[000:00:00;00] ah ah ah ah, this is dw news lying from berlin that shine us steps of its military activity around taiwan, beijing puts on its biggest show of force around the island and decades following

a controversial visit by you as to how speaker nancy pelosi. also coming up below ca visit, cast a shadow over a cement of the association of south east asian nations and cambodia. the regional block calls for d escalation to avoid a quote missed calculation. and theory is confrontation and concern over russia as treatment of ukrainian prisoners of war p. if says moscow is behaving illegally with prisoners being sentenced to death on spurious grounds. meet the parents of one man being held by russia. they fear might face a similar fate. ah i'm to call for alicia. it's good to have you with us. china is stepping up its military activity around taiwan as tensions rise following the u. s. l. speaker nancy pelosi visit beijing is preparing it's big. it's show

a force around taiwan in decades. the government in taipei says it scramble jets, toll worn off chinese aircraft that entered its air defense zone. a number of taiwanese ministry. websites have come under cyber attack. pelosi left taiwan pledging washington's iron clad commitment to defending democracy there. a trip that has set the region on edge the speaker of the us house of representatives, nancy pelosi arrives in taiwan, making her the highest level american official to visit the island in 25 years. pelosi stop over was kept deliberately ambiguous, amid stock warnings from china, and the threat of a military response. despite reservations in the biden administration, the white house insisted that pelosi had a right to choose whether to visit and choose. she did to day our

delegation of which i'm very proud, came to taiwan, to make unequivocally clear, will not abandon our commitment to taiwan. and we are proud of our enduring friendship. today, the world's face is the choice between democracy and autocracy. america's determination to preserve democracy here in taiwan and around the world. we may, iron clad, beijing's response was fewer pain with you, the sword, what pillows he has done this by no means the defense or protection of democracy, but a provocation and violation of china sovereignty and territorial integrity, which in fact china has vowed punishment under the one china, principal, beijing views the self governing island as a break away province and has not ruled out re unification by force. it is announced a series of live fire military exercises surrounding the island, which taiwan warns will amount to an air and sea blockade. but despite china's

threats tie, once president sighing then was resolute mandates, as she k facing deliberately heightened military thread, what i want will not back down. we will firmly uphold our nation's sovereignty and continue to hold the line of defense for democracy on the ground. in the capital, taipei opinions were divided, some feared retaliation from china. the other way after pelosi visit, what i want is not targeted. i think she is making trouble for us. of course i am worried about military confrontation. while others were less concerned? the hotel you? yeah, i used to china's threats my feel numb. i don't feel particularly nervous, but i think that the media is exaggerating the matter. yet young dog with taiwan now effectively surrounded by chinese military fears of a new crisis in the taiwan straits,

arising all eyes and now on beijing. let's expand on this and brandy w joyce lee who's in taipei. joyce, give us the latest. what's the situation right now? so chinese navy ships and military aircraft crossed the taiwan strait, needy and lined several times to day. the drill was initially planned fall to last for 3 days until sunday, but the p l a announced today that they will extend the drill for one more day until monday and they add at one more shown for life i drove. so that's a total of 7 songs right now, including an area just 20 kilometers from the south and city. how show up. china often holds military drills in the taiwan strait. but what we're seeing now is something else entirely, isn't it? why exactly are these lead? is exercises, so worrying what the true is

unprecedented. this is the 1st time beijing tries to and circle with the island like this. it's worth noting that on china, us social media wave will and we chad. chinese citizens have express huge disappointment at beijing. psycho action to stop pelosi from visiting taiwan many were expecting the p l. a to shoot her playing down, but it didn't happen. of course. the public discontent is a huge blow to seizing things authority, especially when he's under pressure sherlock strong ahead of a party meeting later this year. many fear the pressure coup, chromed china to take even tougher measures against taiwan. and the drew could be practicing for a future invasion. how big or fears of an escalation of an invasion, as you say? well, the de facto blockade means isolation for taiwan. so it's

a direct challenge to free air and see navigation and taiwanese fishermen rush to go back to the bullets for their safety. as for international flights departing and arriving in taiwan, they have to fly alternative routes to afford the dangerous stones. so you can see how dangerous it is now. and taiwanese officials say china's ambition is to turn the taiwan straight into known international waters. if china got what it wanted, it would undermine peace and stability in the region. but i bet you've been talking to people there in taipei or people nervous about this situation maybe accidentally or willingly going out of hand. well here in taipei said she them would as generally. com for now because people are just to reduce to china's threat. people are cautious, but not too anxious. but in the south than region in taiwan, especially in the,

near their coast. people are quite nervous about their safety. he w joyce lee from taipei, thank you. the association of south east asian nations is meeting income body as capital non pen china in the u. s. are also joining the summit. the meeting has been overshadowed by nancy pelosi visit to taiwan in chair combo. dea has urged all sides to deescalate tensioned in the taiwan strait. the original block warned on thursday that there could be a quote miscalculation and serious confrontation. richard, hey, darian is a political scientist and has written extensively about china relations with south east asian nations. and i asked him earlier, how much the tensions over taiwan would actually overshadow this meeting? well, it's element of geography, right? i mean, taiwan is actually perched at the interest pieces of northeast asia and saw asia.

you know, the philippines, the northern versions of philippines are separate from ty, one by just, you know, a very narrow street and is on street or in number of countries in the region, thailand, philippines, which are us street, the allies. some are partners like singapore who could be dragged into a con, think if something happens. now, both taiwan and china have very robust economic relationship with a lot of condition. the region, taiwan is a global semiconductor superpower. so what happens start with effect? also, supply chains around the regions, i think again, will do its best to come up with the statement. and at the same time on the sidelines, informally engage or trying to us and other parties to ensure that the situation will not get worse than it is. i think there's a lot of understanding china has to put on some show too. so to, you know, to express the displeasure, but it has to be calibrated and not get out of control because then you are going to be in a very tough situation. it's news for everyone. you have had an eye on china for

quite some time now now basing launched what may be the largest ever military exercises and circling taiwan. did you expect this? oh yeah, i mean up the idea agent being not doing anything at all was completely out of question. right? i mean, he repeatedly, warren biden, and a us not to play with fire. right. and, and trying to doesn't one week, i mean, shooting thing, his face economic slowdown at home. he's expected to get a 3rd there. mean office later he's here all but those are the reasons for him to show something in return. i mean, to show a level of strength, but at the same time, i don't think she didn't things looking for massive conflict. and you know, if, if there's a perceived us, we ought to look at these in 199599 to 6. know when a we had the last time, there was a major conflict in a 5 on streets during that period when china was actually way weaker than the united states compared to today. and they had a less nation is either like, shooting being compared to the day that time that the chinese went as far as firing missiles close to the shores of taiwan. i don't think we're there yet. so yes,

the situation is warning in the south china sea, ordering there on taiwan there. fearsome, lucky, further economic sanctions. but we have to keep things into perspective. we're still not even at the loan. the 109596, tie one street crisis and we don't want to even get there force or we don't want to get there. and you say that teaching paint doesn't want to get there. but many observers believe that an escalation, either by choice or by accident, is only a matter of time. so would you share that assessment? yes, that is why it's extremely important and is in france a bite on his station has also been doing that. the super activate the communication channels on both military and civilian level. because i think there's an anticipation that the probability for accidental cautious or some major incident is increasing by the day. and even if the nice below the situation did not create a word or 3, i think this is just an opening salvo in a very perilous episode. and us china relations as forest i want is concerned. and

in the meantime, you can see even we didn't die one, they're increasing divisions on this visits. and some people are asking whether we want that this kind of expression of support by us. because they could still get a lot of support because nancy pelosi visited them and provoking this kind of response from china. interesting stuff, richard had erin, thank you so much. let's now get you up to speed on some other stories making headlines around the world today. you and secretary into general antonio terrace, has urged governments to introduce special taxes on the profits of oil and gas companies. is comments come after some of the world's biggest energy firms posted record quarterly profits driven by surging energy prices. butera said it was quote, immoral for companies to profit from the crisis. authorities are blaming arsonists for a wildfire and north western spain. the blaze started in the autonomous region of galicia. spain is having its worst year on record for wildfires and has lost more

land to them than any other country in europe. the 1st ship carrying grain from ukraine since the war began is on its way to lebanon. after passing inspections and turkey monitors from the when ukraine, turkey and russia check the rezoning until further shipments will now be able to leave ukrainian ports. ukraine's foreign ministry, as russia is training ukrainian prisoners of war illegally and using them for political purposes, which is strictly forbidden. under the geneva convention, russia and proxy authorities and eastern ukraine have charged dozens of soldiers with crimes. 3 foreign born ukrainian soldiers have been sentenced to death on allegedly fabricated charges. he w spigot, us ciocca, met the parents of one man being held by the russians, and they fear he could suffer a similar fate. each morning if gania would kevin take some

time for herself and quite to look at her son, she hasn't heard from mac seems since russian forces captured him 2 months ago. she scared there might be torturing him, or that he might be dead. you do cylindrical i sit in the kitchen and just cry while my husband is still sleeping. when he gets up, i wash my face in person nights and try to be strong for the day and not to cry anymore. only in the early mornings i allow myself to cry. what's it difference does windows yeah, the couple invited us to their home because they want the world to know about their son. his parents say, maxine volunteered to join the army, even though he is a pacifist, he had worked as a journalist and activist campaigning for refugees and human rights. but when russia invaded, he decided to take more direct action to wish you use go. so she do need to, he told me,

i'm joining the army because i have to defend the values i've been fighting for my whole life. yes, this is bruce. they only realized he had been captured when a video of maxime being interrogated was shown on russian state media with to butcher. it was horrible. the 1st thing i felt was just horror. i saw my only child listen. so i thought that can't be true. cruel kremlin telegram tennis quickly called maxime and nazi a nationalist. they even said he was a british spy because he had worked as a local producer for the bbc in 2003 the dishes in the blue cross blue stone. my biggest concern is that they might not recognize him as a prisoner of war, like they have with others e and that they would fabricate a criminal case against him. so using all those lies and twisted evidence, latisha, i mean, i know you, some of a good,

a student shit was his when you free our domestic intelligence sources confirm that russia is holding more than 7000 ukrainian so just prisoner. but they won't talk about any of it on camera, because negotiations for prisoners swaps a top secret. a lawyer representing the families of more than 50 captured soldiers has agreed to talk with us. let us laugh, we cannot see. f works closely with domestic intelligence to try to get prisoners back. he expects that russia will fire more and more criminal cases against ukrainian prisoners of will. i think this is so this is done mostly for the political purposes. when you create search and you know importance of the person gray launch, you know, you can use it to in their political, you know, treat but yes, gania and alex sunday, i don't want things to get that far. they fire the know didn't appear to the

european court of human rights. they say they will fight with everything they have until maxine is friendly. and the support was filed by my colleague brigitte ashika, who joins us now from keith beckett. i good to see, according to your source, as 7000 ukrainian soldiers are being held as prisoners of or thousands of families ripped apart, wondering about the fate of their loved ones. how big of a topic is this in ukrainian society? many people here in ukraine, a deeply worried about the fate of the prisoners of war, especially after dozens off ukrainians. soldiers were killed in an attack on a detention facility in russian health. aline, fca, m, russia, and ukraine are blaming each other for this attack. but the assessment here in ukraine is very clear. they say m,

russia has attacked the facilities only to destroy evidence of torture and miss treatments of prisoners and m satellite image, which emerged from the site seem a to, to support this claim. and now everybody is, is very worried, and we only now heard that the red cross, nor any independent investigators have again, been granted access to the side. and this for many here is again, like an indication that russia has to hide something and that they really might deliberately have killed prisoners of war. maxine, the father in the report there said he was worried about the, the prosecution will fabricate charges against their son. that he won't be recognized as a prisoner of war, but he'll w's cancel, be accused and court kennedy definitely there

and geneva convention stated very clearly they can be charged that only if they committed serious crimes. and not only for the fact that they took part in hostilities. so and we have been seeing such as charges here in ukraine as well. a russian soldier was charged and for murdering at 62 year old civilians. so, and we hear from the general prosecutor that they are investigating more south in cases of alleged war crimes. as for russia, human rights organizations a criticized that russia and their proxy authorities in the down bass region never or barely, ever present really hard evidence for, for such charges of serious crimes. and just to give you an example,

i am in june 3 am foreign born soldiers of the ukranian army were handed down death sentences and beg, then the un human right office sharply criticized this verdict is saying that am such a trial against prisoners of war itself would amount to a war crime. now begin to give us an update on the situation on the ground. the ukrainian presidents, as russian troops are regrouping in the south. yes it, it seems as if russian forces are preparing to pre empt the ukrainian counter offensive, a counter offensive precedence. lensky had announced some weeks ago, and we have been seeing preparations of this counter offensive over the past or weeks when am ukrainian forces have attacked ammunition depots and

a key infrastructure behind the russian front line in order to cut their supply lines. but at the same time, russia has been deploying from the eastern region amounts of troops, big amount of troops add to the south, and president to lensky has stated in the end, this knightly address. this is in the detention to add to take the town, his home town, creevy re a town which is not on the coast rather than more inside in land. so that might be an indication that another offensive of the russian is or is about to come. but ukrainian forces stayed, they have the situation under control and ask the people not to panic, because she ok and kia many thinks the ukrainian president vladimir zalinski has condemned comments by former german chancellor. gerhard schroeder suggesting that russia wants to negotiate

a solution to it's war of aggression. florida is refusing to cut ties with a russian leader and is facing an investigation by his own party, the social democrats. it was a self styled diplomatic mission to the kremlin. vladimir putin spokesman concerns that former german chancellor, gerhard schroeder, metro russian president on the moscow visit last week. in an interview with german media, showed us at that point in once a negotiated solution to the war in ukraine. and that the recent grain deal could be slowly expanded into a ceasefire. damages ukraine's president followed him as a lensky made clear what he thought of the former chancellor's diplomatic efforts. lives out. first of all, it is simply disgusting when former leaders of major states with european values worked for russia, which is at war against these values. he, yeah, cowboys, property sinless. bonnie, ac russia is using these people as messengers,

their them to say that the terrorist state allegedly once negotiations, bearablewood scotch, hota is a long standing friend of putins. soon after leaving office in 2005, he accepted a job with russian energy company gas from lay to became chairman of the supervisory board of another russian energy giant. ross left florida has refused to distance himself from the russian leader in march. shortly after russia invaded ukraine, he travelled to moscow to meet putin, his wife, posting this picture of herself praying for peace with the kremlin in the background. schluter has been scorned for his continued ties with russia. some of his privileges, as a former chancellor have been withdrawn and he is facing an investigation by his party. the social democrats over his kremlin links according to health experts, breastfeeding as the most beneficial way to feed

a baby. yet the un says less than half of infants are exclusively breastfed in their 1st 6 months. with world breast feeding weak underway, it is trying to raise awareness of the issue. the next report we're taking a special look at france, which for years has had one of the lowest breast feeding rates in the entire world . mullin and matthew has a very young visited work to be a 5 month old daughter boone. she's a coach hyped mullins to breastfeed, so once or twice a day, the world health organization says breastmilk is the ideal food for infants providing essential nutrients that help protect against illness. brute also drinks formula since melinda, a lawyer had to go back to work 3 months after her booked. but juggling works, she says, isn't the only challenge when it comes to breastfeeding her daughter in france? all citizen cuz people are surprised, did they still breastfeed her?

i came back from hospital after her birth and was really exhausted. people would say, why are you torturing yourself by breast feeding? take it easy, your husband should take her. now, i did feel a bit of job. i'll turn over there as alamos, whistle itself mother, he says her decision to nurse, starting with the 1st child 6 years ago, was not an easy one. i felt a bit alone. i was surprised when staff at the maternity hospital gave my son a feeding bottle. without my consent, i really wanted to breastfeed him. it was the 1st sign that something was wrong with a queen, mattress mother phony mullins experience is not unusual in france. statistics showed that less than 70 percent of mothers with start breast feeding at all, and the number drops to just 22 percent of the 6 months. experts see a big reason is frances, relatively short maternity leave to 16 weeks after baby's book. but the aversion to nursing once deeper than that carol l. v is

a private lactation consultant. in more than paris, she helps future mothers prepared to breast feed and helps troubleshoot when there's a problem to pull her printer covering up to dish is advising a client over the phone or so, and i got all says women wanting to breastfeed in france. fis, an uphill battle because of the lack of awareness across society. but it's a great lack of support support from the community in general, the health care professional, or just talk with help know much, much about breastfeeding. so as soon as there's a some kind of issue, they will say, well, many converge are making, maybe you can drop right, breastfeeding and, and use a bottle. then a french feminists on the 17th weren't really into breastfeeding. in comparison to the swedes or the region mothers, our mothers didn't breast feed. so we don't have a culture that supports breastfeeding. despite at low breastfeeding weights,

france is far from being the only country, but mothers switch early to infant formula. the world health organization says that across the globe, less than half of all newborns abreast fit within the 1st i will flip or drink breastmilk exclusively for the recommended 6 months. you're watching to double your new state. you're now focused on europe is up next. remember, you can always find more news on our website that is d w dot com and do make sure to also follow up on social media. randall is at d. w. i'm to go further from me and the entire team here in berlin. thank you so much for your company. ah. ah,

with you. there have never been this many deaths at europe's external borders. we enclave of milly, john, between morocco and spain from. it's also where a true,

a sudanese asylum seeker tried to cross over to your other barely surviving. he speaks about brutal push backs and rejection, a focus on europe next, on d, w. and the conflict zone, sebastian little is known about the inner workings of the kremlin, especially with vladimir putin in power of my guest this week for the prime minister. because castiano, what's the point in the early 2000 and he knows what happened behind the closed door with the left the government, a comp with in 60 minutes on d w. o.

i ended listening place of long the mediterranean sea. it's waters connect people of many cultures seen it almost far and to far dual korean drift along with exploring modern lifestyles and mediterranean where it has history left its traces, meeting legal hearing their dreams a mediterranean journey intended to so starts august 14th on d, w. ah, with hello know wall welcome to focus on europe aside from the war in ukraine,