Ah, leaps from north street one and 2 highlights the urgency of increasing our Energy Security in europe. Today we faced an act of sabotage. Several 1000 pipelines are very vulnerable. It just requires a vote. It requires some divers, that bill how to handle explosive devices. Were talking about damage to the piping. Its not clear what kind of pressure really dropped in the danish zone. Theres basically only one actor right now that actually benefit from more answer. That is russia to an act, which likely means a further step of escalation has the situation in ukraine. Now ok also on the de protests against the state to funeral for former japanese a Prime Minister sions are, are by as leaders, honor his legacy. And if on thought, cheat sheet of it was the one who worked harder than anyone else in the world to build and maintain peace with japan, the region and across the globe will see i welcome to the day. Authorities are investigating whether sabotage is the cause of links in the nord stream Gas Pipelines, connecting russia to europe, scientists recorded explosions in the baltic sea before detecting 3 similar tamia sneaks. Ukraines accused russia of carrying out a terror attack. Germany, denmark, and the u. S. All fear it could be sabotage. The criminal says its extremely concerned about the leaks. The pipeline operator says the damage is unprecedented. Gas bubbles churned the baltic. See this video from denmarks military shows one area where 70 meters below sea level gases escaping from the north stream pipelines. The under c pipelines north stream 1. 00 and 2. 00 link russia and germany. 3 red dots mark the places where leaks were detected. Even though the pipelines are not currently delivering russian gas to europe, theyre still fuel in the pipes. The pipelines operator reported a drop in pressure, but research has said they had detected possible explosions in the area where the leaks were observed. Well, the source of these explosions on your meters as, as far as wait until theres nothing natural naturally occurring that could explain these are the exact source of them, is of course a bit hard for all sauce to speculate birts or if these really are explosions, which we find highly likely, but then of course there are man made somehow. Denmarks Prime Minister would not exclude intentional damage to the pipes. If he roughly look, we cannot rule it out today. It is too early to draw conclusions, extraordinary. But this is an extraordinary situation. It is an unusual situation, him and, and there are 3 legals than even with some distance between them. And that is why its hard to imagine that whats happening is a coincidence vehicle in but how polish counterpart alleged that the leaks are sabotaged off to the leaders to it. An Energy Facility in poland. The questions over the gas leaks in the baltic sea highlight how politicized any she supplies have become following russias invasion of ukraine. The kremlin says it wants to know what caused the damage to if she just knew jays creature near them, no option can be ruled out right now. Its clear that there is damage to the pipeline, so we cant exclude any version of events regarding the reason for this young man to before the results of the official investigation. You see youre doing news crew church, which broke to william ninja. Its an investigation that will be closely watched by russia and its european neighbors. Lets watch it now with benjamin schmidt. Hes a former european Energy Security advisor, the u. S. Department of state and joness from cambridge, massachusetts. A welcome back to at d. W. Been what do you reckon . Im sabotaged. Unfortunately, i think so, phil, i think that you know, when we saw this, lets go over the timeline of last 24 hours. The 1st north spring to trunk line. Remember, each north stream pipeline consists of 2 trunk lines carrying half a capacity each. So the 1st of the 2 north string to trunk lines. First had reports of a Pressure Drop rapidly pressurization and then visibility of a leak basically, bubbles coming to the surface. That was 1st seen by a danish f. 16 pilot on patrol in the baltic sea. So what that said to me immediately was, you know, where did this take place . And this took place, se born home. And this is notable because the, the bad se the born home was for a long time objected to, to have constructed life gets going on by all, many of the baltic sea literal states that took place in the ask who convention process underscores the Environmental Security rates. Because of large scale chemical and conventional munition dumping sites in that region that took place post world war 2. So my thought over last night, maybe its some sort of physical security incident related to those dumping sites that were long since warned about since the very initiation of northridge to project development. However, later yesterday, overnight, the rapid drop of north 31 pressure through both of its trunk lines in a location that happens to be north east of bourne home. Not directly adjacent to the north trying to cite really, you know, hits home that very likely is in some sort of manmade incident. And this really raises mistakes in a completely new and different way, but not a way that was completely unforeseen. There are reports that are coming out that the u. S. Intelligence. See the cia actually warned berlin about this potential over the summer, again, rather reported by spiegel, so, so what, what man made but deliberate and who might benefit from sabotaging to none operational pipelines . Well, what there is, there is any number of reasons that one can think of for the Russian Federation to do this, the result, some, some speculation and target spiegel yesterday that, you know, this could be a way for russia to create what would be considered a false flag operation, in other words, to try to blame this either on ukraine or Ukrainian Partisans on the west, on the united states, on poland, on germany, you name it, nato and, and basically to turn up uncertainty. Id also would create uncertainty in, in the markets as well. But also have that Political Uncertainty to try to reduce the solidarity that the west has with ukraine. But at the same time, theres another reason that we can, we can look at. And this is tied back to the siemens gas turbine sanctions waiver issue that i just testified before Canadian Parliament on just a few weeks ago. Which is to say that russia already is saying that should it need to go in and help repair these pipelines. That it, it would have to have sanctions lifted Technology Sanction lifted on the pipelines in on russia for them to be able to do so. Okay, just looking at the pictures of these channing said ones wondering why is that still pressurized gas in these pipelines when neither is operational . Well, 1st of all, we have to remember that for nord string to lets, lets look at that 1st north stream to with go undergoing commissioning operations in the late months of 2021 in early 2022. So it had reportedly been filled with what is known as test gas. So the still methane and was filled with that gas. The last reporting that i have seen in the press before germany took its decision to revoke certification and us took its decision in the hours before russias large elevation to finally impose mandatory bipartisan sanctions to at to stop nord stream to. So what youre seeing from the north stream to pipe is very likely that test gas escaping the pipeline from the sea back into the water column, which is a major concern for, for, for maritime traffic. Because that can actually create, you know, unstable buoyancy situations in the water column that could create a basically danger at the surface level for vessels and north stream. One, yes, although nor 31 for the past 4 weeks or so has been cut off by a political decision by moscow, although blamed on the turbine issue of over the summer. Again, this would be filled with latent gas. So the question is, has russia turned off any pressure that can be going into the end of the pipes to make this sketch catastrophe even worse . And thats not a right answer that ive been able to get yet. Ok, so so, so looking at why this is so important to europe, sab fueled security, Energy Security. But when series coming, im going to be spending a lot more time in doors. How has a, a you done in reducing its dependence on russian, oil and gas . Its working as fast as it can fail. The problem is its very difficult to build infrastructure to increase that direct one to one hybrid carbon swap. So, natural gas for natural gas, you know, russia for swapping out russia for global market, l n g. As quickly as possible theres, theres development of putting surgery gas, the cation units going on across the baltic coastline, and in particular, in germany. But with these unexpected incidence, you have a situation where russia is now already threatening to cut off gas through ukraine and may try to use that to leverage and undermine western solidarity on not only the Technology Things since i talked about earlier, but also on western support for ukraine, trying to get to a cease fire for and to basically reload and get through all of his recruitment of 300000 troops and, and rebuild to, to take another run at ukraine. And we cant let that happen as of a pleasure talking to at been always very clear from the state department here in Energy Security, advisor benjamin smith. Thank you. Thanks so much. Go. Ah. And moscow claims early results from so called referendums and occupied you, crime shows most folks as favored joining russia. The kremlin is expected to use the outcome to annex for regions cave and its allies say these are sharma balance and are refusing to recognize the results via dropping a vote into the ballot box should mean having a say in ones future, but not many ukrainians believed thats what happened in so called referendums, staged in for russian held regions of ukraine. First, results showed overwhelming support for joining russia. Cave in the west have already said they would not recognize the outcome of a valid that ukraine says was in some cases conducted at gunpoint level, which gretschs fema today. Theres a small number of people who have to pick Something Like that agreement mark on the balance. Youre the horton and why . Because a mom comes to every house with a rifle and asked them to vote. Sure. What should people do when an arm person comes to the home of the law . Theyre forced to sign the ballot. We more schumer who do not see a video from mary. You po, shared by the ukranian city, government in exile shows armed soldiers following election workers into residential buildings. A warning by ukrainian or thirties that people will face criminal punishment if they vote prompted some to leave. And others to hide behind closed doors with ukrainian leadership and its western allies see the referendums as a pretext for the kremlin to annexed the 4 regions. Blue hans donnette sk sir parisha and her son many ordinary ukrainians. Think the same network then as a Court Illegal region 14, there were some fascists. Its simply an unbearable thing. Even a human to you in a chilling warning last week, Vladimir Putin said he would be ready to use Nuclear Weapons to protect territory. He considered part of the Russian Federation with the war escalating continuously over the last few months. Many ukrainians left their homes long before moscow staged. Its so cold referendums on their future. Those who stayed faced the likelihood though now have to live as citizens of russia and perhaps even become fighters for its army. Lou, one of the lesser reported aspects of this war is its effect on women and girls in ukraine and around the world. So lets bring in assa regular, shes assistant secretary journal of United Nations and deputy executive director of un women. She joined us from new york. Welcome to the w. A. Lets start in ukraine. Had explained to us how theyve built the wars affecting women and girls differently to men and boys. Thank you so much for having me. Well and the, this the wards, devastating, obviously on everyone. But we can see, for example, that seems women had lower income than men to start with their Food Insecurity and power. Poverty is increasing more than lens. And we see that the increased food prices have the same have that effect on, on remain, that they are often seen of responsible for food and cooking and so on us in many countries. And therefore, the police price, the higher prices have a great impact on their, on their poverty rates. We also know that 90 percent almost of those who havent lived ukraine and during the war we mean waste children. And we know that there is great theresa. Unfortunately for trafficking and other all of exploitation, for example, i would say and forced, forced pornography and different kinds of, of Sexual Exploitation of women and girls. We also know all documented cases of violence, Sexual Violence against women in ukraine and by russian soldiers. So there are many different ways that we are affected in a very, very concerning way. By the way, i did want to ask you specifically about women in those areas of ukraine that are occupied by russians. And this is the threat of Sexual Violence, particularly, is it . Yes thats, that is one very big concern. There has been the recent Ongoing Investigation that is mandated by the Human Rights Council in geneva. And they came out with a 1st report on friday where they document several cases of Sexual Violence against women and girls. And even to me, who works with this on a daily basis all over the world. Theyre very upsetting information in that report. And obviously it is important that the u. N. And the others really try our best ad for just a support. We mean goals. I want to also point out that although women are both victims of violence and other hardship during the war, theyre also extraordinary leaders. And they are often those who support other women and people with bigger needs in the country sides. It may be where people with disabilities who cant move recently. And they actually also are in dialogue with us about the recovery of ukraine, of course, also together with the government of ukraine. I. Thats very clear. And more generally, your report talks about the problems being faced by women and girls being invisible. What do you mean by that at that, as always, i mean they, they in terms of war, obviously everybody is affected. But we might hear more about what happens to, to, to most of all men because a war is for which i man and it is important to highlight what is actually happening to women and children in these situations. And what strikes me the most is that we mean our boss really suffering the effects on war, but theyre also doing incredible deeds for others in terms of highlighting other peoples needs. For example, ukraine is the war. So with a big percentage of elderly people, which we actually havent really seen this way before, and that is a group elderly women is a group that is not necessarily visible under. So thank you so much for joining us. As a regular assistant to un secretary general deputy executive director of you and women. Thank you so much for having me. Ah, a to japan which has held a state funeral for former Prime Minister sions of arbor, who was assassinated in july. It was attended by dignitaries from around the world, but there was also widespread opposition because of the funeral cost and because of divisions over mister abes legacy ah cremated. Shortly after his death, shinto abbys ashes, we carried into his state funeral by his widow, a key abbey. Such services normally reserved for japans imperial family but an exception was granted for the countries longest serving Prime Minister ah, ministers among the International Dignitaries where indian Prime Minister, lorenzo mo, day to day william died it onboarding like a and former british Prime Minister to resume jaqakira locket, japanese Prime Minister, cuz she the fu mio, led the tributes and iep on thought. She sheen, sorry, was the one who worked harder than anyone else in the world to build and maintain peace with japan. The region and across the globe will see how you and to maintain and promote and International Order that values freedom. She democracy think are human rights and the rules law. You stella of a single so logical disha. Ah, ever a polarizing figure in japan. Hundreds protested against our bay state funeral, and its 11000000. 00 price tag. It is perhaps on the world stage, where our base influence is most admired. Us mice, president kamala horace, spoke of his importance. Ah, i hate live he pointed to her friend and an open window sitting in is a member of the in the pacific. As american lead chairs with the service emphasized abes global legacy. As a country under family said they final good by to sins or are they a spring and no to my ass harris season experts on japanese politics and a senior fellow for asia at the center for American Progress is also author of the iconoclast and sions. Are arby and the new japan which examines mister abes rise and fall as japanese leader and harry shaped japans role in the world. A welcome to d w. A. Lets start with these protests about this state to a funeral. Tell us more about the objections. Well, i think there are a few Different Reasons why a Public Opinion ended up becoming so strongly against holding the state payroll and, and to be, to be clear as a state funeral. This means a state funeral funded entirely out of the national treasury, where other Prime Mi