♪ brent: this is "dw news" live from berlin. tonight, violence of the e.u.'s doorstep. polish forces use water cannon and tear g to push back migrants trying to enter boleros. police say the crowds pelted them with rocks. leaders are trying to defuse the crisis that they say blood was

created. also coming up, of the u.s. and china had their first ever virtual summit, but it did little to close the gap on a real flashpoint issues. and uganda's capital city rocked by a suicide bomb and the so-called islamic state says it was behind the attack that killed at least three and injured dozens more. and economic uncertainty in afghanistan means struggling farmers are turning to illegal crops that fueled the global drug trade. ♪ brent: i'm brent goff. to our viewers on pbs in the united states and to all of you around the world, welcome. we begin with the border stanford that turned violent. clashes broke out at an e.u. flashpoint went polish military

use water cannon and teargas. migrants. the european union has approved more sanctions against the belarusian government initiated. for creating this crisis. . the e.u. accuses belarus of attracting asylum-seekers from the middle east the border with poland. >> an outburst of violence after days of mounting tension. polish authorities say they fired water cannon and teargas, after migrants threw stones and attempted to destroy a fence. hundreds amassed at this closed crossing, just some of the several thousand stranded across the belarus-poland border in freezing temperatures. their frustration expressed with each her stone. >> we are sleeping in the forest, in the cold in hungary. we are trying to get in but they don't let anyone help us.

we will give them stones. reporter: the polish reaction give the russian foreign minister a chance to lecture the european union about human rights. >> the behavior of the polish side is unacceptable. i think the water cannon, the teargas, and that's over the migrants' heads towards belarus, all of it reflects a desire to hide their own actions. they must understand that they are violating all thinkable norms of international and humanitarian law. reporter: as the situation escalates, so, too, does the diplomacy. the belarussian leader alexander lukashenko held a call with german chancellor angela merkel, claiming he does not want confrontation. >> as i told merkel, the

problem is that if we don't save these people, we will both lose. both belarus into a bigger extent, the european union, which doesn't let the refugees through to its territory. that is why we need to urgently make a decision about them. reporter: the e.u. and its allies blame belarus for sparking a crisis. ministers met in brussels with nato, raising the prospect of a military response. >> we are deeply concerned about the way that lukashenko regime is using vulnerable migrants is a hybrid tactic against other countries. this is actually putting the life of the migrants at risk. ♪ [chanting] reporter: and this is the human cost. 11 people have died in recent weeks. the latest, a 19-year-old syrian man who died trying to cross the river into the e.u., laid to

rest by members of portland's small muslim community. they say they fear he will not be the last migrant they have to bury. brent: for more on this, i am joined by our correspondent following events for us from brussels. that to you, terry. we have seen the most violent clashes in the standoff so far today. what has been the reaction from the european union? guest: perhaps not surprisingly, the e.u. and nato are much less vocal about the violations of human rights in their own member countries than they are in others. these pictures must be making the e.u. officials very uncomfortable. poland's actions are not what anyone would like to see from an e.u. country, but at the same time, everyone in this town in brussels, remains unified behind the message that it was belarus thataused this situation.

. never mind that now it is the migrants on the other and of the water cannons. . the blame remains on minsk. that is the message they are sticking to so far. i wouldn't doubt, and i would even hope that some private messages are being asked to the -- being passed to the poland government, asking them to be judicious in their use of strong-arm tactics. for one reason, as you heard foreign minister lavrov, it gives russians and other adversaries something to talk about. brent: you say the blame remains on minsk. yet we have heard that the leader of belarus, lukashenko, had a phone call with german chancellor angela merkel yesterday. did that conversation raise a few eyebrows in the european union? guest: it did. angela merkel did tell the e.u. leaders that she was going to make this call so, he did not

come as a surprise, they did not find out about it in the headlines. some estonian politicians said this was the wrong way to handle this. no e.u. leader has spoken with lukashenko since august 2020, since the disputed elections when the e.u. agreed that lukashenko had stolen the opposion, thate was not legitimate leader. no one else has bestowed legitimacy upon him of giving, him a phone call, until angela merkel. so people are willing to see if any good comes out of this call. but there are people who think that no one on this side of that order should be speaking with alexander lukashenko. brent: it is interesting that the german chancellor spoke with lukashenko when this crisis was erupting the first person merkel formed was the russian president, vladimir putin. this begs the question tonight does the european union has a clear plan on how to bring this crisis to an end? guest: you know, we have spoken about this several times, and the plan that the e.u. is

putting in place does seem to be having some effect. the first thing they are doing this week is to go directly to capitals and ask them to stop the flight. stop people from getting on the flights to add to people getting on the borders. and we have seen airlines in iraq and syria and qatar, the uae and turkey, many of them now saying they will no longer allow people to get on fights to minsk, because it is obvious they will counter no good end. but that does not solve the problem of the people who are already on the border, the people in this tug-of-war between belarus and poland. it is not clear how this will turn out. these people have to go somewhere before they can be repatriated, if that is going to be the way it is handled. they are getting very cold and they are in a very difficult position. brent: of our correspondent was the very latest tonight from brussels, thank you.

in their first virtual talks, the leaders of the u.s. and china did little to resolve the real problems that have turned bilateral relations icy. as president joe biden and chinese president xi jinping stressed the need to cooperate where possible in the battle to stop climate change, but china also issued a warning to the u.s. on its support to taiwan -- you are playing with fire. >> as three hours of virtual meetings wrapped up, the leaders of the u.s. and china could agree on one thing, they need to get out of each other's way. the two nations stressed the need for competition to remain peaceful. pres. biden: as i said before, it seems to be our responsibility as leaders of china and the united states to ensure that competition between our countries does not turn to conflict, whether intended or unintended, just simple, straightforward competition. reporter: chinese president xi jinping says corporation benefits not only the u.s. and china, but also the world.

president xi jinping: right now, both the u.s. and china are at critical states of development, and humanity lives together in a global village. we face multiple challenges together. as the world's two largest economies and permanent members of the u.n. security council, china and the united states need to increase communication and cooperation. reporter: it was a public attempt at lowering temperatures between the two superpowers amid rising tensions, but in private, disagreements were raised in the meeting. licy towds taiwan continued to separate the two, with xi saying any u.s. interference is like playing with fire. beijing claims that the self-governing island is part of china. by did raised china's human rights record in hong kong, tibet, and xinjiang. he also raised concern about

china's buildup of nuclear weapons. but china was quick to point out that it's stockpile is much smaller than the one in the united states. no agreements or announcements are expected from this summit, but the two leaders welcome the opportunity to have conversation . brent: joining me tonight from washington, d.c. is michael, he is a senior china analyst for the eurasia group, which helps investors and businesses understand how politics impacts markets around the world. michael, good to have you on the program. there were smiles all around at the beginning of these virtual talks between biden and xi. but there was some harsher rhetoric when it came to trade. how did you read that? guest: well, i mean, i think as with many issues, as you have said, really a lot of the fundamental differences are going to be very difficult to bridge between the two. this meeting was really about looking to avoid tail risks. a recognition by both leaders

that the relationship has been on a trajectory where a crisis was a real stability. it's neither side and neither leader. so i think the back-and-forth on trade on taiwan reflects the fact that it is going to be very difficult to make progress on these issues. trade, i would say, is difficult. but probably, there is a bit more room for cooperation, certainly on an issue like taiwan, which is really, truly intractable. brent: you say it is intractable. we have two countries that are on trajectories that are not parallel on a trajectory of collision course. do you see as bilateral ties, do you see the possibility of averting military conflict in the future over taiwan? guest: i think ailitary conflict can be avoided. we certainly hope it will be.

particularly if look over the ne several years. i think, unfortunately, the risks with taiwan probably go up over time, because i think there will be more of an urgency on the part of xi jinping and the chinese regime to resolve this issue, meaning, to make progress on reunification. and there is greater uncertainty over the long-term. in, some ways there is less risk for china to move militarily in the future, whereas today it remains quite risky for them to contemplate. it doesn't mean military conflict is inevitable. but i do think it is a fairly low risk today. and unfortunately, it is a risk that grows over time. brent: that is a bleak outlook for the future as we look towards the middle point of this century. we will have two military superpowers looking at each

other, aren't we? guest: absolutely. i mean, we are in the process of china catching up with the u.s. in some really important areas, particularly in the military domain and china already have been caught up in others. so this is really i think a key point, the relationship at this point is a structural rivalry. these are two countries that are competing in more parts of the world and in more areas, such as technology and, increasingly, ideology. so this kind of reading is important for avoiding an accident, but we have to be realistic about what it can achieve in terms of lowering tensions. brent: michael, we appreciate your time and your expertise tonight, thank you. guest: thank you. brent: alright, let's look at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. our medias -- armenia says its

soldiers were killed and others captured during its border crisis with azerbaijan. it comes a year after the two countries went to war. armenia has asked russia to help defend it. moscow has called on both sides to end the escalation. british police released four men arrested following the bombing outside a hospital in liverpool last sunday. a homemade device exploded in a taxi, killing a passenger and injuring the driver. police believe the dead man built the bomb. . he has been identified as a 32-year-old asylum-seekers from the released. libya's divisive commander khalifa haftar, announced that he provided for president. he controls much of eastern libya, casting doubt on whether there can be free elections if he is on the ballot. 's forces waged war on the rest of the country during the civil war, following the overthrow of colonial muammar qaddafi.

a judicial panel in nigeria has found the armed forces fired live rounds at peaceful protesters last year. tens of thousands took to the streets of lagos in october of 2022 protest against police brutality. the investigation found that soldiers and police shot at, assaulted, and battered the unarmed protesters, calling it a massacre. so-called islamic state has claimed responsibility for between suicide comics in uganda's capital, capella. the blasts killed three people and dozens more were injured. it is the second time islamic state has claimed in attacking the country. reporter: security cameras caught the blasts as they happened. one suicide bomber targeted a central police station. two others detonated near parliament. >> two suicide bombers were clearly captured o two motorcycles. they we disguid as bodaboda

riders. they detonated the bombs on themselves and that killed them instantly. reporter: passersby helped the injured. cars near parliament caught fire . office workers were evacuated from nearby buildings. >> we first her to blast and then when we stayed a little, we heard another blast. reporter: the ugandan red cross says many of the injured were security officers. police blamed the attacks on the local members of the allied democratic forces an offshoot of the islamic state. >> the hallmarks of the attack clearly indicate that they were from radicalized groups who still have the desire to carry out lethal attacks on soft targets using suicide attackers and improvised explosive devices. reporter: the adf, or allied

democratic forces group, was established in the early 19's by ugandan muslims, dissatisfied with longtime president you're museveni's policies. this latest blast comes in the wake of a series of bomb attas in uganda in recent weeks. brent: in germany, public health experts are urging tighter restrictions as the country battles a fourth wave of coronavirus infections. bavaria rolled out new rules today that mean only the vaccinated or those who have recently recovered from covid-19 are allowed to enter bars, restaurants, and cultural places. but it is not just the unvaccinated have to cancel their plans. >> the day began with lights and gifts. traders at the munich christmas market had high hopes for the season ahead. ready for the guests and happy

if someone comes. but by lunchtime, it was off, and the mayor pulled the plug. citing the rising number of covid-19 infections. following last year's cancellation, the news, especially hard to take. > i am obviously completely shocked. i did not expect that after cit. >> is not good. it is quite a big loss for us, for sure. but what can you do? it is just a shame that we didn't find out earlier. reporter: the move comes on the back of a de facto lockdown for the unvaccinated. here is why. the region's health care system is at breaking point. the majority of patients -- unvaccinated. >> you see the numbers every morning and you think, this can't be true. we feel a bit like the cleaning

mop of the country here. reporter: in berlin, a leading virologist warned mps that restricting unvaccinated people from public life might not be enough. >> i think you have to think about how to introduce here an additional layer of protection for those who are not vaccinated and can be infected in private areas. and from experience, that is about group size, and about the freedom to meet. reporter: the crisis comes as the three parties are locked in talks to form new government and enter the next stage of negotiations, though stop short of proposing any new pandemic measures. >> we expect to have a draft coalition agreement next week. >> thoroughness comes before speed. progress may be, but of little

help to those sticking their livelihoods on life returning to normal. brent: to afghanistan, where despite the economic crisis, one business is raking in the cash. the opium trade. the u.n. has reported a record opium harvest in the country for the 50-year running, worth about 2.7 -- for the fifth year running, worth about 2.7 billion dollars. many afghans are involved. for many farmers, opium is the only way to make ends meet. our correspondent nick connolly has a story tonight. reporter: these are definitely not scenes afghanistan's nutella but rulers want the outside world to see, opium being sold and smoked in daylight. this area has been home to couples drug users, but now it's members are starting to

disappear, rounded up nightly by taliban patrols and taken to a forced treatment centers. >> they come and beat us up. if they catch you, you are sure to get a beating. they tell us to change our ways, and they go after the dealers. reporter: after years of earning protection money from the illegal drug trade while fighting their insurgency, the taliban now say they want to put an end to the cultivation and use of what is, by most estimates, the country's most valuable export, at a time of extreme stress the country's farmers. drought, plummeting consumer demand, and border closures, have seen their income dwindle. the one crop still performing for the formers is the opium poppy. it is sold openly alongside the farmers' other produce. the only thing that taliban announcements changed, they tell us, was to drive opium prices up, when the price for the crops is collapsing. >> i just harvested onions and could not even sell them for $.20 a sack.

we know this is an illegal crop and it is not right. these are illegal drugs, we know that, but what can? we do? reporter: afghanistan's land borders largely shut for exports, and harvests of other crops have rotted. smuggling routes for cannabis and opium have stayed open. this farmer lost his leg as a child to a soviet landmine. more recently, his village star repeated bombing raids targeting taliban insurgents. some fields were left too dangerous to cultivate. he tells us. his fields are to drive for crops even for poppies. so he grows cannabis instead. >> apart from the leaves which we sell, we get the seeds to feed our chickens, and the stems which we use for straws. it gives us three harvests in one. and it doesn't go bad in storage. reporter: margins are tight hear

it, even at the best of times. right now he is struggling to find a 20 euros per month he needs to send one of his sons to school, money he has no chance of making with legal crops. >> if the international community was helping, wouldn't be growing cannabis or opium poppies. of course, we would rather group legal crops, but the big profits and up with the foreign smugglers. reporter: for now, there is little prospect of international aid returning in anything like the volume seen under the previous government. without it, afghanistan's economy looks to suffer for the future, opening the way for more opium poppies and more cannabis in these fields, and more narcotics on the streets of afghanistan's neighbors. brent: nick connolly reporting there. concern is mounting since it top -ranked chinese tennis player disappeared, after alleging sexual assault by a senior chinese politician. peng shuai alleges she was

forced to have six with a member of china's top decision-making committee. she made the allegations two weeks ago on chinese social media. since then, her whereabouts are unclear. reporter: she is one of china's biggest names in sports a former tennis word number one in doubles and a two-time grand champion. he was one of the biggest names in politics, a former member of the communist party's top decision-making body. peng shuai and the married leader had been in and relationship, but peng alleged on social media that he sexually assaulted her three years ago. she wrote that she had no proof, and think like a moth to a flame courting self-destruction, i will tell the truth about you. the post was swiftly removed, and china has moved to shut on the topic. >> i have not heard of it, that

this is not a question about diplomacy. >> i have not heard of the issue you raised. this is not a diplomatic question. reporter: china is big business for sports. . the women's tennis tour, the wta, played its season finale in shenzhen in 2019. but despite risking the ire of beijing, the wta has taken a strong stance, saying the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently, and without censorship. amid reports that peng has disappeared, top players have also voiced concerns. >> honestly, it is shocking that she is missing. more so that it is someone that i have seen on the tour in the previous years wait a few times. so, i mean, there is not much more to say than hope that she will be found. reporter: the wta says it has received assurances from chinese tennis officials that punctuate is safe and not under threat,

but with the organization not being able to reach her independently, concerned for her welfare remain. brent: a quick reminder of the top story we are following for you, polish border guards have used water cannon against migrants trying to enter the country from belarus. police say that the people from the crowd thew rocks at them. the program accuses belarus of sending migrants to the border. it has ramped up sanctions on belarus in retaliation. you are watching dw news live from berlin. after a short break, i will be back to take you through "the day." we will be right back. ♪

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mark: welcome to "live from ris," world news analysis from france 24. france pulls out oone of his last outposts in mali. we have the latest and analysis of what this means in the ongoing fight against extremism. the people killed, several dozens injured in three suicide bombings. police blame it domestic terror group linked to the allied democratic forces. french