ah, ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin tonight, a military escalation in the crisis over ukraine, the pentagon, sending 3000 troops. the beef up, the american presence here in europe. russia has denounced the deployment as destructive, saying it will only increase tensions. and the fanfare begins, the winter olympic torch relay completes its 1st day, but with human rights abuses. and the corona lives in china. in the spotlight, we ask, will the actual score the olympic games? will they become a site ship?

ah, i'm bri. gov. it's good to have you with us in a military escalation of the crisis over ukraine today you as president joe bind, confirmed. he is sending $3000.00 troops to strengthen the american president and eastern europe, and to reassure nato allies of america's commitment to collective defense. the pentagon emphasizing it is not sending troops to ukraine, but adding today's announcement is meant to deter russian president vladimir putin from invading the country. the kremlin has denounced the move, calling get destructive, saying that this will only make things worse. another day, another increase intention over ukraine. the u. s. is sending 2000 soldiers to poland and germany, while another 1000 move from germany to romania. the current

situation demands that we reinforce the deterrent and defensive posture on nato's eastern flank. president biden has been clear that the united states will respond to the growing threat to europe's security and stability. our commitment to nato article 5 and collective defense remains iron clad. the pentagon made it clear that no us soldiers will fight in ukraine. he did ukrainian president volota mere zalinski said diplomacy comes 1st, but no options are off the table. me. we only think about peace room with we only think about the return of our occupied territories and only through diplomacy, lamentation of shuttle ition, bish, we will not give up with a single piece of our land to day yolanda. we will not give up our territories. we needed them no matter what the pricey. yeah, cops, enough. ah, jeez, but i would nibble on despite zelinski reassurances. others are preparing to do battle. if it comes to

a fight. the click go boxing brothers one. now the mayor of give both signed up for the army other calling we another week and an aggressor have to understand you. they do it. activity, aggressive activity against your brain. you have to pay huge price for that. would it have to fight leak documents confirmed by the pentagon, reveal the back room diplomatic efforts to avoid war. the u. s. offered russia access to inspect key military sites in return for a d escalation. russia says it has no intention to invade ukraine. but these pictures released by russia's defense ministry showing joint combat drills with bella. bruce sent a clear message. russia is not backing down or this big of the story now with all of her salad. he's in washington dc. good evening to you, oliver. so why this deployment now, i mean,

is this just symbolism or has the security situation on the ground really changed? well, it's really a bit of both brand the pentagon spokesperson and john kirby earlier delivered a press conference. and he said that the point that employment is a response to that continuation of a rush and true build up there in the region. we've seen satellite pictures today showing that russia continues to add forces to bela rules and especially to that area in western russia bordering the ukraine. but of course, this is a concern for the united states as well for natal partners, and that is now met with u. s. to build up. but however, of course, in a very much smaller scale than what we're seeing on the russian side, st on on that. and it is a symbolic move. if you take into consideration that there are some 60000 u. s. troops stationed in europe, a 100000 russian soldiers on the other side of the ukrainian border. and now the u

. s. is adding some 3000 troops to, to their troops there in eastern europe. the ultimate goal, of course, to deter russia from invading ukraine. in oliver, and we learned anything about how long these troops will be stationed in eastern europe. now we have not really, of course, the, the official take is that it's a temporary deployment. us wants to reach and continued to reach an agreement, following their diplomatic efforts. but of course, that implies that putin, the escalades, and he changes course, that he drops his demands and that are that ukraine, or that nature gives guarantees that ukraine will never enter nato. and that is certainly something that nato will never do. so we are looking at something like a stalemate here, it doesn't really look like anything, any improvement of the situation there. russia is continuing to ad troops, and so we are likely going to see more tensions before the situation. d escalades.

d. w. 's oliver's out with the latest tonight from washington. oliver, thank you. we have reports coming in tonight that german chance are off sholtes plans to meet with russian president vladimir putin, to discuss tensions between ukraine in russia. where to pick up that part of the story with our political correspondence. i mean young, he's following the development force. he read berlin, simon, when is this meeting due to take place and what is the german cancer? i mean, what can he realistically hoped to achieve? your bread exactly. when it's going to happen, we don't to precisely know that yet. chancellor schultz sir said on a german t v this evening that it's planned and it will happen soon. we know that officials have been trying to set up a meeting between shots of putin for several weeks. and this, by the way, would be the 1st face to face meeting with president putin. since sir olaf sholtes became chancellor. and they had spoken briefly on the phone before. the thing we do

know is that to show his heading to washington for a meeting with their president biden on monday, that's to coordinate details of the west response to this crisis that. so i'm assuming that it happened after that now as to what he can possibly achieve will allow chart says that his 1st priority is to prevent war. and perhaps the best way of doing that would be to convince vladimir putin that the west and germany in particular is really serious. when they say that they will not accept any russian incursion into ukrainian territory, olaf shots of said repeatedly. if that were to happen, then all options are on the table and that includes the nod stream to gas pipeline . so this meeting would be a chance to look at putin in the eyes and, you know, make it clear to him what the price would be of any further russian aggression did

abuse political correspondence. i mean young with the latest yard berlin tonight. so i me, thank you. is a round up now of some of the other stories that are making world news this hour, at least 26 people have been killed in the democratic republic of congo after a high voltage power cable snapped and felt it happened on the outskirts of the capital kinshasa authorities had say that the cable hit homes and a market killer, several people buy electrocuting. biddy guns has become the 1st is really defense minister to visit bahrain. it's the 1st of the latest high profile diplomatic trip since the countries normalize relations. israel's reconciliation with several arab nations broke with decades of era believe, consensus against recognizing israel until israel signs a peace agreement establishing a palestinian state. women students are back in some of afghanistan's universities in a significant concession about the taliban colleges and around a 5th of the provinces of the country have re admitted women,

but classes will be segregated. the tell about rulers have been under pressure to improve women's rights. it's seizing power. last year, germany in the u. s. a rejected the word apartheid. he connection acts with israel . amnesty international published a report this week accusing israel, of practicing segregation dis, possession, and exclusion against the palestinians. amnesty says its findings are based on the seizure of palestinian land and the forcible transfer of people. israel has rejected those fine sector building. not here in germany, there is a debate raging can a former far right politician. go back to his old job as a judge, yes meyer was a member of parliament for the far right party, the a f deep. he now wants to return to the courts. after failing to win reelection. he used to be a member of parliament for the far right, a f d party,

and recently was categorized as extremist by the domestic intelligence agency. yen smile is known for his far right and unconstitutional statements. also, while he was in parliament, back in 2017, he was reprimanded for trivializing the holocaust. this whole propaganda and re education directed against us, which is supposed to persuade us that outfits was factually the consequence of german history. i hereby declare this call of guilt to be over to be finally, over in september, last year, maya was not elected for a 2nd term in parliament. now he wants to go back to his previous job as a judge in the german state of saxony. according to the law, he is allowed to do that, but many believe the justice minister can stop him from doing so. can you perhaps wisely? oh, yes. behavior during his time as

a member of parliament gives reason to at least initiate disciplinary proceedings. and to examine whether one can also use his statements to accuse him of having violated his official duties or whatever does a furnishing traditionalist this could possibly even leave to his dismissal as a judge. and it wasn't victory. who and quintal, the justice ministry and facts, and he doesn't think it can pursue this route. but there is another possibility, a so called judge impeachment. if judges violate the german constitution, they can be removed from office after a vote by a 2 thirds majority in the state parliament and the decision by the federal constitutional court. but the hurdles are high and the clock is ticking for those who want to stop maya will even before friday's official opening the beijing winter olympics appear, meyer in controversy. there are concerns over china's human rights abuses. the high number of corona virus cases in the country, they threatened to overshadow the actual games,

the olympic torch relay. it completed its 1st circuit to day with more than 500 bearers carrying the flame through the chinese capital eating. almost 3000 athletes will be competing before olympic glory, which some are worried that the competitions themselves are at risk of becoming man that should aside and quote, the white billions have been invested into making beijing 2022, an extravagant festival of competition. but the build up has been about so much more than sport politics. for instance, some nations including the u. s. and the u. k. you have declared a diplomatic boy caught over schumann writes issues and wilson competitors, but no ministers or officials. meanwhile, organizers have threatened athletes with punishment for any behavior or expression that they deem in breach of chinese law, and will expect the audio see to rigorously enforce its own rules. limiting protests. they show that you've seen now in the olympic charter. there are very strict rules. so for the meadow ceremonies and during the competitions,

political protests are not committed. on other occasions, like at press conferences or during interviews or on personal platforms, the athletes are free to express their opinions. the athletes must be responsible for what they say, and she got as far due to covey athletes, and journalists will be kept insecure bubbles, while no spectator tickets will be sold to the public organizers say health and safety are paramount, bela oh, cool covey counter measures are still on top of our agenda, we have been making effective measures and everything is under control. without a safe games, there would be no guidance. so we will make sure that the health and safety of all participants is our top priority financially. a total of $32.00 new cases were

reported by olympic authorities on wednesday alone. as expected, the pandemic is proving to be one of several headaches for the organizes of beijing 2022. if you live in north america, you might be wondering when all of those troublesome snow storms will come to an end, could be awhile because fill that psychic pennsylvania groundhog. he has disappointed thousands of revelers together in the town of punxsutawney, pennsylvania to watch his special trick. legend has it, the giant road can forecast when spring will begin. but phil dashed hopes for an early thought when he emerged from his tree stuff and oops, he saw his shadow. fortunately, that's taken to mean the frigid weather will continue for another 6 weeks. 2nd of february, groundhog day, tradition dates all the way back to 1887. as just before we started heating up the atmosphere with c o 2. to watch in the w news. my colleague steven

beardsley is up next with d. w. business news stick around. i wonder if you've seen his shad thing ah, what people have to say matters to us. got am. that's why we listen to their stories. reporter every weekend on d w. the green.