ah ah ah ah, this is dw news y but from berlin, europe's new line of defense. finland takes a step towards joining nato in a move that would in decades of military non alignment. the finished president and prime minister say their country should join without delay. moscow saying to move is definitely a threat. also coming up tonight. the un watch as an investigation into the alleged rights abuses by russia in ukraine, claiming moscow is responsible for the vast majority of civilian casualties. also

coming up the u. s. president kicked off a global coping 19 so met with a warning against complacent. i've thousands still dying every day. now is the time for us to act. all of us together. we're almost 2 more. as the u. s. marks 1000000 coven 19 death. we look at how countries around the world are coping still with the pandemic. and astronomers casting light on the dark heart of our galaxy. they revealed the 1st image of the super massive black hole at the center of the milky way. ah, i break off is good to have you with us on this thursday. and tonight, a historic turning point for european security,

finland's president and prime minister, have called for the country to apply for nato membership as soon as possible. today in a joint statement, the leaders said that nato membership would strengthen finland's security as a member of nato. finland would to strengthen the entire defense alliance. finland must apply for nato membership without delay. the announcement he's expected to put pressure on sweden, which is also considering applying to join the alliance. now, i want to show you a map of the current nato members on the european col, continent, and that long border that finland shares with russia. it measured some 1300 kilometers. the national mood has changed dramatically in finland since moscow's invasion of ukraine. as this next report explains. finland is looking to ditch decades of military non alignment. while has inky has moved closer to nato in recent years. it just will stay out of the alliance to avoid antagonizing russia

under now. but the invasion of ukraine has battled much of the finished public. who now what he that think would be next. give us a security nature of course. yeah, that's the right island at lee. i nature. and i think that we should have at benito already in a near 1990 s money. when it was possible, we stood alone in 1939. we don't want to stand alone again. every veteran who fought and survived the winter was that never at a standalone again, thin lynch as a 1300 kilometer long bordeaux with russia. it's a session to the military alliance with more than doubled the russia. anita land, botto top finished diplomats believe nieto would benefit treaty if they joined. he are convinced that sin uncle, bring any value to nato. a war time strength of the defense forces is 20. 280000

troops and the stranger serve. his $900000.00 men and women fealand has at many high end come abilities, including a 5 digit fleet of if eighty's gradually to be replaced by recently ordered. $64.00, if $35.00 jet fighters, the government has said its response would depend on the extent of needles, military infrastructure. we have repeatedly said that the expansion of nato and the approach of the military infrastructure of the alliance to our borders does not make the world. and most importantly, european, eurasian continent more stable and secure. this is unambiguous. finland can make its formula bit do need to membership in the coming weeks after the move has been approved by parliament airbrushes war in ukraine having unintended consequences. our native correspondent, cherry, shall she is in brussels to night with more on this, jerry,

it's good to see you. so let's talk about this. we've got finland's leaders now. signaling that they want to apply for membership mid. we're gonna probably see the same thing happening with sweden just how significant is this for european security for native? well, that's the point, brent. it's not only significant for finland and sweden, it truly will have an impact on all of nato. because when you think about northern europe, you've got norway as a member, iceland, as a member, and then finland and sweden out before you know, you go down to the baltic states, which again are members of the alliance. this will close that gap around northern europe, and these 2 countries are extremely wealthy. they're extremely well equipped and they have very strong national defense is, you know, they plan on going it alone is that report showed, so they will bring very, very strong capabilities to nato in some ways. like with the navies, there's the swedish navy, i'm capabilities that nato actually needs to reinforce itself. we heard of the

report that we just saw, that finland's policy has been before this war, had been to remain on the line. not to join nato, because he didn't want to antagonize russia. but isn't that exactly what it's going to do to joins the alliance? well, i would say that it was only in part, not to antagonize russia because at that point, russia wasn't invading its neighbors. i'm like, it has now done in ukraine. so filane felt that, that, you know, it's very strong, national defense would be enough to deter a russian attack. but clearly, after this war started a on ukraine, now all bets are off in that was certainly what changed the public opinion. now russia has reacted antagonistic. li, saying that today that is going to cut off finland's gas supply for this. and they've even threatened to move nuclear weapons closer to the finish border. so certainly this is something that, that finland, sweden and all of nato expected. and they're not actually that worried about it.

the resilience is high, the mindset is stable and they were expecting this kind of response from the kremlin. yeah, and you mentioned the word worried because the worry is real in helsinki of that finland could become the next ukraine one day using after, after this war started. yes, because remember, all of us thought that russian president vladimir putin couldn't go that far to wage a conventional war on, on a peaceful neighbour. but that is in fact what finland decided that you couldn't rule anything out any more. and this is after decades of, of basically cultivating a relationship with russia that i wouldn't say was friendly, but it was at least under the each side understood each other. and i think that finland trusted moscow not to be aggressive against it. and it just no longer has that trust is completely ruptured. that relationship in the military of finland is, is already compatible with natives military. and we've heard that the membership could be put on the fast track,

isn't finland tonight. if you consider what we've seen happening since february, finland is the country that ukraine wishes. it could be right now. yeah, there's been a lot of talk about that before the war before ukraine has suffered so much destruction. ukraine perhaps did see finland as a model and it's certainly now would like to see itself following finland into the alliance. but of course, the comparisons are not apt in most ways. the income level, the g. d. p of finland is so high the the military capabilities are so high. finland is not using old soviet equipment like they are in ukraine and finland hasn't needed anyone's help. up until now is not depending on other countries to train the finish military. so i don't think the comparisons are completely compatible at this moment, but certainly filane prided itself on being able to handle its own defense as ukraine did. and yeah, now finland does not want to see itself. suffer the same state. yeah. which i think

most of the roads can understand very short brussels tonight. terry, as always, thank you. the united nations human rights council has lost an investigation into alleged rights abuses committed by russia in ukraine. the council voted overwhelmingly to approve the approve the probe, which will look at the abuses here in the regions of heave, jenna heave or heave. and so when human rights g, michelle actually said that russian forces are responsible for the vast majority of civilian deaths in ukraine. let's get an epic now from a correspondent that he has a he is in eve, but he is. we're hearing you, cranium returning to the city of her heave. what's the situation like in other cities in the eastern parts of ukraine? so yeah, we have different situations at different parts of the front line around har keith, the ukranian forces have been able to push the russians back almost to the russian

borders in some areas. and in other areas quite far away from the city. which means that the city is out of artillery range and that's why people are returning to the city because it's no less it's being less shelled, less than before. and that's, but basically this due to this offensive, which seems to be quite successful in don boss, which is further east. the situation looks a bit different. fighting is fierce there. and we have in the past few days, seen some gains by the russians, not breakthroughs, but the russians are still on the offensive, although things might not go as planned for them either. the ukrainians are resisting, but nothing is decided there yet. it's still a very intense battle. and what about the gremlins warning against further weapons deliveries? to you create a bit? what's been the reaction to that? the criminal has been warning against the arms deliveries, but since since the beginning of the war, but the cramp,

the criminal has also attacked ukraine. so you crane prioritize is being able to defend itself, rather than discussing these warnings in what is the latest tonight from the as of dollars deal plant, we know that more than a 1000 ukrainian soldiers remain trapped there. that's what we're hearing, right? yes, there are. there's a proposal basically, and we hear that there are talks about evacuating a small number of these soldiers, those who are severely wounded. that should be a number. i think 39 or around 40 people, the discussions on going we don't know whether there's any chance to to do, to get to, to, to conclude a deal here. a prisoner swap, for example, is what ukraine has proposed. ukraine are handing over prisoners to russia and russia, allowing these wounded soldiers to get out of the steel plant. but russia is very

keen on on capturing these soldiers. they are the as of a battalion, russia describes this battalion as a nazi, a fascist battalion. it has roots in a, in, in, in ukraine, ukrainian nationalism and very, very nationalist groups. although it has been integrated into the army a few years ago and has also been purged of what most of the hard core nationalists. but still it's a symbol and they want to get hold of them. you know, he's what he is bringing her in here. and i, but he has thank the united nations and several 8 organizations. see that women are bearing the brunt of rushes, invasion of ukraine. many of experience sexual violence committed by russian soldiers in areas retaken from russian troops. civilians have given horrifying accounts of sexual violence. ukraine's human rights on buds as received hundreds of reports. but the true numbers,

whether impossible to calculate international criminal court has already opened investigations into more than 400 cases. meanwhile, the u. n. is working with local authorities to get aid to survivors and other women at risk r t m. join now from key by alexandra, but the chick, she's a member of human rights lawyer and head of a non profit organization. the center for civil liberties is good to have you with this. we know you're doing important work. i mean, what are you in your organization? what are you doing now to help women who have been impacted or victims of sexual violence in this more seems a new way for russian large scale invasion or in february this year we still are going to give them i done this list and for top, several hundreds of volunteers who speak with teams or for crimes and weakness for crimes as well. and it can maintain their testimony. and among those who are

crimes resource, so cases of section violence rapes which is committed by russian closures. we have several such cases. and all of them, one of them women were read russian soldiers and one it was man. and because we work with them, well, when the people who are not prepared for for such trying to fix the dns and not to, to provide a proper question year and a conversation survivors of sexual violence way closely. corporate in this regard with other initiatives and organization specialized on the sounds to survivors of sexual violence. and we understand that these are, these are all horrifying cases be, understand some women who have been raped and it's happened right in front of their, their families and their children. it's hard to imagine,

can you describe to us the, the, the long term, the laughter effects just being an eye witness to this can have for the people there who become victims of this as i told a week, or do you need to other n, 1st 2000 when use ation and all ex gross provider organization to that now they were kind of a bicycle, logical assistance to when, when weakness or sexual violence. she was a weakness co, russian soldiers regularly rate child. and she wouldn't coke this child and couldn't stop it. and in school wide like a huge damage also for your house. and you know, as a specialist to work with not only with the child and family, but also with people who were obliged to see this, the act of sexual violence and know women

a huge deal here that they couldn't stop it. and it's difficult to talk about crimes like this in any circumstance, but how difficult is it for me to talk about this when this is happened in a war zone, when a soldier maybe have done this, has committed the crow. it's very difficult to speed and that's why section one and see so most he didn't crimes and your survivors of sexual violence very often not apply, not to police move to human rights defenders because they consider this crime as a shame. and this, this is also very important to understand the nature of the crime because it provides a litigation. what do a mean? susie concrete, we teams or race russian soldiers targeted ukrainian society told like one of the people feeling a shame because it was happened with them. some people feeling guilty because they

couldn't protect and stop it. and now there are people feeling a fear to be treated in the same way. so in some, in result, it's provide a frozen aspect to resistance. and that's why we consider that russians use rapes as a part of terror. again, you know, in order to we can obtain control over the region. alexandra, my picture, human rights lawyer, head of the non profit organization, the center for civil liberties. we appreciate your time and your insights and the work that you're doing. thank foreign ministers from the group of southern g 7 wealthy countries have begun a 3 day meeting in northern germany on their agenda world wide food shortages energy price increases, as well as the war in ukraine. the meeting at the baltic sea resort of vice and

house will likely also focus on relations with china and fight climate change the foreign ministers of ukraine and will dove. it will take part in the meeting on saturday. the foreign minister of indonesia, the country chairing the wider g. 20 group of economies, is due to joined by video li. germany currently holds the presidency of the rotating g 7. yeah, i had stacks in a c, not seal has the strongest industrialized nations among the democracies. we have a special responsibility and we don't just assume this responsibility. we want to work together to ensure that the 141 states that have condemned this brutal war of aggression in the strongest possible terms within the framework of the u. n. a not now left in the lurch. so none does, yes, but rather we stand by their side and in solidarity with all countries in the world suffering the brutal consequences of this war of aggression lighted in. we'll see you, we hear you and we support you on dashed. it's no, i am following

a burbock there, the german foreign minister. let's take a look now some of the other stories that are making headlines around the world. a memorial service for the al jazeera journalist, sharina i will actually has been held in the palestinian city of remodel. she was killed the day before on covering and is really raised in the west bay palestinian leader say israel was fully responsible for the journalist death. israel says it's still unclear who killed her. u. s. senate democrats have failed to pass a bill that would have made the right to an abortion a federal law. the legislation was meant to counter the supreme court expected. moved to overturn the landmark roe vs wade ruling, which originally legalized abortion across the united states. was staying in the u . s. president biden has called for a renewed fight against coven 19 while addressing a virtual gathering on the pandemic in a recorded video message by warned against complacency when it comes to battling

the virus. now the same, it comes as the u. s. is approaching 1000000 deaths related to coven 90 flags across the country were lowered to have staff today to mark this tragic milestone. the online psycho hosted by the u. s. is the latest attempt to speed up the global effort to end this pandemic. while the numbers of coven cases continues to grow, countries around the world choose their own ways to deal with the crisis. shanghai, a city and a locked down streets lie deserted as supermarket workers and protective gear, get food deliveries ready for residence, confined to their homes. in europe, it's a completely different picture in paris were virtually all covered. restrictions have now been dropped tourists. so enjoying the city with fairly a mask inside across the world. countries have dealt with

a pandemic and very different ways. but it has touched all our lives to date 519000000 cove at 19 infections have been officially reported globally 6260000 people have died from the virus. although the w h o estimates that the true number of cove at death is closer to 15000000, nearly 2 and a half years after the virus emerged. many people want to return to life as it used to be. but the pandemic is far from over. how well different countries will cope with a virus going forward or largely depend on the success of their vaccination programs . 66 percent of the world's population of now received at least one dose of a cove at 19 vaccine. but there are huge disparities while in high income countries, about 80 percent of people have been vaccinated in low income countries, only 16 percent have received their 1st job. said the struggle to get the world

vaccinated continues. after all, in a pan demik that has affected the entire globe, we are only safe once everybody is safe. or we're not even supposed to be able to see this. astronomers have unveiled the 1st image of a super massive black hole located right at the center of our very own milky way galaxy. the groundbreaking image is the product of an international team of scientists, known as the event horizon telescope collaboration. the cosmic body is named sagittarius, a star black hole was estimated to have 4000000 times the mass of our son, and it is located about 26000 light years from earth. so i need to say the discovery will help improve our understanding of what happens at the center of our galaxy and to talk about exactly. then i'm janelle by dr. sarah fy soon. she's the nasa einstein fellow at the harvard,

an smithsonian center for astro physicist. she joins me to night from munich, here in germany. it's good to have you on the show. i wouldn't ask you, i understand that and i'm in a black hole, not even light can escape it. so if white isn't even able to get through it, then we're not supposed to be able to to see it. are we right? so the black hole itself, we don't see, but what we see is the shadow, it casts on it on all the swirling gas that goes around it to the black will itself have all these gas swirling around it that it eats up or decked out and discuss because it's rotating very rapidly around the black hole. it's very, very hot and it radiates and it radiates radio waves that we observe what the e it's t. and so these radio waves create this glow about we see around the black hole. and this black hole is actually inside this dark patch, which we call the shadow that it casts on to this a swirling height. gas is fascinating is especially just to think that radio waves,

we're taking those to making an image of do we know what is inside the black hole? what will the ever be able to actually look inside with, you know, the technology that we have right now we don't know what is inside a black hole and actually going to see what is beyond the event horizon is impossible as the, the description of the event horizon is really the point of no return. so even if you go in there and see what it is, you wouldn't be able to come back out and tell anyone what we'll do. what would happen to us a be this is for luke. all of the fill in the space nodes out there be what would happen if we were to actually try to peer inside and go in. right? and so that depends on which black hole you choose to go in through. or if you go

to us solar math class, so very small, black holes are the ones that are about the math of our son there. if you get too close to the black hole, you get a get a fight you get stretched out into then spaghetti before falling into the black hole. but for super massive black holes like sanitary thar, or famous 1st image of a battle that blackland enmity. 7, they're so big, so large and so massive that you would just kind of float right in and nothing would happen to you. you'd this enjoy the view. i yeah, i guess so if you, if you could make it the 26, what is it? 26000 light years away that you would have to travel. right? yes, a fascinating. yes, it's a pretty long way. it's a long way. and what does this mean though for research now? i mean, i know it's an exciting time to actually be able to, to put an image to somebody that you know, we, we hear about what would this be the for moving further for research so, so the black hole at the center of our galaxy has had indirect evidence that it was

there for a while. and in 2020 the nobel prize in physics was partly awarded to studies of orbits of stars in our galactic center. that had very peculiar orbits around this very dark and hidden compact mass. and we have thought a lot about what the specs could be and the best scenario is that it's a black hole. but that's always been in direct evidence that it is a black hole. and today we're actually seeing it for the 1st time. so today is really the 1st time we have direct evidence the at the center of our galaxy, there is a black hole, which is i think it's pretty amazing. i'm not only that you have now 2 black holes that we can see. and these 2 black holes are fairly different in size, and that their environment, they are in very different galaxies, both medi 7 inside a terrace is far behaved very differently. and now we have 2 black holes. we can study and i think it's really opening up a new laboratory for black will. astrophysics is really exciting. it's fascinating

and dr. sarah as a who we appreciate you sharing your enthusiasm in helping us lame and also to understand the what's inside of michael. thank you. thank you. you watch the w news. i'll be back at the top of the hour with more world news followed by the day to the point that's coming up with with

you to the point. strong opinions, positions, international perspectives reported and brushes, armed forces have suffered some serious setbacks during the invasion of neighboring you crate. so will they scaled back operations or is put in perhaps set to launch a new campaign? find out on to the point shortly. to the point

with d w kind of, ah ah, are you ready to get all these places in europe are smashing all the records, stepped into a bold adventure. just don't lose your grip. it's the treasure map for modern globetrotters. discover some of europe's wykard breaking sites on youtube and now also in book form, one of main kinds, oldest ambitions could be within reach or what is it really is possible to reverse aging researchers

and scientists all over the world are in a race against time. they are peers and rivals with one daring goal to out smart nature. more life starts may 28th on d, w. at the recent annual parade, to mark russia's war time victory over nancy. germany. let me put in, looks like a man pushed close to the limits of his forces. and indeed he faces serious setbacks. the russian invasion of ukraine, which he ordered has lost nearly all of its momentum, with the ukrainian side, putting up south resistance, a russian victory like to wanting world war 2 appears fall from likely. so on to the point where you ask. parade without victory is potent leading russia into

disaster.