kilometers to. start did you marry a t t w. this is date over the news live from berlin worries grow as the possibility of a superpower standoff moves a step closer russian president vladimir putin says his country will follow washington's lead in suspending a landmark nuclear arms control pact could this be the start of a new arms race also coming out tennis while as political crisis poised to enter

a new phase of the crime president one calls for record breaking protests as the country's socialist ruling party celebrates twenty news in town we'll talk to our correspondent in caracas for the likes. of. i'm rebecca read his welcome to the program russia has pulled out of a key nuclear arms control treaty one day after the u.s. did the same in a statement released by the kremlin president vladimir putin said our american partners have announced they're suspending their participation in the deal and we're also suspending house will wait until our partners have matured enough to conduct an equal meaningful dialogue with us on this important topic. putin also ordered his ministers not to initiate disarmament talks with washington and said russia would start work on new missiles the tit for tat moves come after america's

secretary of state announced the u.s. was suspending the accord if russia does not return to full in verifiable compliance with the treaty within the six month period by verifiably destroying its i n f violating missiles their launchers and associated equipment the training for. its weapons like these that washington says violate the i.n.f. treaty experts believe the s s eight cruise missiles have a range of more than five hundred kilometer asco says he never intended to breach the agreement. over the latest let's bring our moscow correspondent emily show and emily president putin is now following suit after the u.s. pull out of the treaty is this an escalation. well rebecca from the russian side this is certainly more of a tit for tat reaction putin today said the u.s.

is pulling out so we're pulling out the u.s. is looking into building new weapons so we will do the same and this is very much the russian side kind of shifting the blame for this whole i.n.f. treaty basically falling apart to the u.s. they said today as well putin his defense minister and the foreign minister that actually the u.s. they repeated this accusation that the u.s. has actually been violating the i.m.f. treaty itself for years and they also said that it would be perhaps wise to conduct inspections into whether the u.s. is complying with yet another nuclear arms treaty the new start treaty so what we're seeing here is very much the russian russian side shifting the blame to the u.s. what is of course warring though is that they're talking openly on the russian side about what new weapons they could develop worrying indeed and putin has reportedly instructed his ministers not to initiate disarmament talks with the u.s. what do you make of that well yeah you mentioned

before what else he said which was a very much a swipe at the u.s. side he said that they will wait we will wait for our partners to be mature enough to talk to us on an equal footing so very much kind of biting of biting comments they are from putin they are very much putting the ball back in the u.s. court and this fits in with the russian line all along which is that the u.s. is basically not listening to russia russia has tried several times they say to show the missile in question that apparently violates the treaty to the u.s. the u.s. doesn't want to see it and in fact in recent days we've seen russian officials accusing the u.s. of already having made the decision to leave the i.n.f. treaty long ago. thirteen also said russia would begin developing new missiles briefly just let us know how you think that will go down with the russian public well on the one hand i think a show of strength especially when it's against the u.s.

always goes down with the russian public well with the russian public but on the other hand things aren't looking good economically and. russians wouldn't be very interested in having a big arms race and expensive foreign policy moves and body near putin seems to know that today he said that a costly arms race is certainly not something that russia is interested in while the world keeping a close eye on this escalation emily show and reporting from moscow many thanks. turning now to venezuela where our high ranking air force general has declared allegiance to opposition leader why go general francisco young is released a video statement via twitter saying unrecognised why go as interim head of state is a major victory for quite a who's been working hard to persuade venezuela's armed forces to abandon president nicolas maduro caracas and other cities across venezuela are bracing for mass

demonstrations later today your position has called for marches to support. a rallying cry from venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president one white oh is determined to overthrow nicolas maduro and hold new elections revoking the on saturday venezuelan brothers we invite you to protest points in every city around the world we need to send an important message and thank those countries that have already recognized does and to ask them to help us with humanitarian aid. the u.s. and several latin american nations have recognized why do as the country's leader and six states including spain and germany say they will follow suit unless president maduro calls snap elections by sunday. why go maybe gaining international support but madieu row is backed by venezuela's powerful military.

and on the streets loyalty to the socialist regime is still alive. and well as we have our former leader chavez to thank for the oil boom and that is why we are coming to defend the revolution here the legacy of commodity chavez and we will continue to come as many times as commander nicolas maduro once during your people are here to defend the sovereignty of an as well. millions of rival protesters are expected in the capital caracas on saturday and with the recent clashes turning deadly many venezuelans are bracing for a tense standoff. when it goes straight to caracas where he's made t.w. correspondent is that the opposition protests that is about to start. a venezuelan air force general has just declared his support for quite what more can you tell us . yes well this is something that reporters from wise all have given

a lot of hope because for the first time in twenty years we're seeing definite signs that this revolution started by who were childless it's ending today as people around me are gathering forward huge demonstrations social media happy ruptured with a video of this general from the aviation division of the military supporting one way bill and saying that ninety percent of the military is against what he called my daughter's dictatorship so this has given the opposition a lot of confidence and one where the strategy but aside from the strategy then is one skill supported by the international community with these leeches recognized as president a term and b. you lack of also stepped up its threat for mother to leave the presidency or else for people today will be protesting with a sense of security that mothers were jane was on the verge of ending the war he's still holding on so if what the general on the video is true anything could happen in the next couple of days when he does seem to be holding on as you just said

neuro supporters will also be out in the streets he's hanging on despite domestic and international pressure to step aside how likely is it that he'll bucko. well it's hard to say as you said we will also see large crowds today supporting mother we don't but these are supporters brought in from all around the country government workers who we have evidence are forced to go into these demonstrations will be fired people also who have received some sort of government aid by counting or came flocking to an exchange for their political support we have seen as a journalist many tracks are g.'s by the government to force their support towards him now if that does not mean there are any are then pick supporters of charles revolution but in the past years that support has dwindled and we have seen javanese the leading the united socialist party and supporting a change in government is the reason why today motherhood on the high command of

the government have a new slogan that translates to all week long we'll never traitors and traitor is the word we are trying to describe this aviation general whose video is causing a stir within months of government so it's anybody say ok this political crisis is happening as venezuelan struggle with a crippled economy and food shortages how desperate is the situation there for venezuelans. it's quite desperate and that is the reason why people are protesting today are not the solution they want the military to open the way of humanitarian aid specially for better. problem with reno prevention. prevention cancer prevention need medicine that is very powerful but and they are not getting the medicine here in bridge world because of the medicine shortage so we also have a large number of now the person from children. is quite

staggering in the past few years so it is very needed and you are prompted their support for this humanitarian end to come in the next couple of weeks. in the capital caracas thank you now to some of the other stories making news around the world france's yellow vest protesters have taken to the streets for the twelfth consecutive weekends demonstrators in the capital paris a paying tribute to those injured in clashes with police cheering previous protests on friday a court ruled that police could use them could can continue to use probable it against riotous. monsoon rains of course severe flooding in northeastern australia records have been broken in the city of townsville which has seen over a year's rain in a matter of days straight has also been experiencing record heat waves.

in the united states the genea governor governor ralph northam is facing calls to resign after a racist picture from his medical school yearbook surfaced so far he's resisted across party pressure to go to young medical students posing for they give book photo one is in black face the other as a kook klux klansmen one of them is a young ralph northam now the governor of virginia and a member of the democrat party. although he wouldn't say which caused him he was in he swiftly apologized for. that photo and the racist and offensive attitudes that represent does not reflect that person i am today or the way that i have conducted myself as a soldier a doctor and a public servant i am deeply sorry i cannot change the decisions i made

nor can i under the harm my behavior calls then and today but i've set responsibility for my past actions and i'm ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust politicians of all stripes are outraged and many a pressing for his resignation including democratic presidential hopeful julian castro who said that northam spectator as a student was racist and unconscionable. despite the pressure northam is so far resisting calls to go. well to some sports news now in this weekend's blunders legacies title candidates find unique and dortmund face tricky away games for tabletop as dortmund a trip to high flying frankfurt awaits well by and make the journey to alleviate this inside rejuvenated by a new man in charge the results could be crucial in this season's tight title race . later kusa need to make up for

a poor first half of the season that's why they brought in pay to bush's coach during the winter break he faces a tough early challenge in the form of buy in. this isn't a very good team but so way too much of it will be an interesting game and i think quite intense as well. play because you have taken forty four shots in just two games under bush and with their high quality attacking players the team could yet play a decisive role in the title race. next into could a more than of course we could help dortmund but above all we want to help the people of leverkusen live of course as i know of. doormen themselves face frankfurt who have ambitions of their own when it comes to champions league qualification and they're certainly not lacking in confidence ahead of the clash. human mccown's for now if you want to be at the top i think you have to beat one of the top teams to minister talked in social. frankfurt's are currently in fifth place just outside

the champions league slots there are potential stumbling block for the league leaders. they're watching d.w. news coming out after a short break reporter a school for russia's young offenders and get you can get all the latest news and information around the clock on our website that's d.w. dot com i'm rebecca resident thanks for joining me. i'm secure that. that hard and in the end this for me you're not allowed to stay here in the woods and. are you familiar with. the smugglers were lions and. what's your story.