather weather, also pushing across sir the malay peninsula, across a nic barajas and the adamant artist it will stay disturbed here. much of india stays dry and fine over the next couple of days and started to warm up, particularly to the west. ah 5, because is the world's leading coca producer, but it's weak infrastructure makes traveling a challenge. we follow to drive zoom as he grapples with repairs for his many backup and yahoo! one of the few women to drive to remote villages. rescan it all ivory coast on our do ah

ah, welcome back you watching al 0 mind auto stories this our data defense minister is amazing and brussels. calling this a pivotal moment for ukraine on global stability. russia says it's beyond calling troops back from ukraine's border. the u. s. and it's nato allies say they haven't seen any evidence of that. ukraine is holding a day of national unity in the face of the russian military presence near its border. the president vladimir zalinski, called on citizens to show resilience on wave. the national flag form, a soldier whose deserted man, mazama has told al, deserve the brutal tactics. he says, have been committed by a feed regiment. the you and special envoy for yemen says

there's still a way out of the countries war. he made the comments during a un security council meeting. are dep to magic editor james base reports in nearly 7 years of war in yemen. rarely have things been this bad. the violence is raging, the humanitarian situation is dar, and the diplomacy is deadlock. the us special envoy hands. good book was briefing the security council. the who fees are letting him visit sonata and for the coalition, one of its members, the u. a is currently serving on the security council. it's ambassador with scathing. what we have heard today confirms the continued failure of the political process under the leadership of the united nations to deal realistically and firmly with the continuously intransigent position of the hoot, the militias and their dangerous escalation. after the u,

a. e civilian infrastructure was subjected to terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of innocent civilians. we can only ask mister greenberg when will the appeasement of this terrorist group. and i put that point to the special envoy itself. my position to hear from this podium start to discussing what the members of accounts would mean and doesn't meet on the, nor in the end that i hope i will be able to, to engage in close discussions. i've had that with her and read all the other members of the accounts to make sure that we understand the security council also heard that the lack of funding for the humanitarian situation in yemen is unprecedented. it means that next month, the un may have to cancel flights, delivering a, and that means that some people in yemen might get no food at all. in somalia, at least 9 people reported have been killed in the capital market issues, including 2 suicide bombers on a police officer. the internal security minister says al shabani finances attacks

police stations in the early hours of wednesday morning. landslides in flash, floods have killed at least $38.00 people in brazil, areas north of rio de janeiro. it will hardest hit and the death toll is expected to rise. catcher, lopez heard a young reports ah, the forest in magnitude of this rainfall was unexpected. within ours streets, across the brazilian city of patropolis were submerged. nearby families are stunned as floods and mudslides get closer to their homes. the current so strong a push vehicles along streets like toys. even a boss is e mostly dragged away, nearly covered in water. this group desperately tries to hold on

the local fire department says more than $250.00 millimeters of rain fell within 6 hours. that's more than a monthly average for the entire month of february. the region is still recovering from the damage of last year's heavy rains were more than 500 people were killed. this year again, authorities fear the death toll will likely wrong. recovery efforts are underway. president, how you also nato was visiting russia has called on the local government to deliver immediate support to what will likely be a long term operation. patio lopez of a young al jazeera sewing inflation is hitting living standards across the developed world. and it's being largely driven, i rise an energy prices increase. that's leaving some people having to choose

between eating or paying the power. bells johns, are up las reports from athens. anna tonda is making past that and porridge make up her diet, which she shares with her mother for whom she cares. together they earn a $1000.00 a month and pensions, they own their small apartment. so there is no rent to pay. but as energy costs rise, many of tuned as neighbors have received electricity bills, they cannot pay. and when hers comes, she says she'll take to the streets with galahad luasa. i won't pay it because i can't. he can be all right, with 500 or even a 1000 euros. he can asian pay, the utilities, no one. this is life or death, or name. rising energy costs are reflected in food costs. the government is subsidizing farmers fuel even more than usual, and has have sales tax on animal feet and fertilizer. but it's not enough since

thought a papa who runs a pi shop in central athens. the fresh meat and vegetables that go into her pies have gone up 40 percent since last summer. since christmas. her electricity bill doubled is still better than i never said to miss. i didn't raise the price of my pies and i added $0.50 to the price of the feeds. it doesn't cover my increased costs. but if i put prices up further on these customers, because many of them the pension is, i'm going to wait. if i can't make ends meet, i'm going to reduce the kitchen staff and work longer hours or yeah, energy costs rose by more than 15 percent last year across developed economies, the highest annual rise in 40 years. and that's what's driving most inflation here in greece. electricity prices alone tripled last year. and the government is spending more than $2000000000.00 subsidizing energy costs for households, businesses and farmers. greece has been one of the most exposed european economies to energy price shocks. because 40 percent of its electricity is generated from

imported natural gas, the energy subsidies a move increase away from it's school of sustainability says one environmental think tank. this is really a fossil fuel subsidy. these are mass needed funds that could have been used for our energy efficiency project or renewable energy projects, energy storage products, as well as support to adjust foundation in the league. nitrogen of great greek incomes were battered by an 8 year depression following the 2008 global financial crisis. and they still haven't recovered in politics. that vulnerability is of greater concern than the long term goal of sustainability. jobs are alkalis, al jazeera athens, a european union's top course has dismissed the case by poland and hungary, challenging a new funding law. it would have allowed the you to cut funds to member states that violate democratic rights and freedoms. the decision marks,

milestone and eas feud with poland and hungary, populace governments on protecting human rights. teachers on strike in zimbabwe of pain conditions have been suspended by the government. they say rising inflation is eating away at their salaries and they want to be paid in u. s. dollars. the government has offered them a raised union say, it's not enough. her motto reports from her ari. it's another week of children going to school in zimbabwe and doing nothing constructive because there are no stop the government to spend a thousands of teachers with 3 months without pay for going on strike, demanding more money to re enroll in reopening. i know teachers are now running around the government has offered teachers a 20 percent pay increase payment of part of their salaries in us dollars and other incentives, including free education for the children and loans for housing. but unions

rejected the offer saying it's still not enough. the government here employs. 2 about 140000, his nationwide is not known exactly how many of them are in strike. the education requirements is they can be replaced with thousands of i'm employed teachers. are you looking for union leaders? believe politicians out of touch with reality. those who as opposed to manager education, if found in the skipper with their own children, are living in private schools in a little private schools. and some of them are living in exotic leanings and as built in australia you is. i'm on whether listened us. but the public school is now so much neglected because they don't affect this as into does on the so they don't . why? yeah, that's the muscle cells gas from his house to supplement his income. he and others have been the teachers want at least $540.00 us dollars a month. right now, the earning less than $100.00. it teacher gets. i bought

a 2 years. it's no. and you need to break better amount into transport. i lauins, they z housing i lauins and it basic salad is also included in that. a to years. economists warn, paying salaries in american dollars will fuel inflation with no side so far, willing to budge these little to no learning. taking place in many of us in bobby's public schools, had a mythology zera had added the u. s. gun maker that made the rifle used in the 2012 sandy hook, school shooting has settled a lawsuit with some of the victims families. a payout of $73000000.00 by remington is thought to be the fast of its size against an american gum maker link to mass shooting. rosalind jordan has more fully se adam, lanza used a bushmaster aer 15 style rifle to kill 20 small children and 6 adults at sandy

hook elementary school in 2012, 2 years later, some of the victims families decided to su remington, the maker of the bushmaster, they were told they had no chance of winning. i could never tell you, i thought i'd see this day and it's not going to bring mary back. it's not going to bring any of these kids back. ah. but the cost of business is going to go up substantially. the $73000000.00 settlement between remington, one of the oldest gun manufacturers in the united states. and some of the families is the 1st of its kind in this country. but geo means remington won't go on trial in september on charges. it's business practices contributed to the massacre today marks an inflection point when our duty of care to our children as a society finally supersedes the bottom line of an industry that made such an

atrocity as sandy hook possible to begin with, that accountability means the families will get to make public internal company documents showing just how remington market at bush masters to the public, especially to socially insecure young men. and the linchpin of this settlement is that it allows these families the rights to share the information as to what they learned. remington had fought the lawsuit, claiming a 2005 federal law did not hold it. and other gun manufacturers liable for how their products were you. no matter how tragic, no matter how much we wish those children in their teachers were not lost and their families had not suffered. the lot needs to be applied dispassionately. the sandy hook family say the time for being dispassionate is over. i made a very early promise to do everything in my power to honor his short life. this

lawsuit has been part of that promise to close his. i get to him now is by kissing his earned every night, telling him i love him and i miss him. but i made him a promise and i'll keep working to deliver that promise for the rest of my life. more than 9 years and 2 months after sandy hook, a hard fought accountability that still cannot or race the worst of losses. rosalyn jordan, l g, sierra washington. oh, this is al jazeera, these you top stories, nato defense ministers meeting in brussels. calling this a pivotal moment for ukraine and global stability. russia says it's begun pulling troops back from ukraine's borders. the u. s. in its nature allies say they haven't seen any evidence that brushed deciding who's.