ah ah this is the w use lie from birth in russia points and you commanded to lead its invasion if you cry. the shake up comes amid conflicting claims over the face of the eastern town of sola dot poland office to supply leopard, thanks to ukraine. the pledge piles pressure on western allies to send in more

heavy weapons. german police, clear out activists trying to stop the expansion of a giant coal mine activists say, then you brush a cold makes a mockery of germany's climate goals. and the leader of an influential hinder group comes out in support of india's gay community comes in as the supreme court looks at legalizing same sex marriage in the face of right wing resistance. ah, i've been fizzle. and thanks for joining us. russian president vladimir putin has appointed a new commander to take charge of the war in ukraine. lyrica ross evolve replaces a general who'd only been appointed in october and asked him off as being russia top general since 2012. moscow said his job will be to coordinate the russian

attack more effectively after a series of big trees by ukrainian forces rosner is struggling to regain grout. a key battle is in the town of solid, die in the east. ukraine says, finding his ongoing disputing claims by a russian mercenary group that it had taken control. another salvo launch at ukrainian trenches in their muslin campaign to take the city of batman. russian forces have concentrated their firepower on the nearby town of solid and they are claiming progress. others. ilya will go for just airborne units, have blocked solid, are from the northern and southern parts of the city. what russia's air force is targeting enemy strongholds, storm troops are fighting in the city. the assault is led by the wagner group. mercenaries under the command of putin at i get gainey for goshen. progression has released this picture of him in a salt mine your solider,

and claims that the town is surrounded. but ukraine denies that solid ice lost and points to rush and losses of them are much more up. so we see an absolutely irresponsible to put it mildly, attitude of the russian elite toward their military personnel when they die there by the thousands was a whole lot of blood, a lot of artillery duels. a lot of contact combat that especially and solid are to day full about is that when that my, this is the hottest point in the war to day for the new ah, do ukrainians amounting a stiff resistance? here, a german supplies. how it, sir, is battering russian positions before shifting location, shoot and screwed along a slow moving front line. but a motion, motion, the deadly impact of such high precision strikes is captured by a drone, used by ukrainian soldiers and solider to acquire targets. russian unit comes under

fire and is forced to withdraw after heavy losses. a determined to fight for every inch of territory. i will pay a high price for any progress of good battlefield. over the years of butterfly, sonya found the kaiser correspondent in keys. i asked her about the contradictory reports from salida that right, i mean that that's right. there are contradictory reports about who hold solider and we have no independent confirmation by the russian site or other by the wagner group that they are in control of that city. the ukrainian military for its part says they are still very much in control, that the fighting is continuing. the forces are holding out the putting up a stiff resistance and, and i think will ukraine now, you know, the fighting. it's on the door and the fighting in around buck, which is also inflicted heavy losses on the own troops, has become something of a national symbol of defiance. you know, last night a president lensky in his daily address was very defiant. he said the fighting

a sore, dar continues, he rubbish. russian claims up achieving some success in the area. and he says that on its front is, is very much holding up and that everything is being done to strengthen ukraine's defenses. the russians still haven't been able to take me by, but would either. and now they've appointed a new commander for their forces in ukraine. has ukraine reacted to that? well, there has been no official reaction from the government to the leaders, a shakeup, a by russia, if it's mandatory command in ukraine. but it is certainly is being interpreted here among analysts as the liter sign of rushes, faltering admission and, and to be cleared. i mean, there is no love lost here in ukraine for this ousted commander said good ers, a sort of akin, you know, shortly after he was appointed, a last october, russia began its campaign of targeting ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. launching waves of messiah and drawn attacks against ukrainian cities targeting

power plants and sub stations, and really leaving millions without power and running water for extended periods in the depths of winter. so i think of the, our store of this, the commander is very much being seen here as the latest sign of disarray in rushes waterford. and what about the humanitarian situation in and around our mod? i believe thousands of people have been flee. that's right, i mean we have no clear picture off that there are some scattered reports here in the media. lots of images on social media kind of tours showing total widespread devastation in solid are the governor of the de nets region has been speaking to the acquainted media. and he says that more than 80 percent of the town has been completely destroyed. he says most residents have left and, and are those that are those that are still there. i really kind of hunkering down in their basement, not leaving their homes. and i really reliant, i think on,

on out kind of a few wanted to groups in the area that were hearing handing out of food supplies and, and offering to some medical stabilization points. so you found the co there on the situation is on a dime by more. thank you very much for your reporting from keith. poland is offering to supply ukraine with german made to let the tanks as part of it. international coalition events. been all those talks between polish president on j duda and ukraine's law to me. so then ski on wednesday, the pledge puts pressure on germany, which is if i refuse to deliver the advanced tanks to you for feel, ukraine needs heavier weapons that has been, keeps message to its western allies for months on top of the list, the german built levered to battle tank. so far, western nations have been reluctant, fearing further escalation with the new killer armed russia. but that might be all

about to change over fattening darcia to be sure we have decided that the moment for poland to decisively support ukraine has comes is thrown in force k. now stumpy, a company of la tanks will be handed over as part of a coalition low part of the ram our would have on our call. you'd see the offer from poland. president on j. duda is a welcome one for keith. but there's a catch without germany's approval. other nations cannot supply leopard tanks to ukraine. poland coal for an international coalition to deliver the weapons piles additional pressure on german chancellor, olaf schultz. so far he's been reluctant to commit but as russia claims it's making fair the gains in easton ukraine. keith says berlin's foot dragging is costing lives. although who only the transfer of weapons will end this war who didn't die, otherwise the war will go on and on. luxury,

the knob will ukrainian cities will be destroyed ish and ukrainian. people killed a little while, but we will definitely keep going to the end of the but it's just that the costs will be very high. ali thing long, poland and other nato allies are leaning ever harder on the german chancellor to change his tune rather losses with the european council on foreign relations. i asked him if keeps calls for more weapons is testing european resolve in the wall. from russia's perspective, it certainly is, i think any hesitation that just shows and supporting yeah, ukraine is being interpreted as a slightly open window. that may be the russian pressure campaign through the energy was schools lamenting and migration crisis by destroying you crazy energy infrastructure and just general atrocities might make you cringe with some supporters hesitate and, and reverse some of their decisions or let ukraine go at some point when the cost

is too high and so it's really important, i think, not only for ukraine, but also in our signaling to russia that will make clear that our resolve is undeterred. and that a decision to provide a leper to tangs would be part of showing that result going forward into this long war that ukraine is still fighting. let's take a little look at some other stories making news. massive storms continue to batter, northern california, causing widespread flooding of let's have so far claimed 18 lives and driven tens of thousands from a hose. torrential rains of powerful winds started in late december for the down. polls are expected both today and tomorrow. u. s. defense secretary lloyd austin has said he does not believe china is about to invade taiwan. it was speaking of talks between c a. u. s. and japanese officials, japan's foreign minister yochi yoshi monta as china represents an unprecedented

strategic challenge. each tokyo plans to double lives event spending in the next 4 years, not can and how to lisa west and germany are continuing to forcibly evict climate activists from a town at the center of a battle over coal mining protest is moved into stop energy giant r w e from demolishing the homes to make way for operations. the government insists the coal there is essential to maintain energy supplies activists dispute. this is a germany's climate goals need to come 1st. ah, one by one police removed the activists occupying good so that authorities say several 100 left the village voluntarily. most others resisting peacefully as officers moved in to dislodge them. from tree has is suspended platforms and the roof tops of abandoned homes. their gold to stop energy

giant r w e from excavating late night. the dirtiest form of coal. from deep beneath the village. the lane sean mirrors by burning the cold from under the village. germany is breaking the paris climate agreement. and at a time when the climate crisis is escalating, we have to make sure that emissions are drastically reduced. and that's why coal mining has to stop here. now that's after the german government has struck a deal with the energy company to phase out coal by 2030. the demolition of this village is part of a compromise. excavate here now spare others in the future. but host oh does. i'm also tired of this means that a large part of the village is actually earmarked for demolition will not need a botanist corner to qualities where hundreds of people still live will not lose their homes. love is our das commercials and protests and ball of all. i do think the protest need symbols,

but looks at her where nobody lives any more kind of the wrong symbol of my nose is to fight, as in boy with the war in ukraine and the energy crisis. coal has seen a revival in germany. still experts, diet that the coal underneath loser is really needed ah, studies and also other studies show that it's not necessary to mind the cold, especially beyond and below the village of little hot or best failure. because we do have enough coal in other areas of gods by law and the other mining regions that it's necessary to, to meet the energy transition and also the climate goals. ah, but in the end it's energy company are w e legally owns the village and they want to stick to their plans. they expect profits worth several 1000000000 euros from the additional co. the police operation to clear the activists has proved complex and highly divisive. as germany grapples

with its energy transition and i'm joined by our reportedly only for how much time it was on the ground for us in loose about the only we talked yesterday when police began evicting these climate activists. how are things looking today? hi ben, good morning. yes, and we talked yesterday when police were just starting out and, and they progressed lots over those past 24 hours. and what you can see behind me is that they are now moving into the houses of so that the last few remaining houses where activists a couple of 100 it is estimated are still half barricaded themselves. and we've seen over the course of the morning activists being carried out of this particular farm and police moving in with heavy machinery. but it's not the only house where activists are still keeping their grounds. m,

if we can go around here and here you can see the last remaining houses off a few of them and where activist us still inside and that looks like the 1st of police today. there's also still people occupying the and somewhat over 20 a tree houses in in looks at arch amber ac. you can see the weather is, is pretty bad. it's, it's windy, stormy rainy and there's even a little bit of hail them. so we'll expect sam yet. so we'll, we'll see how the, how the day goes, how long the activist, especially on the tree houses can keep their ground. yeah, because of, of the movie chain themselves, the tree houses i believe. or what's the atmosphere like there today yesterday things were quite peaceful. exactly. besides, for a few m like scuffles between police and protests in the morning with some rocks being thrown at police and fireworks. and i mean activists have told me that police has also been the am behaving violently to towards them in

a few instances. but besides that, it does, we mean pretty peaceful a lot of the activists are being carried out of that in a very peaceful and quiet way. but police do expect and things to maybe get a bit more heated and in the houses to day and the barn said i still occupies. and i talked to some activists today to say that, and they feel they still want to keep it around he, they feel pretty full for because they have gotten so much of support. so there were few open letters signed by scientists, but also celebrity andrew mean, they've got received a lot of messages and for support. their protests announced today also by fridays for future. and on the weekend there will be huge protest. so they hope to, to stand their ground here. briefly, the only can you explain to our international viewers, while others become the flash point in this long running battle between climate protesters and coal mining folks. well basically it's become kind of emblematic of germany, is that the country has struggled to face out of the burning of fossil fuels,

while at the same time, big and an energy crisis. you have r w e. the term government on the one hand to say the call is needed to they are backed by a several studies and by court rulings. and on the other hand, you have the activist, also backed by studies and science, is to say this call down. yes, not needed. we need to talk about the climate crisis that is happening right now. and no more fossil fuels can be burned. so, you know, in that lives that has become sort of a symbol off of that debate that is going on in the country. i thank you very much . the reporting for those of us that leader of the influential hindu group has come out to back l g p t q writes in india, mo, humbug, what support could sway the government's opposition to gay marriage? the supreme court is hearing petitions from same sex couples on expanding their rights. parts of society are opposed, they see it as a violation of indian culture or they and bards love story is like any

other women at school fell in love and build their life together in daily or 17 years. but as a gay couple in india, the relationship was considered a crime until the supreme court. deacon realized homosexuality in 2018. but despite this landmark judgement there, the one dear relationship still has no legal recognition. the right to manage would significantly improve our lives. it would significantly had power lives as a couple a, but we certainly see that it creates a conversation in the minds of people around us and would create a confidence in the minds of other young or gay people without you got to completion of the relationship. they can on the tasks that most heterosexual got this big for granted, such as opening a joint bank account or making medical decisions for each other here. or they in

part one of the for gay couples who have filed editions. asking the supreme court recognize, same sex marriages so far, the governing b. j b has not you and an official stance on legalizing same sex marriages. but more than a few members of the ruling party, hopefully up was any change in the law activist us hope that the court will force india to follow the example of countries whilst that marriage is a legal mal. we've got raj courtyard, specializes in family law and says that barring the l g b t q community from marriage while it's the right to equality. right, to maggie is a fundamental right. and if the pleasant structure of the marriage does not recognize same sex marriage, then it violates the constitution. but mal,

because wheel is not sheared by more guns away, do elements of indian society on the outskirts of daily the right wing, the new organization. hindu russia though, is getting ready for protest. if this law gets past today, they are meeting to discuss strategies to oppose same sex marriage. they say it's not part of the hindu culture, un hotel men. some of them are organization rated hotels where we found same sex couples making love way home. we stopped them and got them arrested. you'll be up now up me. why should we encourage something that is not part of our culture? apaloosa, who investigated the matters and sent these couples behind bar city on co, delaware. despite the challenges the community faces or they and part to remain optimistic, they see the fridge. sions have brought the issue into focus and it can't be what algebra d q. identity is still lafayette apple. let's talk

now to lawyer in the how he got cut angela. she's part of the team of lawyers fighting for same sex marriage and represents the couple in our report festival, what, what goes through your mind when you hear about reports like those groups, writing hotels and putting a same sex couples behind bars for having sex. you know, been, 1st thing that strikes me is that your legal on one beach is how you reading these hotels. there is something god trying to fight right to privacy in this country. and there has been addiction lays ation of homosexuality. so if anyone is reading what else, i'm getting less days for what they're doing, privacy, and then thank you that is against the law and i think investigations ought to be made into people a lot that seem to be allowing it. at the same time, there seems to be progress on one front,

the leader of that hindu nationalist organization, mo, him back. what recently coming out in support of the gain transgender community? how important is, is that for this fight for same sex marriage in india? so you know, i think that's an extremely important and i felt that mr. hooks. statement had a slight go off, maybe a segregationist and because he was saying, i think we should have that when they should have their own private leases, which was sounding a little bit like ok, do whatever you want, just don't do it over here, which is not not what we're fighting for, we're fighting actually quality. how am i going wonderful to him. acknowledge that in many instances in indian culture, in history and in my college that have been deeper off the as you b t q community and it was great to have a leader such an important group. acknowledge that it's something that we've been saying for a long time,

a prime minister read remotely. he's got that has in the past, refuse to legalize same sex marriage. what you expect will be the government's reaction to the case. so while we're still waiting reply in the supreme court, we have submitted my girls that have been filed in the high court. you know, been dead that time opposed. we disappeared that they will, abortion as well. however, we have faith in the judiciary and the supreme court to decide this issue. we believe it's an assure fundamental and constitutional rights. and. 2 we have, we created the judiciary in this regard, but at the end of the day where whether or not the supreme court does hand down a ruling, a lot of this comes down to acceptance within society. doesn't it? that is a big factor been and in fact, one thing we have brought up time and again in despite our previous judgment by direction, by justice turns. and that

a month in the government ought to take steps to better include any members of the g, b, q, community, into indian society. no, such a step have been undertaken at least cannot understand it. and we feel that up. so do do expand your question slightly. i believe that the vast majority of our indian society is started and they're open to progressive ideas and factions that of boys ideas of the sort and applause giving people even basic rights and bringing it to an issue of equality. i believe that's down to a lack of awareness. so i do believe it more dep. twin awareness programs are taken one and you sure the people who maybe don't have friends or family members in the g . b the community and have not been exposed to it in their day to day life. are you sure people, these people are just like you and me that just like you and me that in terms of their sites, they're just trying to live their lives privately with their families. i think it

would go a great way towards moving society forward on this progressive, but i think in many instances it is the courts that lead us down this progressive. but yeah, it's the framework, the legal framework that we need in the states should be setting up exactly at the current iowa. thank you very much for being on the www. today. appreciate it. thank you so much for having me. the world health organization says you can't, as latest a bowler outbreak is over. more than 50 people have died since the disease to cold last september. but no new cases have been registered in the last 6 weeks. no more patients in this makeshift a boiler clinic insight, the beds are finally empty. and this is a moment to celebrate the deadly outbreak of a boiler in uganda has ended. authorities give credit to the committed had workers . i'm really,

i really feel so so great because he has one of the people who was the 1st line health walker. i'm really happy was, i'm still alive, though we lost some of our own one lenses in uganda was hit by the outbreak in september last year. around a 140 people were infected, more than 50 people lost their lives behind. the outbreak was caused by the rear, so downstream for which there is no proven vaccine. as the number of cases spiked, the country embossed blocked downs, unaffected 80th. and hence stuff was mobilized. the global community is learning a lot from this success. this success is not only of uganda. it's a global thanks. and the global health community will learn and follow uganda.

directly to cc, sprits with the bodily fluids of infected persons. it often causes fever and bleeding and has a fidelity rate of it on 50 percent. the end of outbreak of 1st paras bye to communities who have lost hundreds in federal outbreaks that had hit the country. you've been watching d. w, use life from berlin next up. conflicts are with russian expert, fiona hill in the wholesale. i've been facility next town with

2 conflicts own with sarah kelly. my guess this week on complex zone is a renown foreign policy expert who has spent most of her career analyzing vladimir putin, russia. fiona hill, join me from washington, where she has advised free west presidents and co author to book on. where does she

think the boys heading? was this plan all along or hadn't decades empower, changed? conflict zone? good day, w audios honduras 1000 are making their way illegally to the usa. escaping poverty and violence and risking their lives in the process. murderous gangs, facilitating the exodus are making a killing old. but that does not deter the desperate in 45 minutes on d. w. o. a least in question about life,

the universe and everything to you. the answer. well, in give it here. the answer to almost everything. we're documentary series with clever, crazy, groundbreaking questions. can we go into the after life or are we getting dumber? how can we feed every 1? 40 to the answer to almost everything. starts january 15th on t w. ah, my gosh, this week on comp zone is a renowned foreign policy expert who has spent most of her career analyzing vladimir pollutants, russia. fiona hill joins me from washington where she has advised for us presidents and co author to book on pu, her testimony. and the 1st trump impeachment trial made her a household name.