in 3 series about the future of food with the great debate this week on t w ah ah, this is d w. news live from berlin, nigeria as main opposition parties call for strapping the countries recent presidential election. they demand a new vote after letting widespread voter fraud early results are signaling a lead full ball are to nibble of the ruling. apc also on the program, ukraine acknowledges russian battlefield gains near bath modes. ukrainian

commanders describe the situation as extremely tense. brushing force as a set of making progress in their push to encircle the front lines. and israel stepped up security checks in the west bank as violence is searching and the region relates the tack. and israeli american man is killed in a drive by shooting ah, i'm gab elf as well come to the program. nigeria, as to main opposition parties are demanding that this past weekend's presidential election be cancelled. the labor party and peoples democratic party have called the vote, a sham and of called for fresh election as claims of voter fraud. grow early results show a bowler to new of the ruling. all progressives congress in the lead to replace outgoing

president while marble hurry. but half the country states have still to report their results. 3 front runners and all 3 say they're winning nigeria election. but with delays and disruptions since saturday, the result is far from cleo people are getting impatient and increasingly voted from a boston city a week d listen, i wouldn't i wouldn't want to do the report on hor good abdul very well because bring in the selection will break is not that it might be, it would bring up what if the program to major dis, if considered the tightest presidential race in nigeria, since it ended military rule in 1999. but experts observing the election said voting over the weekend was affected by pool organization was horton africa late either of fallen officials,

14 martinos. and in some cases the delivery over all the materials at horns, visuals across the country. just i've done that has also been violence in several states. in one case, on sunday in lagos, a group of men pretended to be electoral officials. i didn't stormed into the voting center and attacked blank. i meant to chaos. there have been a few reports of ballad snatching and many complains of the electronic voting system that nigeria is using for the 1st time. political leaders have urged the electoral commission to declare results soon to feel that for the delay we'll dampen public trust and incite or more violence. we do not want this, we want peace in our country. we want the, you know,

a credible election and we want us all to come together as niger is a make this thing. what does security challenges will have to be tackled by the new president? once nigerians know who that will be i wearing technical difficulties bringing in the our correspondent from nigeria trying to do that a bit later. the show. so 1st to ukraine where ukrainian forces say the situation in the eastern city of buck motors extremely tense. as russian troops step up their assault, they say russia is trying to cut ukrainian supply lines to the city and forced them to surrender or withdraw the fiercely contested area has become a symbol of ukrainian resistance. ah rushes relentless attacks on back mood have reduced the city to rumble. they are a few signs of life on the ground. and from above, the scale of the damage is overwhelming. now moscow has further and teams to find its shelling, ukrainian soldiers

a fighting bag as hard as they can shoulder we are hitting them with whatever we have us. we are holding on against their infantry. they are not sparing people on the whole area is filled with their dead bodies and the date of loss of the sea. and also for russian troops have full month's trying to catch the city. whether emma and both sides have suffered high casualties. i don't know. i don't know when whether you brazil breakfast my has worked practically non stop and low for the full scale invasion here. we have a $50.00 to $60.00 wounded in a 9 month rotation of war. now sometimes we have more than that in one day. so there's a lot of work, but these soldiers are the best back loop holds limited strategic importance, but taking it would be a major symbolic victory for russia,

ukraine's president admitted things were not going well, putting in avenue. so the situation is constantly becoming more difficult. the enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defendable. our soldiers defending in the back in what direction are real heroes was priority. little. as russia ramps up its attacks, it could be on the verge of claiming the city ending the longest battle so far of its invasion of ukraine. we'd obviously calmly is covering the war for us from keith when we asked him, what's behind these increasingly urgent ukrainian statements about buttonwood? well, is the real sense that this could be the beginning of the end for ukraine soldiers in back mort for now, at least after weeks and months where it seemed like the russians were very close and now seems like they are really closing in. and there is only one route in and out left to leading to gain control territory. one route for the logistics,

one route get out through just recently there were still 2 and you know, we've heard for a long time that the americans in pushing the ukrainians to get out. they seem to think that basically the gain of pinning irish forces there is not worth it anymore . they're just too many ukrainian laws being lost in that kind of cost benefit us just doesn't work anymore. and there's a sense that basically the kind of leadership here in ukraine is preparing people for potentially bad news ahead. how he said that the citric, important and such as we heard in the report, isn't that huge. this is more about symbolism that russia really needs a big what they can sell as big when, after months of defeats. and yeah, if you look at the real kind of geography of that part of the country or that it's like come towards little girls which still safely ukrainian control are a lot more important in terms of the logistics of being able to fight war. so definitely a sense that this could be a russian game close, but i don't think it really changes the course of the war maker according to their reporting from keith and al, for more on these developments that spring and marina moore on

a military expert at kings college london, i marine up there, the man of britain, m b. i lisa, now several times and nick mentioned it as well in his piece there that bottled is not strategically important. why is the russian military putting so much effort and into that fight? then 1st of all, thank you for having me. well, there are different opinions on back mod and how it gained strategic importance, right? so obviously it is strategically important, despite what might be claimed by the media. first of all, for the russians, it would boost the morale of the troops if they managed to take book moved. conversely, it would also undermines a morale of the ukrainian troops. and that would also lead to the loss of credibility, perhaps, or from the western partners in the capabilities of the ukrainian armed forces. so the rest, this importance that answer the strategic indeed. and there is

a military strategic importance, which would allows the russians to launch offensive to cram a thought. ask for instance, if they take book more because they would be controlling important roads and, and therefore cut off ukrainian armed forces and making the defense much more difficult for the ukrainian armed forces. so there are many sides to book what we shouldn't be dismissing its importance just yet. now, recently, there were also some tensions with in the russian military, reportedly, and explicitly between the infamous wagner mercenary group and moscow's minister of defense. how united are the russians on the front line? really? it is very difficult to say right now. it would suggest that they have a unity of effort on the battlefield because the wagner group is leading the fight . and we remember as, as wagner was also partially responsible for taking solid are and now wagner is taking settlements all around the move to surround the ukrainian forces they are.

and we've seen also last week said the chief of the crew. people getting promotion has become very vocal again, criticizing the ministry of defense for not supplying it was nasty, was a necessary ammunition and not supporting the wagner group. so essentially we have seen that, you know, in, in the political sphere it seems that wagner tried to contest the ministry of to fans. however, as of now we're seeing that on the battlefield, they're still trying to achieve a common military strategic objective. and are you crime is still waiting for western bill times to arrive on the battlefield? is that going to turn the tide and keeps favor? it is a difficult question because we have seen reports at some things had allegedly already arrived. and i'm referring to leper to tanks, however, right now the weather is getting warmer in ukraine. and so the issues that the

russians have faced last year was their tanks during the initial stage of the invasion, will we plaguing the ukrainian forces with a lot of mud and the roads literally disappearing and melting? that's one thing. the other thing is that what is the number of the hangs that have arrived and how will they be integrated into the overall operational concept? will ukrainian forces have enough pangs more than a squadron that is 12, thanks to, to, to form credit, you know, to support them, was mechanized infantry due to support them with air support. so the, the question is how these things will be used and where will they be used will be essentially decisive when it comes to tanks. and as of now, we don't know when the rest of the batches of leper to thanks will be reaching ukraine and the estimates suggest not early as an early may so that, you know,

the question is, will that be a little bit too late? marina, on that from kings college london. thank you very much. marina. thank you. in finland, the parliament is holding a final debate on a bill aimed at speeding up the country's application from natal membership. the debate coincides with a visit for to helsinki from nato secretary general against the stock number speaking alongside, finished prime minister son amarion. he said now is the time to allow both finland and sweden to join the alliance. that comment directed a to nato members, a turkey and hungary were still standing in the way asked the w's. terri schultz. reports turkey's opposition is causing the most concert side by side. that's how almost everyone presumed nordic neighbors, finland, and sweden would travel the path to nato when they submitted their applications in may. this is a good day or at the critical moment for our security,

but turkish president, russia, ty, a bear to one, put the brakes on the 2 countries bids, due primarily to their perceived tolerance for kurdish groups. he considers enemies . the 3 countries made a deal at the nato summit in madrid to work out their differences. but only finland has succeeded in sweden where the officially designated kurdish terrorist organization, the p k. k is more visible. activists have targeted air to one personally, and burned the qur'an stoking anchor as animosity garage. oh, we do not have relatively a major problem with respect to finland on that. we are always on the learning that sweden should take concrete steps. is this, this has led to a distinct change in nato's emphasis that the nordics joined together. the main question is not whether the feminine sweden or are ratified together, or the main question is that they are both ratified as full members. as soon as

possible, there's been a shift in helsinki to finish president sally mister says joining together is his preference. but our hands, sorry, no, wait tight. we applied for members. it should be no say that no, we cons. lower, application know that we come with fins. are thinking more about their other neighboring now decades of opposition to nato membership, evaporated after russia launched. warren crane will be very hard for decision makers to justify the people war, i think over 80 percent in favor of nato right now. and also we're seeing over 50 percent offenders now in favor of going in in aid. so at this point, even if we're not ratified, a swedish prime minister of christenson has reacted angrily warning that leaving sweden outside nato even temporarily would compromise both of their security. henry vaughan and disagrees. sweden would be a nato invitees, surrounded by nato members, and have would have finland on its eastern neighbor a, nate,

so i wouldn't say would be the worst possible scenario i would say to you. it was significant improvement at the moment. it's the most likely scenario with finland holding parliamentary elections in april. the current government would like to see a finished flag raised at nato under its watch. and there still a sliver of possibility for a tandem. accession as stalled talks with turkey resume in march. august monitor shows father report and she joins me now from brussels. terry, where does the debate stand now in finland? the finish parliament is this afternoon, holding its final debate on finish membership in nato. and this is something that the government wanted to do to get everybody behind its move to join after so many decades of the country being firmly opposed to nato membership. so the public opinion has changed so dramatically that more than 80 percent of people are in favor of joining nato. and the parliamentarians reflect that opinion as well.

there's only a handful of people who still oppose membership. they say that they're worried that nuclear weapons would be station unfinished territory that us troops would be there that it would invite russian attacks. but the bill will, will pass overwhelmingly. now finland applied for now to membership together with sweden and it was expected that would join at the same time and now finland is contemplating to go. it alone is causing a strain on the ties between the 2 neighbors. that's right, finland is very much portraying this as not it's choice to leave sweden behind, but a choice that's in the hands of hungary and turkey who of course are in control of when they ratify the dis finish in swedish memberships. so this is something that even nato has begun to say that it's, it's not up to finland and sweden, it's up to hungary and turkey. so yes, i would say there has been a bit of tension. we heard the swedish prime minister say that this puts his country in danger, and he also believes that reduces the security of the nato alliance as

a whole. but behind the scenes finish and swedish politicians have worked together for decades. it's, it's the closest of relationships between neighboring countries, really, and i'm told that will not be a lasting impact even if sweden has to trail behind finland a bit. in joining nato. responded to shows that. thank you, terry. don not have a look at some of the other stories making headlines. the european parliament has become the latest you institution to band the popular tick tock, app on staff phones. following in the wake of the european commercial commission and council, the u. s. has also given federal employees 30 days to remove the chinese on that from government devices, there are fears it would be used for spy. hong kong has announced it's lifting one of the world's last face mask mandates imposed during the corona virus. panda from wednesday residents will be able to leave home without him ask for the 1st

time in nearly a 1000 days. is the last pandemic measure. still in force in the financial hub. and we're coming back to our top story now. the nigerian elections are the 2 main opposition. parties are demanding that this past weekend. it election b cancel for what we cannot talk to, which are lacking the ego. he's the director of community engagement with connected development, a nigerian civil society group working to hold government accountable. he joins us from our buddha. now b opposition parties are calling for the cancellation of the elections saying it was a sham. what are the chances of that happening? well, i would see the chances of the far been incredible, if you mean, well then they'll be one of the issues would be, would it be that the effect that we didn't we speak with

the electorate? and if you can ask me, i think we're still in the stage where most of the time was mentioned that the sports boat, we just need to do one or 2. i mean, the biggest issue has been issue of transmission military transmission off the results from the bullying you need to. i next that has been the biggest issue. another convention of bonds. i think i just want to say and this and then mission in the say well issues that made it impossible for the results to be uploaded at this point. but this sort of interrupt to you. are you saying that counseling and redoing the elections would not be justified?

so let's look at it briefly. so that election usually it will be, i think your mike, i must get mission. right. be will be president can come to the election. i just want to say only the supreme court and actually put the old person correctly. and if the one that you find the case then require or request elections with brookhill . i don't think that's the solution right now. because let's look at the monetary course. it's got over $300.00 be on there. that's just one of us to convert this addiction be technology got investment on these on these election so far. i've been longer than 1000000000. and if you look at that amount right now, looking at the still economy, i don't think that you can afford and not that we don't offer that be implication on. all right, i don't think we can contin. that's why we're,

we're not working well, what can we do? what we can do to look at how many of these are there they come in and the one that i mean i didn't pull. why and provide the but which is the physical result that brought into my position because the much the way they to verify some differences that i mean that's us. we stick with other company, but i don't think i agree with them for the total concentration of which i can argue that thank you very much for your insights. thank i've gone to the middle east now where there's been more violence in the occupied west, but this time near the city of jericho. and his railey american man has been killed in his car during a drive by shooting israeli forces. se palestinian gunman targeted several vehicles before fleeing the scene. the incident comes a day after 2 israelis were killed by

a palestinian in the west bank town of how barbara israeli settlers responded by attacking palestinian homes and property in the area killing one palestinian that are correspondent rebecca written, filed this report. another stand off on the streets of horror just as we arrive. so does this israeli settler, who gets out of his car to confront a group of palestinians surrounded by the foreign press, israeli soldiers intervened pension. we're still really high hearing. who are we standing at the entrance to the can even increase military president. this is one of the mines are trying to get from the settlement of it to jerusalem and using it you can see the cars honking every time a car come through. he threw his provocation. really, it feels like anything could happen. on sunday,

a palestinian gunmen shot dead to his riley brothers in this town, which led to a revenge attack by israeli settlers rampaged through the straits, torching cars and houses. one palestinian was shot dead in the violence for others badly injured. and my loss of shirt i left the shop to pick up one of my employees and i saw a call 100 settlers setting fire to it. they burned the container, but the warehouses burnt. the storehouse for electrical appliances and destroyed the house of that sort of old door, didn't leave anything for a book, has tensions escalate. israel security minister has urged citizen restraint america meal. i want to comment on what happened and john hora, the how long? i mean every, i understand the hard feelings, but this isn't the way of al. we can't take the law into our own hands or look him at the hawkeye. instead he said it should be israel's government and security

forces who quote, crush the enemy. fresh reports have now emerged from jericho. also in the occupied west bank, a suspected palestinian gunmen shot dead, another israeli, all this turmoil erupting on the heels of an emergency summit in jordan, where his riley and palestinian officials agreed on measures to try to cool things down. but the ongoing violence, putting any efforts of de escalation on shaky ground or correspondence. rebecca as far that report and earlier we spoke to her and asked her what efforts are being made to reduce the risk of further escalation. or of course, seen all the international call for calm or we've seen even calls from come from, you know, certain israeli politicians, benjamin netanyahu saying don't take matters into your own hands and other ministers echoing that. but we have seen some ministers from the far right from the

security minister. been a to my bent vs party court, you know, condoning the violence in fact, supporting it. so you know, the tensions are being stoked. ah, regardless, and i think, you know, we are seeing calls for con, we saw a couple of weeks ago as tensions were flaring again, a few weeks ago after another raid in the northern west bank. we saw it timed with the u. s. secretary of state here and he was calling for can we did see a momentary law intentions, but even given things like the summit that was held in jordan on sunday and out of that summit they were, they were assurances from the israeli side saying that they would hold settlement expansion, at least for a few months to try and calm things ahead of the ramadan, the islamic ramadan holy month coming up. and everyone worried about things spiraling out of control. but it is hard to see with, with, you know, out of that meeting benjamin netanyahu said no, we're not going to a halt. these settlement expansion. so definitely

a lot of tit for tat going on. it's very hard to kind of know where it's going, but it certainly doesn't feel like it's going in the right direction. records as they're reporting from at yahoo. so i'm believe you now with some pictures of an unusually snowy spain residence off. barcelona woke up to see their city dusted in white on monday. the storm juliet has left some regions completely covered. that's a rarity. and that generally mild spanish climate. in fact, it only snows in barcelona about once every 10 years. juliet is expected to cause low temperatures and strong cold winds across the country until thursday was run. it watching the w news from berlin. as a reminder of our top story, nigeria, as 2 main opposition parties are demanding this past weekend's presidential election. we cancelled at our calling for a fresh vote by alleging widespread voter fraud with early results signaling

a lead for bowler to noble of the ruling. apc coming up next and dw news. asia soaring food prices in pakistan are forcing parents to make difficult choices for their children's future. moorish advantage will bring you that story and a lot more up to a short break ended up the news. and of course, there's always more news on our website, d, w dot com. you can also visit all social media channels. the handle you need is at the w news. i'm gary office. thanks for watching with

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it's africa lead the founders empowering their continents through digital innovation transformer. work in health and living conditions in their country and inspiring world with their ideas. founders valley africa watch now on w documentary with this is did up in years asia coming up to date, how inflation across the region is impacting people's lives. beginning in pakistan where soaring food prices have left some parents with no other option than to pull out their kids from school. we look at how bad the situation is and what the government is doing about it. and in the philippine.