it's all about distract, create confusion to create smoke and mirrors the shocking truth about how the climate debate has been systematically supported. the oral industry was a main bank roller or opposition to contact the campaign against the climate. do you think that's a bad thing? more to, to a did miss years. absolutely. on august, here for our response will be immediate. united and coordinate. the you accuses russia of blackmail after moscow stops natural gas supplies to poland and bulgaria threatened to cut off other countries. ah, i'm carry johnston. this is al jazeera life and also coming ukraine says the siege of maria pole is a humanitarian catastrophe. more than 3000 soldiers and civilians besieged by

russian forces. russia and the u. s. exchange prisoners despite hostile relations due to the ukraine. as an american marine swapped for russian plus the largest exodus of cubans this century is taking place. i'm lucy and human in havana, cuba coming up, i'll explain why and how after cutting off natural gas to bulgaria and poland, russia is threatening to do the same to more you nation's, the escalation in economic hostilities over the ukraine war follows a refusal by both countries to use moscow's payment system for supplies to convert euro to roubles, the u is accusing the crumbling of blackmail nadine baba reports it had been predicted by some feared by many more european leaders see russia's move to hold

gas supplies to poland and bulgaria because they won't pay in roubles as aggressive comes as no surprise that the kremlin uses fossil fuels to try to black from a loss. this is something that your team commission has been preparing for in close coordination and solidarity with member states and international partners. our response will be immediate united and coordinated moscow says countries can still pay for gas imports in euro's or dollars, but only if they open russian bank accounts, which then convert the currency and make the final payment. is for some countries have already done so. but bo guerria, which gets the vast majority, if it's gas supplies from gas problem, is not one of them. yeah, one is to put them in dublin and we will not succumb to such a racket, but a global gallery. i was reviewing all agreements with gas problem, including the agreement on gas transit, 3 bulk area, because one side to blackmail is not acceptable. the polish president is promised

to take legal action, but the prime minister is insisting there's no immediate threat saying storage facilities are 3 quarters full higher than in most of europe. and now patricia, i've emphasized many times poland had previously prepared to diversify supplies and obtain gas from various sources. even before the bolted gas pipeline is launched, will be able to protect our economy. to protect publish households from such a dramatic step by russia. some water residents, if not all seem reassured, does that continue to go? this man says, shutting down gas supplies might end up humming russia. he says his country has reserves 11. she was at the watch. while this woman one does how much pose like her will have to pay for developments linked to the ukraine war, saying things are already incredibly expensive. the use biggest economy germany has been the most reluctant to end gas imports from russia, but a wednesday. it said it was speeding up efforts to find alternatives,

including liquefied natural gas for the commission of song dusty. i can say this are russian gas dependency, which was 55 percent before the war and dropped to 40 percent a few weeks ago. now it's 5 percent and retreat. so for now the common message is there's no need to panic, but it's hard to say how rushes move will play into the existing energy price crisis across europe. nadine baba al jazeera, the white house says it's been in contact with europe in countries over their energy requirements. this is the type of staff, the type of almost weaponized energy supplies that we had predicted that russia could take in this conflict. that is why we of course, have been in touch with europe, including over the with these countries, including over the last 24 hours with leaders in poland and guerria. and we have been working for some time now for months with partners around the world to diversify natural gas supply to europe,

to in anticipation of and to also address near term needs and replace volumes that would otherwise come from russia. thomas saying is from the university of tulsa, he says, most because actions are intended as a warning to other countries which rely on russia for natural gas supplies. it's interesting, it's trying to figure out exactly what this move is all about. this is kind of quite frankly pulled and really doesn't use a lot of natural gas. it's less than 20 percent of the energy that they use. and there are substitutes. mostly they use natural gas to generate power. you can use gas or oil. and of course they're saying they've got substantial reserve question is, how long can they essentially hold out by just, you know, draining reserves or gary uses even less natural gas. both those countries are pretty dependent on coal all and has some nuclear power plants. it's almost as if, you know, you wonder if the russians are sort of this is, this is a hand slap and they're trying to basically put a warning out to other western european countries. you know, that this is an indication that russia is willing to do this. the question becomes,

are they going to cut off west germany or they get cut off larger consumers of natural gas? in which case, yes, that, that, you know, we've been watching the crude markets because the threat had always been there, right? if countries decide they're going to boycott russian oil the ural spin, you're going to have a, you know, you could lose supply in the global market situation, which is already tight. so the same thing pertains here, if either countries, boycott russian in ports of natural gas or russia, to basically turn the tax off on other countries. that's what, that's losing natural gas supply. in a global situation, it's already very, very tight. and i'm just afraid we're looking at high prices for an extended period, like putin has claimed that ukraine was pushed to class with russia, that moscow's reaction was just unfair. addressing politicians in saint petersburg, he won't have consequences for any country of interferes with russia's military campaign in ukraine, vietnam, if anyone would want to interfere with what's happening in ukraine now from the

outside, they have to know rushes response will be sweetener, and we have all sorts of tools that the west cannot obtain, and we will not post of our weapons, which we will use them if need be. and i want everyone to know that with all such a barrier has more on this now from oscar, the russian president is not so really passing up this opportunity to reiterate the reasons that he felt it was necessary for him to make the decision to send the russian troops into crane in what he calls a special military operation that is now in its 63rd day, vladimir putin, as we just heard, a had a very strong and stern warning for those countries that are assisting ukraine in the fight against their russian troops. he said that they are basically a fair game for the russians, and that they are, this is a fight between russia and ukraine and that's the 3rd countries that are getting involved. really, i have no right to do so. and that at he feels that he will be forced to make

a decision as to whether or not to use all the tools that are at his disposal to ensure a victory for the russian military. now, vladimir putin was also a speaking quite a bit about the objectives that he set out for his legislative officials about ensuring that russia's economy stays intact. and he said that the attempt that had been made by the western powers to try to cripple russia's economy through severe sanctions, have failed. and that to russia is standing still at and they are not going to allow its economy to crumble. he also urge the un officials that he was speaking to . he said to it, they have to work on anti crisis measures. and also they have to strengthen the country sovereignty. there's a lot of emphasis on trying to basically ensure that russia's economy stays strong and that the rubel doesn't plummet to like it did. a few weeks ago. un secretary

general has arrived in ukraine as he seeks a ceasefire in the 2 month tool on tenure. good terrorist was in moscow and cheese day, where he met russia's president. putin. on his arrival in ukraine. terris tweeted that he'll continue to try to increase humanitarian aid and evacuate more civilians . he's due to meet the ukrainian president, william as lensky, later in the week. the russian forces of nativity to bombard the last pocket of ukrainian soldiers holding out in the besieged city of mary pole. while the 2000 troops and the 1000 civilians are estimated to be trapped in as of still still works. with on tuesday at pressed into putin, it said there were no russian military obligations being carried out in the city. but ukrainian officials, according the situation that humanitarian catastrophe earlier, the ukrainian commander whose inside the steel described the scene, was 54. but any there of 600 wounded men in our group with different levels that

they really need medical attention and health care. there is no medical personnel, all medication. there are also a wounded civilian, hundreds of people and dozens of children. many people have limited mobility. the situation is very difficult. there are huge problems with water and food completely extraction procedure. today is not 19 forties. 2022 people are simply di here in demonstrations and keep demanding safe, non italian car doors to evacuate. people from the as a stuff still found. relatives of ukrainian soldiers fighting in maria poll, attended the protests. ukraine and russia have so far failed to agree safe passage appliances and civilians from the besieged city. russian forces have 5 stone grenades and tear gas protested in the southern ukrainian city of san they were rallying against what they're calling a sham,

a referendum ukraine. it says russia is planning to hold the stage to vote in the region. the show popular support for the creation of the kremlin at the public sun has been occupied by russian troops from early on in the conflict. ukrainians holding regular demonstrations against their presence of thousands of ukrainians have fled. as the fighting gets closer. those who remain rely on the bravery of workers who deliver their food, shall stratford reports to risk in eastern ukraine. natalia has worked at this bred factory and the child of bach moved in easton ukraine for 13 years. russian forces are slowly getting closer. they are 1st firing artillery shells and rockets. then moving in or near boy villages the closer they get, the more tempted the mother of 2 is to leave for your spend your son like why mitchell and i'm very worried for myself, for my family, for the children,

for my job is frightening. going to and from work because i hear the explosions in the distance. i love my job and have any friends. i don't want to leave them either . the bread factory is the largest and oldest business in town, employing around 200 people. they supply bread to many surrounding villages for the amount of customers is shrinking because they flee the slow russian army advance volunteer delivery driver. andre is a brave man. after loading up his van with freshly baked gloves, he heads out of hand towards the front line. we follow him along isolated mc country roads to a village near the russian army control town called left the village shopkeeper. the few people still living here have be waiting for his delivery for 3 days to release exams in school, over there, closer to part of the whole field has been shelved so heavily. it looks like

they're digging it gravel look, but it's so loud there in there. so people live and i don't feel particularly afraid. people need bread. they have to eat. if they show me. so be it to, this is, was, the village sits in between the advancing russian army, ukrainian military defense dog in across the fields. the train stopped coming here in 2014, when pro russian separatists cease control of the next city down the tracks, does lose the rational watch instruction. as it's terrifying, there are explosions, constantly getting food to us is dangerous and there's never enough. we feel surrounded because they shoot from the side and not side. all of those who are left here are, there are no medicines available. no buses, nor transport. you're not. so we drive to, to risk swerving between piles of soil heaped on the road to try and slow down. and he, russian army advance. in a nearby village,

we find homes destroyed. ukrainian army, tell us that this village has been hit by russian artillery. a number of times in the last week, they say at least one civilian has been killed in these strikes. the most recent strike was the smaller a number of civilians injured. the soldiers here tell us that the russian positions are around 7 kilometers from here. ukrainian soldiers say russian forces tried to destroy a radio antenna, but so far, i've only succeeded in destroying lives. charles stratford al jazeera, eastern new grade. while still ahead on al jazeera, an airport in southern china is forced to cancel hundreds of flights. i made mast testing of staff, a covey 19. ah

hello. the weather is set fair across eastern parts of the us just means eastern parts of canada over the next couple of days. kind of my now in the process of pulling out to the way, brightest guys come back in behind, courtesy of high pressure which will keep its satellite where the systems getting squeezed out to the way we have got a little disturbance towards the southwest, which will gather and develop further as we go on through the next day or so ahead of that loss, a warm air across the plains to the north of that some cold air in play chicago, 4 degrees celsius. but south of that line, south of our cold front, kansas city at around $23.00 degrees and it's going to be the warmer where, which was grassy ease a little further east was. we got some live showers and from that area of low pressure which is pushed across the plains by this stage, thursday, seeing some bacon foundry showers and friday showers a little more widespread. running right. of course, the prairies into west central parts of canada for type some live the storms coming

through here. next, with next weather system out to both the pacific northwest will bring cloud and rain in here for the we can cloud and rain being some big, big downpours into where panama into were costa rica, few showers around central america. not too bad for the caribbean, but rain for the way. what's ah, i seek him stories from african perspectives. i'm a marine biologist vessel swim short documentaries from african filmmaking. i'm going to do this from south africa, ethiopia. and nigeria. we been to cobra from stuff in this class who she saw the asthma and my role africa direct on al jazeera. ah

ah, you're watching out a reminder of our top stores. russia has threatened to cut off gas supplies to more european countries. after turning off the tops to code and, and bulgaria over their refusal to pain roubles the says the kremlin is using energy to blackmail countries supporting the trade. russian president vladimir putin has won that any country that attempts to interfere with moscow's military campaign in ukraine. face immediate consequences. russian forces have continued to pound the last known stronghold of ukrainian troops and murray ordered 3000 soldiers and civilians are still hold up. as of style still works. conditions

are set to be worsening. now the international airport in china's southern going don't province, has cancelled hundreds of flights due to the need to mass test staff for koby 19 becomes as authorities of struggle to contain a surgeon current of ours cases. despite a strict measures being imposed in parts of the country lockdown in shanghai is now into it's 4th week. and beijing recently extended its mass testing drive to almost all of it 21000000 residence on other countries, 0 coded policy. well let's go now to katrina you who joins us from beijing, a crypt, katrina, what more do we know about these flight cancellations? welcome joe, and this is his southern city in china and by noon and what is a major transit hub?

in fact, it's one of the busiest airport in the world according to passenger numbers. now, on wednesday evening, the airport authorities announced that they would be canceling $1111.00 flights. that's after some em pulled stuff tested, positive the curve 19 off to some routine testing. so all of these flights were domestic flights and this is going to leave thousands of passengers i who were transiting in and out of buying airports stranded. this isn't the 1st time flights have been disrupted there earlier this month or arrivals into my own and what were cancelled after the outbreak in shanghai was announced. so it's very intense time difficult time for anybody traveling domestically in china as you so yes, there are still going measures in other places are shanghai and beijing. yes. so beijing where i am about monsieur, is extremely tense. people are on edge because they expect that any day now a lot down could be announced. now we're in the middle of mass testing in the city

. so father's been 2 rounds conducted and the 3rd is expected on friday. authority say here and aging, 138 people have tested positive for the crown of iris since last friday. and numbers continue to rise. it's not a great deal of people. i think a few dozen cases are announced every day, but because this is china and this is a place where there still are implementing 0 corbin 19 policies. we are still seeing new restrictions announced every day. so for example, on thursday morning schools in the china and told jo district announcer, all of their classes would be going online. a many employees workplaces have announced work from home orders, including our and team and entertainment, then use as well as tourist sites have been shut down. now there are some neighborhoods where cases have been identified that people are restricted to their harms, but officials here are anxious to avoid

a city wide locked down the likes of which we've seen in shanghai and shanghai. there were on thursday about 10000 new cases announced, which is about half what we received 2 weeks ago in terms of daily figures. but still most people living in shanghai that's 25000000 residents remain confined to their harms. and this is going to it's 4th week now. ok. katrina, you live in beijing for us, sir. thank you very much. now despite being deeply divided over the ukraine war, russia and the us have completed the surprise prisoner swap, rushes at foreign ministry says former us marine trevor read, has been traded for russian pilot, who was serving a 20 year sentence. my hannah has moved from washington. trevor, each family is preparing for his return at the home in texas. his father joey hanging, an american flag, his mother paula struggling to contain her joy. finally,

after waiting all this time, we're going to be able to have my kid, you know, from our arms around them. i had a little bit of a panic attack when he told me he was gonna spend the whole summary russia. so 9 months and then now it's been almost a 1000 day, so i'm just excited to see him. the former marine was sentenced to a 9 year sentence. in july 2020. it was accused and convicted of tracking the assaulting russian police officers, though he insisted during his trial, he had no memory of the event. his family described the charges as deeply suspicious and last month held a protest at the white house. the whole meeting with president biden to ask him to help secure this sudden release in a statement president biden has praised the safe return of read as a testament to the priority. his administration places on bringing home americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad, adding it required the difficult decisions that i do not take lightly when he

referenced the tough decision in his statement this morning. he was referencing the decision to commute the sentence of constantine. you're ashamed go. i would emphasize that this individual had already served the majority of his prison sentence for non violent drug crime. the press secretary would not be drawn on the fate of other americans being held in russia. have been in touch with the plan to reach out to paul wheel and family for any pryor's family and family to have attained in russia. we have, of course, been in touch with their families over the course of time. i'm not going to detail those conversations. further. after being released from prison, read was transferred from a russian plane to a u. s. one at a turkish airport. the primary concern of his waiting family is his health. as his parents, we know he does not look well. he's very thin. he was walking straight or what my dad to help him get up in the airplane. yeah, he didn't look good. so i understand there's some medical personnel home to play

with him and they're checking him out. so that's our main concern, right? you know, that debriefing and all that stuff that can come later. we just want to make sure that his help this guy, but the parents have returned into their home content that their son is free. the prisoner swap would have been remarkable, even in times of peace. but it's all the more surprising given that russia's invasion of ukraine as driven that relationship with us to the lowest level, the century. mike hannah al jazeera washington. a colombian judge has ruled that for president, alvaro rebate would have to stand trial on charges of fraud and witness tampering. it concerns an investigation into abuses a committee during the countries 52 year long civil war. on a sandra brown, pnc reports from boca, and a 12 hour long virtual hearing the judge carman ortiz quest in much of the attorney general's office. reasoning to ask for to dismissal of this controversial case

against the former president of columbia. at the judge detailed at times in stark terms how she believes that the prosecuting attorney, gabriela hi, miss. failed to present important evidence that indeed would suggest the possibility that that is responsible for crimes. in particular, he is charged with directing one of his lawyers and other people to try and bribe and change the testimony of some paramilitary members and change the testimony where that link would you be at 2 d, illegal armed groups? now this case goes a ways back, it's actually 4 years old and it started and the country supreme court about after the court ordered into home detention,

he resigned. and that moved the case to the attorney general's office, a different legal body that some people here c as more favorable to the ex precedent. but now there's this new decision by this judge, which means that the case will indeed continue even if there's still the possibility to appeal this latest decision. what's also clear that this is also political defeats florida would you be and his party coming just a month before presidential elections. cuba is experiencing a largest exodus of people this century, driven mainly by worsening economy. government blames the u. s. economic embargo. a latin america editor, you've seen human as this special report now from cuba capital over. but old mary maureen, 76 year old cool young gonzales has been making shoes by hand since he was 12 norco from bothersome. but i made this pair as a gift to my son's friend. that friend will be giving him temporary woman board in

argentina to where he is about to migrate. he tells me it will be hard to leave behind his home, even though it is literally falling apart. his children and his wife migrated long ago, but he never wanted to leave cuba until now. we will and with a thank daniel for the last 60 years, our leadership has told us that things will improve that will overcome all obstacles. but we see the contrary. every day things get worse. we have less food, more social problems. going sienna girl by senior gonzales's. lucky he has a visa to enter his country of destination. vast majority of cubans don't. so they try to fly 1st to nicaragua, the only country where cubans can enter freely. but to get there, they need to transit through panama, which is now demanding a transit visa. cubans from all over the country. wait near the panamanian embassy

to apply the majority in vain on honor and they've all come me hall has been out here for 23 days for okay. and then we said, are you, i'm a human being and i look all around and can't understand that any human being can be treated like this. i feel humiliated, messy, and only oh wow. at the airport. another equally desperate group has become the latest victim of a scan, an alleged travel agency that sold in tickets for a non existent charter flight to nicaragua, and all of our market. everyone see here the whole family was leaving today. and what were you going to do when you arrived in the garage? why asked on, i love you. many of us have know where to go, because we've sold how's everything cubans? economic crisis has unleashed the largest exit had since 1980 when former president, fidel castro, allowed 820000 cubans to sail to florida. if the cubans government blames the trump and bind administrations for the latest crisis,

thought to her by the recipe is to taught me economic embargo and cuba to provide more hardships on cuban families. reduce salaries, provide hunger and desperation, and the overthrow of our government off the hill. since cuba government repressed an unprecedented social uprising by disgruntled cubans, last july. exodus has increased this despite the new obstacles place by panama, which appears to be cooperating with us efforts to reduce the influx of undocumented cubans. whatever the reason cubans are telling us that they feel trapped. and as a result, many are resorting to a far more dangerous method that hadn't been seen since the 19 ninety's. and that is to attempt to cross the shark infested, florida straits that you see behind me in a raft or in a boat in an attempt to make it to the united states. in 1994, during the so called rafters crisis, nearly 40000 cubans attempted to sail to florida. many drowning in the process to

day history is beginning to be repeated back at the airport. the lucky few who had managed to get a transit visit prepared to leave cuba, final destination still unknown, but the pain of leaving their loved ones behind is agonizing. a scene that is being repeated all over this caribbean island. she and human al jazeera havana. ah. this is out there and these are the top stories. russia has threatened to cut off gas supplies to more european countries are turning off the taps to poland and bulgaria with their refusal to paint rubles. the u says the kremlin is using energy to blackmail countries supporting ukraine by the mayor. put in his claim that ukraine was pushed to crash with russia, and that moscow's reaction was just and fair.