control of the message is crucial. oil companies have become very good at recognizing ways to phrase what they want to hear. we care about the environment you do to you should buy our oil plea for public opinion or profit. once you make people afraid, you can use that to justify stripping away basic civil liberties. the listening post examined the vested interest behind the content you consume on al jazeera. ah, more russian forces not fewer or at the board. the united states and nato say, there are still no signs. russian troops are pulling back from ukraine's borders despite moscow's claims. ah, i'm the clog, this is out 0 life and also coming up like sand castles in a su nami,

one doctor prescribes hong kong, devastating 5th covey. 19 wave that's pushed hospitals to breaking point. at least $94.00 people who killed thousands displaced after heavy rains triggered landslides in southeastern brazil and honduras, his former president is ordered to stay in prison for a month. united states wants him extradited to face drug trafficking charges. ah. so the united states nights, i say that russia is adding more troops. now ukraine and there's no evidence of a pull back despite what moscow has been saying, the russian defense ministry has published new video of what it says is tanked. returning to their basis. it says 10 convoys of russian troops left her crimea on thursday. after completing that drills bought the white house says another 7000 russian soldiers arrived ukraine's border. many within the past 24 hours in recent

weeks. and even in recent days, more russian forces not fewer or at the border, and they are moving concerning lee in to fighting positions. this is cause for profound concern or ukrainian president vitamin zalinski has also dismiss russian statements of a withdrawal from watch. la milliken a capitulation. we are seeing a large concentration of troops. it hasn't change of the last week. we're seeing some small rotations, but i wouldn't call these rotations a pullback of russian troops cause to throw out there. we will confirm the pullback of russian troops once it happens and once a short period of time passes after the number of groups of military forces and hardware decreases at those parts of the border. he now rushing back to rebels in his new ukraine of accused ukrainian government forces of using malta to attack their territory. that is, according to members of the self reclaimed landscape, people's republic and russian state media, the accused ukrainian forces of violating sci fi agreements in the dispute region

at ukraine says the rebels of shell depositions 8 times in the past 24 hours. but that the situation is now stable out 0 cannot independently confirm these allegations. but let's get more with child. stratford is in khaki. if in nathan, exc, and the hancock. so charles, these unverified reports, what are you hearing? that's right. yes. these are reports according to the russian state media, quoting their sources with the separatists in those territories. and as you say, the ukranian saying that they had been shelled 8 times in the last 24 hours. there positions that sir 33 more times than the previous 24 hours is important to recognize that both sides have throughout the last 7 years since that c spire was signed in 2015. there has been sporadic shelling all the time. both sides constantly accusing each other of starting that shelling. but of course this what

is being described if you like, as a slight escalation, comes at a time of increasing tension in this region. and it's also important to put it in the context of some of the language that has been coming out of the dpr, the self declared donation people's republic. in the last week, the leader of that self declared republic dentist michelin last week saying that he didn't trust the ukrainians. and he didn't see the ukrainians as wanting what he described as a peaceful solution and accusing the ukrainians of planning what he described as a military solution to this crisis. and he also mentions what is a big concern full. ready many analysts and no doubt, many intelligent services, which is the potential for what are increasingly called false flag operations, also mentioned by per shilling. and this has been happening all enough for the last couple of weeks are, according to him. what he describes is suspect explosive devices, all reports,

old suspect explosive devices, around buildings in the dpr, in a security operation on going to were to, to just to find these and verify whether they are in fact you know, whether they indeed exist. the fairies is that a whole slag operation in those charities could be used as a pretext a by, for example, russia to protect what we understand around $700000.00 russian pulse bullet holders in those territories these ukrainians, that living in a d, p r and the ellen, i am having the last few years been issued with russian foss, bolts, and there is a fear that the russian leader vladimir putin may be using such a any kind of full slag operation to protect what he now says are russian citizens . so, you know, and although we're, as i say, have reports almost on a daily basis of shedding along those lines. the kind of rhetoric not only coming

out of washington and russia, but the rhetoric coming out of those self declared republics makes this kind of report about an escalation in, on the military side of things. concerning, indeed, you've just been in the region. what were your impressions of the situation? well, as right, we were, we were in the donuts people's republic. the 1st time in 5 years, a couple of years ago. we were invited by the separatists in there, the situation was calm. we were heavily monitored and we had a minder who was basically looking after his most of the time. but yeah, it is a town, it is an area that sir feels just increasingly when you speak to the people increasingly traps and vulnerable people will tell you they know that they feel trapped between 2 opposing powers and a lot of the infrastructure that has been damaged in the 8 years of war,

destroyed in the 8 years of war remains unrepaired. there are hundreds, if not thousands of businesses that it even gone bankrupt. all the owners of disappeared that the region is not connected, for example, to the international banking system either. and so it is a cash economy, the m, the currency was changed to the roubles interestingly a few years ago. and there is a sense that sir, there is a great sense of sort of hopelessness amongst many of the people there. and it's also important to recognize though, that when you speak to them, or whereas you could argue that safe, 4 or 5 years ago, there was still a debate amongst many of them as to whether they wanted to be part of ukraine or whether indeed they wanted to potentially to be part of russia or indeed independence. certainly a lot of the people that we spoke to this time and basically blamed the ukrainians more for that. the desperate changes that have been made to their lives because of

the fighting and were far more inclined to say that they wanted independence all for russia to come in and take control. so yeah, it is a pretty desperate situation in amongst those are those areas, those areas that ukrainian government calls the occupied territories. i tell people that, man, thanks very much to me for reporting and i tell stratford there not monks all of this. it is day 2 of the nato summit with ministers of defense meeting in brussels, at the center of the current crisis is russia's demand that ukraine never be allowed to join the military lance, and that they 2 forces pull back from eastern europe, british defense minister ben wallace is among those who just arrived at the meeting . he said the door to diplomacy can seem rather, as daughter diplomacy is still open, but the russia will be judged not only by his words, but by its actions, said his cross to our correspondent balconies life once in brussels and falling

events as a knave day to the meeting, what are we expecting yet, dates, he will begin with ministers from ukraine and ga, meeting the whole talks where the other representatives of the nato alliance. of course, both of those countries on a road map for membership, for nato. both of them facing stiff opposition and resistance from vladimir putin. both of them have outstanding territorial disputes are on their land as well. so it would be very interesting to find out what sort of conclusions and supports the alliance will give to these countries are going forward. but the end of day one young sultan burge said that he believed that european security was in a deep crisis. that the alliance faced is faces an existential threat, and that in response, it may need to consider bolstering its defenses in eastern europe. the door to diplomacy, though it's hoped, remains open. fis bump diplomacy as defense chief some nato countries including

the u. s. and germany arrive the lines headquarters to strengthen their stance on russia and pour over the latest intelligence. and this is what they've been looking at. a russian defense ministry video claiming to show a partial pullback of forces from near ukraine. the kremlin says combat equipment and troops were leaving the crimean insular seas from kia in 2014 and returning to bass. but nato secretary general was quick to dismiss any talk of a d escalation of tensions. we do not see any sign of the escalation on the ground, nor withdrawals of our troops or equipment. this may of course change. however, what we see to day is that, that russia maintains a massive invasion force ready to attacked with high end capabilities from crumb yard to barrows. strong words to from european union chiefs in strasburg,

urging moscow to come to the negotiating table. lou schwab was ordering the choice to days between war and tragic sacrifices that would go along with it or the courage of a political engagement, a courage of a diplomatic negotiation. very clearly, european union chooses diplomacy and chooses negotiation. we will demonstrate discourage your there was little sign of any russian troop withdrawals in belarus on wednesday. this another show of military muscle for the camera's joint exercises would bellow russian troops, only deepening fee is a neighboring ukraine, that it invasions imminent on the land. and in the air, nato says russia has reached full combat readiness. but there is a shred of hope. in recent days, russia, his signal that it would be willing to join talks about door remains open. due to marcia, nato runs the risk of being drawn into a long, protracted stand off with russia due to little and it runs the risk of a possible invasion in ukraine. something that could destabilize the whole of

europe. russia is creating a new normal, said sultan berg, by using force to contest the principle of serenity in europe. the alliance he said, must respond possibly with a new nato battle group in romania. the hope of an easy end to the standoff is fast fading. it is a relationship at the moment between russia and nato states that his dog by mutual distrust and suspicion both sides, 2nd guessing what the others will do 1st and as a result, both sides appear ready and willing to bolster their forces in eastern europe. the largest build up of the military presence there, for generations adding to what yen stalsen burger had to say is the french foreign minister, evil adriane saying that he believed that existing arms packs were almost obsolete . and that while vladimir putin continues to demand for a stability and guarantee some nato,

nato was also asking for similar guarantees from vladimir putin or no thanks for that satiny buck their reporting from brussels. ah, hospitals and testing facilities in hong kong are buckling under the pressure of a major coby 19 outbreak. the worse since the pandemic begun, beds are filled to capacity and patients have been treated in makeshift open air spaces. the territory reported a record of nearly 4300 cases on wednesday. that's 40 times higher than the daily rate. the start of the month. and an increase in truck drivers tested positive, is causing delays in food deliveries in hong kong. prices of fresh fruit and vegetables have surged in some parts of the city, hong kong in ports 90 percent of its food for clothes has been at one of hong kong . busiest hospitals is what she saw. dozens of people are outside right behind

me, lying on hospital beds, sitting in wheelchairs waiting for a hospital bed inside. many of these people are elderly. they're sitting in the cold. it is rainy, it is windy and these are hong kong, most vulnerable residents. this is the situation indicating that capacity is still a huge problem. now the hospital authority, they apologized for this very situation, same, they feel bad, that this is the circumstance, but we are seeing it again today, indicating that indeed there is an issue of a hospital beds inside these facilities. now under hong kong, dynamic cove id 0 policy, they are calling it. this is the situation, this is the result that is happened. any one who tests positive for cove, it even if you are asymptomatic. even if you have mild symptoms, you are required to come to a hospital or go to

a quarantine facility sled. heron out 0, we look at why russia's involvement in molly might lead to a major strategic shift by franz. and the race to space. is it getting crowded? ah, ah, look forward to brighter skies the weather sponsored on cattle it weighs. hey, they're great to see a right off the bat. we've got a dangerous storm in the atlantic. this is storm eunice, it's a bomb cyclone. so that's when an area of low pressure deepens within a certain period of time, think the deeper the low, the more intense it is. there's where it is on thursday. press play by friday, that's cuts right across the united kingdom. here's what you need to know. this is a dangerous storm winds, a 160 kilometers per hour gust over exposed areas. in lamb,

we're talking about this southwest of in england. we could see wind gusts up to a 130 kilometers per hour and then snow over the scottish hills. 20 to 30 centimeters with blizzard conditions. now let's go back to thursday. these are the leftovers of storm dudley producing some flooding rain over germany and poland. in fact, rate across germany, we've got red warnings in play for hurricane force winds that extends into western poland for greece and turkey. it's fairly settled, but we do have rounds of rain for the southern greek islands on thursday. cross africa, northern parts of libya, white and windy conditions to be expected. some showers danced around the gulf of guinea and leftovers of what was the tropical cyclone slamming into central and northern parts of mozambique is, is going to generate some flooding in the days to come. that's a snapshot of your weather. we'll see you soon. take care. oh, the weather sponsored by cataract ways, chilling the debate they erased share of like people from the american and global

story was very powerful on an online ad your voice. the comment section was whitehead joined our conversation. we had all protected when everyone is protected . it is not to play being nationalistic about those. you just look at it in a very different way. say that perspective, meg and meg meeting each other and they don't have any felicia, let me get put it clear for you. this screen on al jazeera lou. ah, again, you're watching out 0 reminder about top stories as her and the russian defense ministry is published, new video of what it says is times returning to the basis for the united states and nato. you say that russia is adding more troops that ukraine. there's no evidence

of a pull back. the crate military and russia backed rebels and east are accused each other of shelling their positions in the disputed hunt, screeching. ukraine says the situation is now stable out. is there a con, independently confirm the obligations, hospitals and testing facilities in hong kong under prussia because of a major coven? 19 up break, which is the worst since pandemic begun. the territory reported a record of nearly 4300 cases on wednesday. friday pres, remain out of bound to the centuries old mosque, and indeed, the minister kashmir was closed in 2019 when the government in new delhi revoked the regions autonomy. indian authorities have long seen it as a place of anti government activities. already motel has more. this imposing structure holds a special place in the hearts of many cush metes. for centuries, the grand mask has been a venue for prayers and an arena for political activism, but has largely remain closed for nearly 2 and a half years here. i says,

you almost reported you my, you. i come every friday for prayers, but all in vain. the mosque remains closed. i feel sad and distressed. we believe operators will be answered if he prep the jam your must chip on fridays. i know it used to give me solace. push meters claimed in full by india and pakistan, but governed by the 2 nations and bots. indian administered kashmir has seen protest and violent uprisings against new del is rule for decades. the grand mosque has played a role in driving these in august 2019. the government revoke kush me special status and imposed a communications blackout. it also shut mosques in this muslim dominated region. while others have reopened, the gran most leader has been detained in his home and the grounds have remained out of bound. so friday prayers in the past, tens of thousands of muslims attended these, which not the worth it did, which are some elements. so want to disturb places like these and grid and

impression internationally. i feel that muslims are being suppressed in india. i think security agencies took these precautions to prevent that. in the heart of the main city, sheena go. the mosque is a major meeting point for people who live here. so months would address kush me is political struggles. while authorities have closed it for extended periods in the past, it's closure now has raised concerns about religious freedom rudo holiday through in these times, we are seeing unprecedented suppression pressure and tyranny across india, particularly in kashmir, where even religious gatherings are not allowed to lose our gram mosque plays a central role. it's closure and the case in these claims of secularism and democracy. the government has also blamed the pandemic and says it will last local authorities for a security review to reopen the mosque. but kashmiris are skeptical and say new delhi has made similar excuses in the past to crack down on their freedoms. park, new metal al jazeera new delhi. at least 94 people had been killed in severe

flooding and mud slides in southeast in brazil. rescue teams up searching for survivors in the city of metropolis, and hundreds of people are in emergency shelters after the homes were destroyed. it is the heaviest rainfall the region is seen in 90 years. hattie lepers, hardy and has more ah, the forest and magnitude of this rainfall was unexpected. within hours streets across the brazilian city, a federal police were submerged nearby families are stunned as once and most lights get closer to their homes. the current so strong, they pushed vehicles along streets like toys. even a burst is aimlessly drowned away, nearly covered in water. families are now dealing with a devastating aftermath,

including hearing about neighbors who didn't survive at 1st mortgage w. j. it's very sad to see people asking for help and not being able to do anything . it's a feeling of desperation, a loss. our city is gone, our neighbourhood is gone. this who desperately tries to hold on the mobile 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 $500.00 people were killed. g can on this year again, authorities fear the death toll will likely rise. recovery efforts are underway. president hyatt bonds, so nato who's visiting russia has called on the local government to deliver immediate support to what will likely be

a long term operation. katya locus of again al jazeera, the former president of hunter, as faces exhibition to the united states with drunk trafficking. as manuel repulsive reports from the capital on, hernando hernandez was taken to court of to hundreds of police surrounded his home in emotionally charged gathering outside the supreme court of honduras. many hope to catch a glimpse of former hundrend president 100 land it amended wanted by us at the warranties on international drug trafficking and illegal weapons charges over it. amanda's arrived in handcuffs in chains for a preliminary court hearing related to an extradition request filed by the united states. earlier this week, i are here to celebrate. we're here to celebrate the narco dictatorship that is failing today with its greatest liter. tensions outside the court lead to minor scuffles between critics and supporters of the former president gonna we are

supporting our president in pace. so dignified process is carried out and he's brought to respect it. we are also supporting him pace fully as the national party is leaders of the party. we're not looking for trouble. we're not attacking any one of them. we just want our president to realize he's not align it. amanda is, was arrested on tuesday at his home in the hunter and capital u. s. prosecutors a legit. and then this helped facilitate the trafficking of hundreds of tons of narcotics from columbia and venezuela over the course of his 8 years as president allegations, the 53 year old, former hunter and leader has repeatedly denied his fate. now, in the hands of a judge overseeing a request for extradition by the united states. i mean, they got on the thought of so, but a fancier, in order to guarantee his presence at the expedition proceedings, he will be provisionally detained at the facilities of the special operations

command of the national police. and commander federal prosecutor is in new york had previously named at land. is a co conspirator in a major international drug trafficking case. oh, and last year a u. s. judge sentenced president and man does his younger brother tony it man this to life in prison? overcharges related to cocaine trafficking. having concluded the 1st of 2 appearances before the supreme court, former 100 president, one, orlando at a non, this will remain under the custody of security forces until march 16th for a 2nd and final extradition hearing. monday that i follow al jazeera big lucy alba . that's bringing some breaking news now. and president of manuel macro has just announced france is to withdraw its troops from mali. but french forces and other e u allies will continue. or they call a joint action against terrorism in the it's a hall region of the have been tensions after molly's transitional government

allowed russian mercenaries into the country. alexa, cross live now to us at beck, who's monitoring these events. he's in synagogue capital of the deca and i said this was a long expected. tell us more about the details. well, yes, friends, president money in the account has a nance that troops will be withdrawn. we don't know the timeframe around that. but he did say that they will be leaving 3 sites in molly, but they will continue to work with the modern authorities and the united nations during duct with troll. now he says that they are looking to other countries in the region to relocate some of those soldiers. france has roughly about 5000 troops on the ground. and molly, they've been there since 2013. now, you mentioned niger where france has a presence, but also he can knowledge that the has been a change in the region. that's falling multiple kids that have taken place. there's

been 2 in mall you since 2020. there's been a q in book, in fact, so as a kid there's been a chad so, and there's also this anti french sentiment when the french ambassador was expelled this month. they were celebrations in the capture of money. but michael and france is facing up to the reality that this the reality and the ground has changed for them. so he has a nice that they will be this withdrawal of troops and france, husband fighting groups linked to al qaeda and isis since 2000, and since 2013, but more recently, there's been an increased number of tax in neighboring countries. so that's what, that's why france is saying that they'll continue to use operations in this whole region. and as far as money is concerned, what are the security implications of this and the potential back q that it will leave? what is difficult to say at this point in time, the money and the authorities have been talking tough against france. in fact,

one politician came out and a few fronts are trying to stay the country, but the russians on the ground. and molly, the rich money said is a part of a bilateral agreement. there's been some military equipment. there's also the russians training molly, molly's troops. so it's difficult to say what kind of vacuum will will be left. but if i take you back to 2013 separatists and insurgents had taken control of large parts of the north of the country, and that's why france came in and helped the modern authorities to free up those areas. now we don't know what will happen once this, once his troops are withdrawal, but those areas are no longer controlled by insurgents and separatists, but that may very well change once the french leave. or that's it. thanks for that update. as a big they're reporting a scientists have determined that their robe rock had

expected to crash into the moon. next month was built by china and not bite space ex astronomers previously thought the out of control rocket had been launched by elan must. now they believe the rocket that will hit the moon on march. the 4th is a booster. used in a 2014 chinese space agency launch astronomy, say the mistake highlights the problem with tracking will trying to track objects in deepest space. and they're also fears of a collision due to space debris in december, china complaints the united nation saying it's astronauts had to maneuver their space station out of the way of to space ex darling satellites. the u. s. reject those allegations saying if there had been a chance of a near miss, it would have notified chinese officials well in advance. but space is getting crowded by the end of last year. there were 5000 active satellites in space as twice as many since as 2010. some space analysts are saying there's

a new space race as private companies enter space tourism. to have as estimate, there will be 30000 new satellites orbiting earth 10 years from now. what are the most important festivals for buddhist has been celebrated by lighting 1000000 lanterns in thailand? the commemorations for the mark of pu jaday were put on by the dumb mikaya would effect the movement is considered somewhat controversial due to its unorthodox interpretation of buddhism. its wealth in its links to a former prime minister. ah, this is out there. these are the top stories and the russian defense minister has published new video, but it says tanks returning to their bases. but the us and nato say russia is adding more troops now ukraine and there is no evidence of a pull back. the training military in russia back to rebels and used to recuse each

other of shelling their positions in the disputed, lance christian ukraine says the situation is now stable out. 0 cannot independently confirmed the allegations.