ah ah ah, this is dw news why? from berlin? russia unleashes a massive missile attack on ukraine, explosions and even around the country target energy infrastructure and hit residential buildings. we'll get the latest from our correspondent in the ukranian capital. coming up on the show, georgia backtracks on it's controversial foreign agents bill. after 2 nights of

protests and clashes recently, the ruling party says it's dropping the draft lot, which critics say stifles free speech. and damage is george has been to join you watson protesters and israel walked rhodes near the country's main airport, forcing the israeli prime minister to take a helicopter to an official meeting. demonstrators are opposing plans to overhaul israel's legal system. ah. hello, i'm claire richardson. thank you so much for joining us. russia has unleashed a massive missile attack across ukraine, killing at least 6 people. missiles knocked out the power supply to zap a risha europe largest nuclear power plants. although ukraine says the plant has now been reconnected to the power grid. ukraine also says it down to nearly half

the missiles launched by russia in more than 10 regions, which also struck residential buildings in the capital, keep mary's health coach co said 40 per cent of residence or without heating following the missile brush. at dawn, smoke billows a cross keys skyline, the ukrainian capital just one of several regions hit by a barrage of russian missile strikes while people was sleeping. we will come to very strong explosion. it felt like it had stuck the house next door, or some were very close, but we didn't immediately understand what it, what we ran to the corridor. it reduced dolly. i'm fed up with it. i can't get anyone any more. no more seal did you? how can you do this? he bought the merchandise houses possible for the names are different if they're not human, i don't know what to call them. the lawyer kick was there frightening the children for their traumatizing done?

if it's, if you can, you could at least 5 people were killed after a rock. it struck houses in the levine area. there were also reports of fatalities in the region of cas on russian missile strikes also forced this upper which she a nuclear power plant off the grid. this latest attack on europe's largest nuclear power station is causing huge international concern. this is the 6th time that this up. what is your nuclear power plant has look all off site power and house had to operate in these emergency mold. let me remind you. this is the largest nuclear power station in europe operating for the 6 time under emergency diesel generators. what are we doing?

this was russia's 1st mass missiles strike since mid february. it says it was targeting ukrainian infrastructure, but yet again, it's left ukrainians. counting the dead. a correspondent i'm in s f as in the capital keys. and earlier he told me about the latest on this apparition nuclear plant. that's right. it seems that this power plant ends up richer, which is the largest in europe, as you heard, was temporarily taken off of the electric power supply that allows it to operate. now they have a system in place that will automatically start using power from generators that run on diesel. so russia attempted to play down the danger here saying that it's happened before and that the power plant has always remained in stable condition. now what's important to understand is that russia is now in control,

are since the very early on in the war has been in control of the sap region nuclear power plant, but it gets its electric supply from the ukrainian grid. so strikes like these from russia can actually take the power plant off the grid, but we heard what raffo grossi said, and he said that this is just a roll of the dice. that if we allow this to continue to happen, then it's only a matter of time before our luck runs out and tell us more about these missiles strikes, it appears. this is the biggest wave of russian strikes in the last few weeks. can you tell us what kind of damage has been done? it would not be an exaggeration to say that these strikes hid in almost every region in the country. there is 81 missiles launched and ukraine said they shut down 34 of the missiles, but that's not a good ratio. as you can calculate it, there was a strikes in the south, a desa either a strikes in the east in har keith. there were strikes in the north and journey of

and, and in the west in levine, it was very significant because this is the 1st time since the beginning of the war . that a residential area in the western region of a v has suffered a direct hit. now we're hearing reports that 5 people have died after it hit a house there in a suburban area. so perhaps most shocking for residence in far west ukraine, which is very far away from the front line and is not in daily contact with the death and destruction of this war. i'm in your of course, reporting for us from the capital keith, he will woke up there this morning to the sound of explosions. can you give us an update on what the situation is like now? the strikes were very close to the center of the city. this time the explosion was so loud that it shook me awake as i did many other residents here. we know that it struck in 2 regions. one of them hit in an electrical plant that supplies power to the city. so or at least 15 percent of the city were lost, power

a 40 percent lost heat. and that's a change from the last few weeks when there was relative calm here. and it's going back to the months over the winter. that key of suffered a very regular strikes which caused blackouts, and really reminded people in key of that no part of this country is safe, as long as russia is continuing its invasion on it as a thank you so much for that update in case stay safe a georgia ruling party has been forced to think again, it has announced a will drop its controversial foreign agent draft bill after international criticism and 2 nights of violent clashes between police and protesters. georgia, formerly part of the soviet union, has applied to become a member of the european union and the nato military alliance. up against the riot police battling for the future direction of their country. now it seems their voices were heard

after another night, a violent protest and a georgian capital tbilisi. the ruling party announced they would draw the foreign agent law. for 2 nights the police tried to disperse, to crowds defiant protesters waved you flags, rejecting a draft law that they say is reminiscent of existing legislation and russia that has been used to crack down on descent. critics say the law which would have required and g o's, an independent media who receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to declare themselves. foreign agents is undemocratic. the draft law didn't just stir public anger at

a beat on the bill in parliament on monday, and it was law makers getting into draw to use representative for foreign affairs. had warned the bill would be bad move for the country. now the government seems to have caved, were drawing the draft before it could become law. but this alone, who likely not put an end to popular protests, many are calling for formal denouncement of the bill. and a release of protesters were detained by the police. earlier our correspondent maria, cut her mother into lease. he told us more about why does proposed law face such opposition? noise widely seen as russia for an agent. legislation that it was introduced in russia allowed the crumbling to crack down on civil society and in georgia. there

is a very much of anti criminal mood, and georgia sees this legislation as the put in legislation as the opposition poets . it's so they're really kind of they were concerned about russia influence and we've seen on the proto people who are saying no to the russian law. never back to the u. s. ceasar. so they don't really want to jeopardize the future by introducing this law. as i sat there towards this or just dropped the bill, however us, we don't know still if still wouldn't be range reduce later. that was speaking to me earlier, we can take a look now at some other news headlines, indonesia has presented the site of its plans, new capital to the public. the city will be called at new santoro. it meant to provide an escape from the congestion and pollution of the current capital jakarta . a critic say the massive construction project will displace indigenous peoples

and destroy natural habitats. by 3 palestinians were killed in an exchange of fire with israeli security forces and occupied westbank. israel said it soldiers had rated the village of giovanni to arrest suspected militants. the deaths come on that escalating violence in the occupied westbank in israel efforts by the new right when government to reform the judiciary have led to widespread protests. the repose laws would reduce the powers of the supreme court and allow more political influence in the appointment of judges. and crowds of posing these plans, blocked roads leading to israel's main international airport. the disruption force, both prime minister benjamin netanyahu, and visiting us defense secretary lloyd, often change plans. critics of the reform have called the proposals a threat to democracy, but supporters insist they reflect the will of the people have you correspondent rebecca rivers is in tel aviv where protestors have gathered for what they're

calling a day of resistance. here is more of what she told us. yes, claire, i may actually, as he's mentioned in central television, this place has said, this scene of weekly demonstrations for more than 3 months. now, behind me, you can see the loss of the purchase as a way here today, there were thousands, it is dying out now towards the end of the day, but they've been telling me that they're coming back for a night vigil as well a little earlier just beneath where we're standing is the main highway protest has tried to block that highway and there was already a belief tried to drag away for it had also highway and clear those protest is out to try and re open it. but as you know, you mentioned it is a cold day of resistance a day. you know, the resistance against the dictatorship is what organizes are calling it as a very strong word. hey, this is a, it's a week day. it has pulls up the trucks and earlier we were at the airport with

thousands of people there. lots of cars trying to block the entrance to the to the airport with prime minister benjamin netanyahu was meeting with defense minister of the us lloyd often. and then he would have liked it till the people were trying to get there and disrupt his entrance. although he came by police and going in a chop up. so he was able to make it into the airport. but definitely, so i wouldn't have gone not gone unnoticed. in fact, that making ways, lloyd austin, the u. s. defense secretary was actually had to be completely rescheduled and actually held at the airport because they weren't able to get into the city where and where those events were supposed to be taking place. so definitely to protest is i have succeeded in causing disruption here today. and we are expecting more into the evening. he's mentioned that he's not going on for more than 2 months now . is there any indication that the government is taking notice? well yes, there are sort of moves towards a compromise, but you know, the government side for them to their side. i saying that they're not ready to

compromise. many of in the government, benjamin netanyahu, and he's the could party and there are members within there that are talking about potentially compromising the president. isaac had talked, he's been dropping out a exactly that a compromise that both sides can agree to the will made reforms to the court, but rolling back some of the more extreme measures that the government i'm proposing at the moment. so there are moves towards compromise. but it, at this stage we really don't know what's going to happen. we just don't know whether the 2 sides will be able to come close enough. and if not, then we do expect these protests to continue the to so much for reporting that are correspondent rebecca reuters intelligence and to me are folks as a senior researcher at the israel democracy institute. i asked him earlier, what would change if the plans to curb the supreme court become reality is will take away the only check or balance that is ro democracy has in his well we don't have a bi combo parliament. we don't have a president with

a veto power energy. we don't, we're not subject to an international call such a human course of the european court of human rights. so the only thing we do have hope is that some kind of checks and balances and present human rights is our supreme court that has some powerful judicial review. what the plan in this overhaul is to take away this power and have a powerful overriding every and for the simple majority of $61.00, which is a 51 percent. and also they will have complete power on their nomination to the court. so it will be a very hollow democracy, which the majority can do actually, whatever the ones have the architects of this legal overhaul, one of whom we heard just there in that last report. they say the supreme court is the only israeli institution that is not checked and balanced, which is why educational reform is needed. what do you make of their reasoning? well, i don't agree with it because the government in israel has so much power and the

government actually controls the legislature and therefore the legislature rules the legislature, the basic laws which was the constitution. so, and also in the current situation, there is equal power for the government and the judges themselves in denominations for the court. so the court is bonds and it's actually not so activist. so i don't agree with it. there are checks and balances on the part of the supreme court as it is today. what the government is seeking is absolute power. and this is of course, what the liberal democracy cannot hold when there is a complete power, absolute power for the government. now the architects of this overall, but of course a is not absolute power they're seeking, they're looking simply for a system to keep the supreme court in check. i want to ask you about the timing of this initiative and we have benjamin netanyahu. he's israel's longest serving prime minister for a total of over 15 years. what do you think has changed that we are now seeing his

government push forward this traditional overall plan? well, he says she thinks this agenda, this thing of getting more power or absolute power in my view for the government and for the majority is not just the newsroom it's, it's an agenda. populate the agenda which empowers go to the people. let's take away the power of the safeguards. it is safe. the gatekeepers, the lease, the judges, it's something which is not just in the israel. we see it in other places, but also, and we have to admit that that venue, anything else was taught otherwise. just a few, 578 years ago he was against all of these initiatives which were on the table. then he said, you have to have a very strong and independent judiciary. but he change his mind and it's not. i bet

it's not a coincidence that he changed his mind about 5 years ago since he was investigated by the police. and now he's going to try for a criminal offenses. so now he's a defendant and he tries to change the judiciary and the judges and the whole system. so it's not a coincidence, and you are suggesting that this is perhaps politically motivated on behalf of benjamin netanyahu. doesn't not have more to do with his new coalition government is that the major change that we've seen in israel that has led to this push? sure, so as i said it is, it's still things that are not related. i'm not saying this is all about it. and yeah, was case, but if you ask me what change his mind, i think it has a link to that. but of course, as he said, we are now having an extreme right correlation. and they want to have power to do stuff that the supreme court will not allow laws that are going against the quality laws that will refrain june,

freedom of religion and freedom of religion and equality for non jews, equality for women. so you cannot do all that if you have a supreme court that is having judice review over legislation, and therefore you need to have more power or a month you absolute bowl. well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us on deed of the news. that is, i'm here folks with the israel democracy institute. appreciate your time. i can bring you up to speed now with some other world news headlines. u. s. senate minority leader mitch mcconnell is in hospital after a fall. the 81 year old republican was attending a private dinner at a hotel in washington when he tripped in a statement his spokespersons that he was receiving hospital treatment. so today, frances controversial pension reform bill has passed an important hurdle with the senate approving one of its key articles to raise the retirement age. the legislation must be finalized by sunday, if it's to advance. the government is seeking to raise the pension age from 62 to

64. he in the face of strong opposition while turkey is now resuming talks with sweden and finland over their nato membership beds after it repeatedly objected to sweden's application that you country's need approval from turkey to join nato, from hungary to an approval. it is also still outstanding, and finland parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining nato. finland says it's preparing to move forward alone, although it says it would prefer to join the alliance together with sweden. did others alexander phenomena reporting from brussels with the latest on this new push . alexander, this is already the 2nd round of talks on the bed by sweden and finland, enjoying the world's biggest military organisation. nato. have we seen any progress leading up to these talks? yes, nato officials, he and brussels as well as to governments in helsinki and stockholm they say that

progress has been made an anchor. i actually acknowledged that, but later that took it back a little bit saying that it's still not enough, but the 3 countries have agree to the of the number of measures. finland and sweden, for instance, promise to lift any existing arms embargoes on turkey. and that is what happens. they say sweden and finland also promised to intensify their fight against terrorism and to amend their legislations to make sure that anyone who is supporting or financing that p k. k or other terrorist organizations will be punished and finland has introduced amendments to its criminal code. and sweden just today put a new legislation to their parliament. so both countries are saying we are making good on our promises. why cannot anchorage drop their objections?

and actually we had a chance to visit stockholm yesterday, and we had a chance to speak with officials there and with members of the kurdish community there. so let's have a look at our report. saba had cara, doman is not a politician, but as occurred, she says she cannot be silent. like many of her friends, she's worried that sweden's kurdish community will have to pay the price for placating turkey and securing nato membership for sweden. i don't personally think swedish government is going to to stand there asked her can say look, those are integrated people. those are kurdish people. doors were political asylum seekers. if handled on one sit in sweden is desperate to get into the night too. yes, i do understand, but it shouldn't be costing him people who can't defend themselves for months now. turkey has been locking stock hans nato bit claiming that sweden harbor as kurdish

militants and demanding the extradition of individuals. it considers terrorists the government in stockholm has already introduced changes to its security services and its constitution. and now a new law will be put to a vote in the parliament supporting of financing a terrorist organization could then be punished with 4 years in prison. jessica, they're telling her member of the left part in the swedish parliament warrants. there will be repercussions. it's one of our main concerns with this sir proposal that you give away a lot of the freedom in our constitution. and we think that we need to stand up for the basic principle in our constitution where the, where the rights and the privilege shut to have. despite that criticism, the law is likely to be approved by the parliament. but no one from the ruling coalition was willing to speak with d w, a hat of the vote. the far right sweden, democrats who supported the government, were not so shy force, there has been, oh,

there has been needs for foot for new legislation in this area is matter and, and her it doesn't, sir, it isn't harmful that, that, that all so fulfill expectations and and am or contribute to, to a better collaboration or to promote the kia relations to turkey. that swedish kurdish activists question whether such a collaboration is worth risking the country reputation as a liberal haven for refugees to day. i am not proud to read through the it is and because i feel that the sweden does everything last a sweden or sacrifice the identity of the country just will remember of the nato. ah, this is not good for the reputation of 3 though, according to a recent poll and majority of sweets wants to governments not to give in to turkish demands. but dad doesn't really come forward. saba hud, kara dumont,

she's concerned about what all of this means for her community. after all, she says, sweden is now her home. alexandra, thanks for that report. so what about finland? is it likely to become a full nato member soon, even without sweden while curt clara, this is a very realistic option, would turn key signaling that they might be or care woods ratifying finland's application, finland's membership. while they still have objections, when it comes to sweden, of course, finland and sweden are saying that they would like to join the alliance together. this is what makes sense for the security of the region. and this is what is good for natal. nita officials is say, they don't want to split up the applications, however they would need to accept anchorage decision. however, we also have to stress that president ad one is facing

a very tough re election in mid may. and nobody here expects any decision before that date. thank you so much for reporting nasty w's, brussels bureau, chief, alexandra phenomena. before we go, let's get a reminder of our top story that we're following for you at this hour. russia has unleashed a massive missile garage on cities across ukraine. there been explosions and keith and across the country with energy infrastructure targeted in the attacks. just a quick reminder before i leave you that you can always got d double unions on the go. you just need to download our app from google play or from the apple app store that will give you access to all the latest news from around the world. plus with that push notifications, anytime we have breaking news today,

how about you are up to date coming up next after a short break is focus on europe with a look at how young ukrainians are, fearing for their futures. if you want more news and analysis, you can find on our website d, w dot com or check out our social media channels to handle that you need. there is d w. i'm clear. richardson in berlin for me in the whole team working behind the scenes. thank you so much for watching. ah, with

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