he will need to know what is happening in our series guardian's of truth. watch now on youtube, d. w documentary ah ah. d w. news live from berlin. china continues. it's military exercises, after dispatching ships and fighter jets towards taiwan, asian calls the drills, a stern warning to the island nation, which considers a breakaway province. also coming up on the program, ukraine's president loader zalinski, thanks muslims,

soldiers observing the holy month of ramadan were helping to defend the country. plus pope francis decries the icy winds of or other injustices during the easter vigil mass. he tells the faithful that the holiday encourages people and gives them hope. i am here until in berlin. welcome to the program. i once defense ministry says beijing is continuing its military exercises around the island. on saturday, beijing in warships and dozens of fighter jets to the area. many have crossed the media line that separates the self governing island from the mainland. beijing has called the drills a stern warning to tie one, which it considers a break away province. i one says that they threaten regional stability and security wargames around taiwan. beijing claims these

exercises are being held to protect china's national security. chinese gunship diplomacy is nothing new to many taiwanese agenda. i think many of us have gotten used to it by now. the feeling is like, here we go again, just you'll glider down. i hope i can remain free to do whatever i wish and say whatever i want to you on videos. the most recent escalation comes after tie when he's president sighing when visited the united states, where she met with senior us officials, something that greatly angered beijing. now, a new american delegation hasn't turned visited the island democracy and their message is clear. democracies must stand together in his house. foreign affairs committee chairman, i sign off on all foreign military sales including weapons to tie one. and i

promise you that i'm president. we will deliver those weapons on mainland china. many people support the communist party stance that taiwan is a breakaway republic. d, i'm a young guy, le. let's take taiwan. but with military force or personally, i think i would join a war against taiwan or walker. and even if i were just carrying cannon show on it or are you, i think the united states has always been very cunning to time. they won't let themselves suffer. because i don't think the united states is really going to fight us with thousands of on me, or maybe some tension of the chinese coast has been mounting for years. taiwan has become the focus of a growing struggle between beijing and washington. an escalation could have devastating consequences. earlier d w correspondent william young told us about how people there see these latest drills as compared to a similar escalation in last august. i mean, because of the duration of this exercise to day that's about 3 days and we haven't

so far not really seeing any firing of the missiles like last time last august. so i think people right now is not really concerned the last august, they really see that as an eye opening experience of how much china is willing to do in terms of intimidating and also showcasing its military might around taiwan. and the quasi blockade that they staged last august was basically a, i think the blueprints that they will likely use again in the future. whenever the time one of president is meeting very high level u. s. officials that was d. w corresponded william yang, speaking to us, a little earlier from taiwan, ukraine's defense minister says key of is bolstering its defenses along its northern border with bella, roost by lane, thousands of anti tank mines and digging new trenches over the past 6 months.

moscow has repeatedly increased its true presence in the neighboring country, sparking fears of a new offensive on here from the north. when russia invaded ukraine in february of last year, moscow launched the attack on q from that lose. now earlier we asked marina miran a defense analyst at kings college london. why? why scuse me why, key of says is planning to strengthen its defenses on its border with bella, bruce, that's a very good question, and perhaps it will look back to february 2022. when russia launched its attack on ukraine from the bellows territory, perhaps it is logical for ukraine given the current situation to, to create. so to say, deterrence by denial, by making it much more difficult for the russian forces, should they choose to attack again from baller rues to get through the ukrainian

defenses. so it is a way to deter the russian forces and to ensure that the ukrainian forces wouldn't be over stretch if the ukrainian armed forces have to be deployed to the bellow russian border if there is an attack. indeed, that was defense analyst marina miran, speaking to us a little earlier. now ukraine's president zalinski has thank muslims soldiers for their efforts defending the country since the russian invasion ramadan, if tar dinner outside key of the lensky handed out metals and vowed to liberate crimea. and x by russia in 2014 and home to a muslim ethnic minority breaking fast with the president. for the 1st time ukrainian president vladimir zalinski hosted in if tar marking the muslim holy month of ramadan. his guests muslim clergy diplomats representing muslim majority countries and muslim members of the armed forces,

zelinski use the opportunity to recognize of their contribution to the war effort. it is the money janice, agreeable on m. val, whom diversity enshrined in respect is part of the character of independent ukraine site. again, not her act of those these meets units her in may this character always strengthen our nation and guided to good deeds going on. yes, ukraine is grateful to the muslims of our country and the entire muslim community of the world. who like us to strive for peace somewhere and resist evil is august of it was law. muslims account for one percent of the predominantly orthodox christian nation in crimea, which was illegally annexed by russia. in 2014 muslims make up 12 percent of the population. there is also a significant muslim community in the eastern don bass region where the conflict

spending almost a decade has displeased many of ukraine's muslims resembled almost to summer cycle by sea. now we will not forget grains that it was with the occupation of our crimea world to sla, boarded that it was with the repression of ukrainians. the crimea totters and crimea muslims, rural dot rushes attempt to enslaved ukraine and other peoples of civilized europe begun not owe them. susan, i ever open for ukrainian muslim service men and women. faith in the holy month. only add to their resolve was lower your bill and i believe that no matter how difficult conditions are we to everything for the sake of god and my team, when i safe wanted to address it is the greatest reward for me. the koran says that when you save one life, you save thousands of lives, you get those pieces with you. during the event,

zalinski also awarded meadows to muslim soldiers who have been defending ukraine since the outbreak of the conflict in 2014. let's take a look now, some other stories making headlines around the world. more than 30 children taken to russia from occupied ukraine had been reunited with their families and ukraine to save ukraine. charity group organized their return gifts as more than 16000 children have been deported to russia since the invasion of ukraine over a year ago. hundreds have turned out in moscow for the funeral of military blogger, woodland, tarsem thought how tar scheme who was killed in explosion at st. petersburg cafe a week ago to starsky, wasn't outspoken supporter of russia's invasion of ukraine and published frontline reports in his blog. russian authorities say his killing was an act of terrorism and have arrested a suspect. israel's military says its jets have struck

a military compound and radar system in southern syria in retaliation for 6 rockets . it says we're fired from the golan heights area casualties have been reported. israeli army says it holds the state of syria. responsible is really have taken to the streets in the latest round of protests against the government plan to limit the judiciary powers. demonstrator said the proposal is a power grab. the weekly rallies are continuing just by ongoing negotiations to find a compromise between opponents and supporters of the law. police and iran say they are installing cameras in public spaces to identify and punish women, not wearing a headscarf authority say the move is to protect the country. strict hedge of law, growing number of iranian women are choosing not to wear had scarves, in a show of defiance. o francis has returned to public view to preside over easter vigil mass. at saint peter's basilica, the pontiff is recovering from

a recent illness, but used the opportunity to condemn what he called the winds of war and other injustices. he also baptized some convert to catholicism. saint peters, basilica was shrouded in darkness. as pope frances inscribed a candle to begin the easter vigil, they told me flickering flames spread throughout the thousands in attendance until the ancient cathedral was bathed in light. it was a grand stage for pope francis to return to the pulpit on the eve of the most important holiday in the catholic church where he addressed the central easter scene to you of the victory of good over evil. ha sheila, cynthia, put in these garage. i may feel helpless and discouraged before the power of evil. i conflict seeking that conflicts the terror relationships apart, you know, as you can in the attitudes of calculation and indifferent. well, will that seem to prevail in society gone for the lack of the cancer of corruption,

the spread of injustice angels teeth the i see wins of war. 11 frances had recently been hospitalized for bronchitis and decided to skip an outdoor night time procession on good friday. but it didn't stop him from presiding over the easter vigil which lasted over 2 hours. and the ceremony provided 8 new followers with a moment. they're not likely to forget assays a baptism by the pope himself bother you. at the end of the vigil, francis departed to rest and prepare for the last event of holy week. the easter mass in saint peter's square, which the vatican expects to attract tens of thousands of faithful with the paris summer olympics over a year away. the debate over a russian band still rages, but it's not just russian athletes that are and limbo men. ukrainian athletes also face an uncertain future. these ukrainian trends have their i sat

on the 2024 sam again. the autistic swimmers have spent years training. but marina and lady slaver, alexey eva, find themselves facing a cool choice. what's in with them? we don't want to meet the russians at competition. so the quote, if they go, we won't go, we don't want to meet them and we cannot meet them. it was and was, and in general, all the federations, whether ukrainian or international should do everything they can to not let them participate with efficient move was phoebe after russia's invasion, ukraine has threatened to boycott the games if russian athletes are allowed to participate. but the international olympic committee has said that russian athletes should be allowed to compete, as neutrals, along with the main purpose of the didn't pick games is piece, what piece can they be with russia? it's your own. if the ios he allows russia to take part in the olympic games,

then these games are not about peace any more themes and what would be the message behind? it was even under a neutral flag. they were under the neutral flag at the last olympic games and it didn't change anything. they started a was. we'll need a little a real, a want that has made training and preparation for the games extremely difficult for ukrainian athletes. despite the future hanging in the balance, the sisters insist they more determined than ever. and finally, an artist in italy has come up with his own special tribute to pablo picasso. on the 50th anniversary of his death thought he will come bartering used a plow to carve this work into a giant field. northern italy's po valley combines as he was inspired by because 19 or 7 self portrait to create what he says is the largest image of the spanish orders in the world. because who died on april 8th, 1973 in france. and here's

a quick reminder of the top story we're following for you at this hour. china has an worships and dozens of fight jets towards taiwan after launching 3 days of military exercises. many have crossed the median line that separates the self governing island from the mainland asian called the drills a stern morning to taiwan. and you're up to date, but to stay to coming up next sports life joins. a 15 year old female skateboarder . she prepares for next year's olympic games. i'm here to lean berlin, thanks for tuning they want to know with love and batting thing.