north and south korea are to hold their first formal talks in two years after donald trump claimed his tough stance on pyongyang and made the meeting possible. also this hour the israeli prime minister faces mass protests over mounting corruption allegations with thousands again marching in the streets of tel aviv. in full swing in germany. and what some see as the country's worst political crisis years. thanks for joining us here on r.t.

international nine pm now in the russian capital. you're very welcome on the program tonight a north korea is set to hold official talks with its southern neighbor for the first time in two years as tensions run high on the peninsula there are signs the spot is easing now with some progress already made at the start of the year has already seen the reopening of a cross border phone line the next day trump delayed annual military drills with seoul until after south korea holds the winter olympics next month face to face negotiations with the north are set for tuesday when we can go live now to. the story gets this caleb thanks for coming on again what can we expect exactly from these talks is there a mood of optimism at all. well it's hard to tell exactly everything that will be discussed now we know that one thing that is probably going to definitely be on the agenda will be the upcoming olympic games now we've heard from south korea's unification minister and he has said that he hopes that the talks

become a place to ease the tensions now if you've been paying attention to everything that's been going on on the korean peninsula over the last few months you can tell there's quite a bit of tension there and you can almost you almost can't really imagine it being worse let's take a look at what's been happening. now when the leader of north korea kim jong un was giving his new year's address he surprised a lot of people and unexpectedly called for talks or said he was open to talks between north korea and south korea this is what we heard from kim jong un during his new year's remarks. if the south really wants reconsideration and unity we will

keep open the doors for talks contact and exchange to everyone including the south korean administration opposition parties groups from various fields and policies and individuals now the moon administration in south korea as always you know called for a more diplomatic approach to the north and so when they heard about the possibility of talks they jumped on it immediately now we did hear however donald trump first on twitter and then later in comments to the press and elsewhere say that it was his fault and his his responsibility for the renewal of dialogue between the north and the south this is trump. a lot of people have said a lot of people have written that without my rhetoric and without my tough stance and such a stance i mean this is this is what has to be done if it has to be done that they wouldn't be talking about olympics that they wouldn't be talking right now. right

here of strategic patience with the north korean regime has failed united states is prepared to use the full range of our capabilities to defend ourselves and our allies we will have no choice but to totally destroy north korea little rocket man rocket fuel for the american economy is a sick puppy. now it's interesting as donald trump says that he is responsible for this renewal of dialogue but unlike previous dialogue that has taken place at this point the usa will not be at the table so if donald trump himself is responsible it's odd that he wouldn't get a seat at the table for something that he arranged but at this point the whole world is watching the korean peninsula people have seen how the usa has paused its provided military exercises during the olympic games you know the olympic games are set to commence and now the world is watching as north and south korea are going to

start talking to each other a lot of possibilities here in this moment people are waiting to see what could happen next certainly good news for the thoughts of the new year just to be seen if that can of course last long. new york's then cross the story. and a professor of law in government on the dean at the school tom brooks believe the talks may go well beyond just the olympics. i think the south koreans will be wanting to explore different ways that can lower tensions and i think it is a very important opportunity and a welcome one between the two sides but i also think that one or two meetings in the run up to a winter olympics next month they're not going to achieve everything i think that these talks are happening certainly not because of trumpet in the sense some sense despite. that it is very telling that usually the americans are always in the room and now the americans are nowhere to be found you know what trumps rhetoric has

done has increased the kinds of threats we would get threats in the united states from north korea but increase the level of severity the fact that he's got no representative in the room for the talks there will be actually there to help have anything to do with what goes on in that room or how that negotiations in any way is a sign of how powerless how much the united states is genuinely walked away from world leadership in areas like the korean peninsula. thousands have marched through the streets of tel aviv in israel demanding the resignation of the country's prime minister over mounting corruption allegations you protesters were carrying placards and shouting slogans the now thing the government but does if this report.

for six weeks now its release have been demonstrating against the prime minister the crime minister as they've affectionately nicknamed him not just in tel aviv the capital but it's now growing all over israel proper and always been here for the last three years everybody's talking about it and it's coming up all the time to the media. there is a feeling that the government is corrupt and puts its interests before the citizens . is corrupt. they're tired i think it got elected again it's enough. there are two publicly known cases against netanyahu in the first his wife and he alleged to have accepted illicit gifts tobacco and alcohol from a hollywood billionaire luxurious champagne for the lady and fine cigars for the

gentleman case number two netanyahu reportedly struck a deal with a major newspaper where in return for more favorable coverage he would weaken a rival newspaper using his office and powers as prime minister serious allegations stuff like this has put people in jail you think bebe's scared if there will be recommendations by police to endure so here's a fact i doubt the public knows the vast majority of police recommendations in with nothing more than sixty percent of police recommendations are thrown out here of course denies everything just like his predecessor who'd all met also denied ever taking bribes even as he was handcuffed and convoyed off to jail b.b. doesn't care police can recommend whatever they want it's only if the state prosecutors decide to act will he face trouble and he seems sure they won't

they knew a year ago even before the investigation why did it take a year and a waste of time and public funds there's more of course questions about netanyahu has connections how bibi's cousin ended up in the middle of a controversial billion dollar deal to buy german submarines you know how these things happen but isn't it amazing how a man can be so flippant about corruption allegations against him and so righteous about corruption allegations against. others bridgie reunions are poor into the streets they seek freedom they seek justice i wish the reunion people success in their noble quest for freedom. against other corrupted riches to new learn but try to manipulate.

criticism against him where it is really the. government police is still months away from issuing an official recommendation on whether to try to netanyahu or not but b.b.'s allies as striking back they've passed through legislation that would be the police for making any public recommendations on whether people should be taken to court netanyahu is a survivor israel's longest serving prime minister he has weathered and survived plenty of scandals and next time this law will make it even easier under the israeli law the prime minister does not have to resign even if he is indicted and even when he's standing trial only after he has been convicted

in a certain district court in jerusalem and after he's appeal has been denied by the high court which could take two years or so but this is only beleaguered point from b. public and political point of view there will be a lot of pressure on him to resign or at least step aside for a while once he is indicted. and you coalition talks have kicked off in germany and what's seen as i'm in the market was last chance to form a majority government and avoid yet another election the social democrats on the ruling. should have a credit union will now have five days to enter into a so-called grand coalition both sides seem confident of success of forming an alliance with the social democrats is the only option now left wrangler muckle the previous coalition talks with the green party on the free democrats collapsed two months ago the current political crisis is seen by some as the worst in germany for

years it up to try and go size up merkel's chances of resolving to put together a coalition it takes a match angle has been desperate to make any match she hopes her party could match with the greens but that plan also required matching with the p. or the free democrats are rights why appear to but no it's a match pop ups angle almost got it right with the green party but she's still in favor of using coal power plus her transport minister in the old government called the greens tofu that has fallen into our meat when it comes to the d.p. these folks were nowhere near matching with deep divisions and how to deal with tax and solemn and environmental policies. we will not abandon our foreign policy

with which we are not convinced it is better not to govern than to govern badly so that was it for the so called to make a call the talks. one guy quit using the coalition building up all together but then signed up again. we are not entering a grand coalition we said this clearly in this room after the elections and we still stand by this. time politics and that's why these tools necessary to meet the great challenges facing the world europe germany so angle crossed paths with her old part there swipe left or swipe right the conservative leader is having another go at matching with the social democrats but here again angle may find herself matchless here's why. migration was much less of an issue in twenty third thing when agreeing on the c.d.u. s.p.d.

grand coalition was no sweat today it's one of the main if not the number one issue for germans to worry about the success of the right wing force the conservative blog to get more tough on asylum seekers something the social democrats refuse to accept. instead what they'd love to accept and actually push for is more integration after all the s.p.d. leader wants to see the knotted states of europe and while angle as c.d.u. as moore has it and the varian wing of her block is turning increasingly euro skeptic you don't invite hungary's leader slash e.u. bogeyman viktor orban to a party summit for nothing. then there's the issue of how much to spend on the army the conservatives are seeking more military spending to reach the nato target of two percent of g.d.p.

the social democrats though say that's not what germany needs if eventually these things are nuff to cause a mismatch angle americal may end up in real trouble as the prospects of yet another election looms recent opinion polls show more than half of the germans are against the markle running again earlier we spoke to geo political analyst ron our office he believes a rerun is much more likely than people think the trust in the great coalition is beginning to diminish quite considerably and german population there is already a much higher majority of people calling for new elections as recent polls have showed a good negotiator would have seen much earlier one of the three or four or even negotiating parties. why i'm to represented in two different points that were gathered to listen and obviously angela merkel failed at that

point she did not realize how bad the situation was perceived on behalf of liberals i can imagine that merkel will be replaced. even if there are new elections already in twenty eight. still to come the u.s. army has created a shooting simulation game for teachers in a bid to help them effectively manage gun violence in schools a lot more on that after this short break. manufacture consent to public will. when the ruling closest to protect themselves. with the flaming. lips. the

roots to. our corruption absolute power corrupts absolutely and the bell of the match is over their heads up saudi arabia these days is as corrupt as the day is long and he's just stealing money from folks and with us trying to be had it but americans like that's reform meanwhile ok already there actually are in the process of reform but that somehow evil. teams a national now the us saw me on the department of homeland security have developed a virtual reality training game meant to simulate active shooter situations in

schools is intended for teachers and first responders helping them stay ahead of a potential tragedy. the building could. have been more than two hundred fifty schools shootings in the u.s. just in the last five years that. averages nearly one every week already this new year there have been two reported foreign incidents in schools nearly a third of all mass shootings in the u.s. since two thousand have taken place in educational establishments is a reminder of some of the deadliest.

or asked to actually just how effective this new school shooting spree when i say may be in helping to curb the problem. we have to really understand that we do live in a day and age when children are going to have to understand this at a younger age than we would have liked then we were probably raised with and because of that you know it is good to utilize technology in order to train them to either defend themselves against it or defend others against it and just to be ready for it because sometimes the worst things will happen when children or those in it situation have absolutely no idea how to handle what is happening it provides teachers with at least some information in order to repair any of that that they're

actually use and sold on their school and what that does is it is assumed that the assaults will come there will be more socks and dare i say that there will be there will be more shooting there will be more in schools across the united states we have seen this and there's nothing that tells me that that's simply not true will technology and video games make a decision safer i don't know i hope it will but here's what i do know i know that we have seen mass shooting after mass shooting after back shooting children in the united states but we're working in the schools with young students to help them understand the modern threats of that time and to better prepare with that to know exactly what to do in the case of the current modern threat happiness upon their school in this case it is school shootings the united states and so you know teachers first responders being able to take part in the simulations is going

to help them better train their students for what to do in the event of a school shooting but this is to some degree and acceptance that that is the ongoing reality and that the only true response the only thing that the u.s. can do at this point is simply to prepare teachers for what is coming rather than to point a legitimate alternative to stopping those actually shootings themselves. although it's about now you might think a successful businessman has some better things to do than spend his days picking up litter on the streets well as up that's not so when your on a mission. thank you. out. there i think it doesn't matter how much money you have no matter if you're rich or poor you always need to pass on positive energy to

such an idea that it doesn't matter how old you are either. who. literally public i would pick it up enough to do it again because i collect trash to remind and persuade others thank. you so if ten percent of citizens were like him our environment would be much better. i believe that if i persist the environment would be better keep doing like you even when i'm seventy eighty years old. well but if i can use that to finish the rundown on will of course have more global headlines next hour do stay tuned here on all the international scene about thirty five minutes.

father fox you know i. know. that. everybody i'm stephen bob taft hollywood guy you know suspect every proud american first of all i'm just george bush and r.v. to say this is my buddy max famous financial guru and we're just a little bit different on this day. no one knows up with all the drama happening in our country i'm shooting the road have some fun every day americans. and

hopefully start to bridge the gap this is the great american people. it's a new year but the same stories persist out front is the chaotic trump white house followed by the steel dossier and a possible breakthrough with north korea. the two thousand and eight economic crisis turned some come. trees into pigs these are the countries with we curriculum is the needed austerity policy is if you are in a situation of flow bloat even the recession austerity is a very bad idea it doesn't work it makes millions of people very unhappy those who

are unemployed see there which is the client almost a decade how good are the results in your views will by the fuel out of the increase the water of the people with your daughter june. be it will be she is i mean if a legal. challenge must deal with this young girl who is always think it's the family and not getting paid while the same measure is still in place to one of the . two we. will first. of this is the truth be consider this is the consequences are actually quite acceptable to the decision.

to. go on sophie shevardnadze as the wall transitions from a mechanical to digital the way society functions is rapidly changing. what will the technical revolution bring by ask economist innovative speaker and best selling author shel straw. the rise of digital technologies bringing the whole world closer together distances disappearing nations and borders begin to disappear to where will this rapid progress take us in the coming decades how will our ambition influence future technologies. i will groundbreaking inventions shaped the humans who use them. shell north strong welcome to the show it's really great to have you on our program today so show as to cannot. nation

states are withering away and we'll have citizen stead i heard you say that lots of times. but look all over europe all over the world there are people fiercely obsessed with their national identity london voted to stay in the u. england voted to leave new york voted hillary but the bible bible belt voted trump what makes you think the nation state pendle them one swing back i mean it looks like it is making a comeback no. it seems like they're looking for an identification after thirty five years of intensive globalization. be can now see that there is a little bit of a backlash and it's difficult probably for us human beings to identify with the globe as a unit of analysis however what i think we can clearly see is that people identify with smaller units of analysis and the unit of analysis seems to be the

city so cities seem to be more interesting than ever particularly if we look at the numbers where people are migrating borderless society has already existed in the e.u. for years but for the migrant crisis and a spike in terrorism borders are being green traduced and sassed is it premature to hope for a world without borders. though i don't see see a world without borders i see a world full of borders the question is what kind of borders we will have whether they are soft or hard that's number one number two migration is driven by many factors it's not only war and terrorism also you people are in search of a better life if you look at the border between mexico and the us or between the north of africa and europe you can see that many people are also in search of

a better life tell me something how can sit is exist on their own without a bigger framework who will produce and feed all the bright minds and innovators sitting in skyscrapers look at singapore i mean the van a sieve our times which imports almost all of its food ingredients from elsewhere that's where we are today and the city of course need the surrounding area. support itself that's true also indicates of the three m. case of singapore however or we will see of course the technology will help us to make the city in terms of degree somewhat more. independent however there is no i can see no state in the foreseeable future where the city is independent no the city would always need the surrounding areas so do i understand

right that your idea of the future is based on cities sali is is no where near us or aren't you say one thing in your ideas that the world is going to be made up of entirely of cities i think we have to look at it like this two thousand and six that was the year when more than fifty percent of the world population lived in cities so that was a kind of breaking point and now we are racing to ward stood next level and that he's probably about eighty percent of the world population in cities twenty five to thirty years from now and then the world in terms of its population will be six hundred the cities that account for eighty percent of the world population.