president trump says it's very possible the north korean crisis can't be resolved peacefully despite the two koreas agreeing to compete under one for i get the upcoming winter olympics. the u.n. agency for palestinian refugees slams america's decision to cut the organizations funding calling it the worst crisis in its history plus. there are russian agents in his very own parliament right now just lies and lies and lies are being told throughout europe and we hear the same story over and over again talk about russia dominates in the european parliament's with members clashing over alleged threats and fake news coming from moscow.

partridge and you're watching the headlines here at r.t. international thank you for joining us. donald trump says there's a possibility the north korean crisis won't be resolved peacefully the u.s. president claims that's because having dialogue with pyongyang is next to impossible when we won the case here actions between the koreas have led to a major breakthrough in their relations. as more in this recent interview given by u.s. president donald trump trouble repeated much of his typical rhetoric demonizing north korea for trying them as a threat to the region and from there he went on to say that sanctions and isolation of the country and threats were probably the best approach because dialogue with that country might be impossible this is donald trump's words i'm not

sure the talks will lead to anything meaningful they've talked for twenty five years and they've taken advantage of our presidents of our previous presidents to listen to trump's words you would think that the dialogue currently taking place between the north and the south was irrelevant that nothing was happening but it looks like some historic breakthroughs have actually taken place this is what's was recently announced. to the north and south who marched together in the opening ceremony under the korean peninsula flag from a single north south female ice hockey team. so here we have upcoming a joint women's ice hockey team that will be playing in the olympic games competing under a unified korean flag this is this is a huge breakthrough we also have two hundred thirty north koreans who are actually coming to the olympics to cheer and observe the games so there are some big breakthroughs going on but trump does not think they're significant is rhetoric

trump did not only criticize north korea he's also called out shyness saying that he praised their efforts but he wished that they would do more and he said that russia wasn't helping at all now russia was a signatory to the recent sanctions on north korea and they have stated over and over again that they have not at any point breached those sanctions that they signed on to now with all of this with his criticism not just of north korea but also of russia and of china donald trump seemed to be emphasizing that he believed that his approach in which the north koreans were met with more isolation more economic sanctions more threats and more of a punitive approach he believed that that approach was the best way to bring peace to the korean peninsula. and it's not just don't trump sounding tough on north korea western allies from the nine hundred fifty s. korean war have gathered in canada pushing for even more sanctions. against if explains whether the meeting has produced any meaningful solutions. the purser

campaign will continue until north korea takes decides to do nuclear i think that. is to send out a very clear message we want to intensify that pressure it is not the time to pressure. career the surest path to peace is to keep threatening north korea into submission after a long and challenging meeting that's the best the value of a group could come up with the purpose of our meetings today is to improve the effectiveness of the maximum pressure campaign and combat north korea's attempts to evade sanctions the united states looks forward to hearing from our protest votes on how we can best do that more sanctions toughest sanctions though one might wonder what there is left of north korea to sanction or why they would work now when they haven't for seventy years

a few of the participants also proposed ripping up all diplomatic relations with the north that were to work and diffuse things re-inforcing autonomous majors when where available. including cutting off diplomatic ties to his north korea solid meeting of north korea's former enemies literally almost all of these countries were participants off the korean war on the side of south korea states such as luxembourg colombia greece belgium difficult to imagine what relevance they have to the korean crisis these days but there you go noticeably absent with two countries that are actually relevant to the crisis apart from north korea itself the two countries that actually share a border with the north china and russia. russia and china were not invited to this meeting so they just said the meeting would take

place on the sixteenth of january. you can come in the evening we will tell you what we have agreed on this was unacceptable what the state department said about russia supporting this meeting that's a complete lie we consider this meeting home for. the most important parties involved in the korean peninsula nuclear issue you are taking part in the meeting but we don't know what the goal of this meeting is so i don't think this meeting is legal or representative from the very beginning china has been opposed to this meeting you should ok so you invited a bunch of countries that have little to do with the crisis and came up with all the tried tested and failed solutions they went a step further refusing any advice russia and china have long stood by a double freeze meaning north korea stops doing this. and south korea and the united states stop sending nuclear bomb is to harass the

north and poor's with the war games. no said rex tillerson when the north does it it's a provocation when we do it it's deterrents have a jew away but couldn't you wait. at long last after years north korea and south korea holding direct face to face negotiations the olympics around the corner and everyone with any sense once things to settle down so what does the vancouver group do while it gathers all of north korea's former enemies and declares it intends to tighten the noose around kim jong un's neck how's that for a path to peace. security analyst charles schumer it says it's ironic that was

asked korea is seeking peaceful solutions their supposed allies are escalating the rhetoric it's a considerable course diplomatic achievement for the north and arguably for the south but i think it's completely ironic that the last face if you like not exactly a fall on the bottom on it's going on at least a thawing of tensions between north and south that is happening in vancouver the former allies of the of south korea of course are tightening the noose as they call it increasing the rhetoric and raising the temperature south korea itself today is seemingly at least for the time being rejecting that belligerent approach and actually adopting an approach of talking and trying to ease tensions and seemingly with some first steps as results it appears to be the case that when the interests and the foreign policy and the actions of the united states are put to one side

local players are to some degree at least able to start finding local solutions. the u.n. agency for palestinian refugees has slammed america's decision to freeze more than half of its planned funding for the organization the agency is calling it the worst funding crisis in its history after a white house spokesperson and notes the decision we committed a voluntary contribution of sixty million dollars for twenty eight thousand so far sixty five million dollars that is money that will be held for future consideration it's money that's been frozen at this time it's not being canceled it's just being held for future consideration this is not aimed at punishing anyone. well the move spawn twice go protest in gaza with many venting their anger asked america's decision people held up by nice and chanted slogans demanding further assistance for refugees. from decided out of the world europe the arabs and everyone who has

a connection to the palestinian cause is responsible for this we are the palestinian people who are evicted from our homes towns and c.d.'s we have a right to the support of the un r w an item which provides a minimum of assistance to the palestinian people are that what is now provided is not enough for a family to leave on for a month. artie's middle east correspondent paula slater takes a closer look at how the decision may affect refugees what we have heard from the united nations relief and works agency that this american money freeze will result in a dramatic reduction on the lives of palestinians this is a humanitarian and relief agency that supports some five point nine million registered palestinians and their descendants who flare the word expelled from israel during the one nine hundred forty eight and nine hundred sixty seven was they currently reside in the palestinian territories in gaza in east jerusalem as

well as in jordan syria and lebanon and this is why there is some concern being expressed that particularly in those host countries this decision by the american president donald trump could result in any instability now this is a huge blow to one where because the united states is the single largest donor and it follows course from the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to have the agency close down altogether. u.n. r.w. a is an organization. the right to return for palestinian refugees narrative in order to eliminate the state of israel therefore the u.n. r.w. must become a thing of the parched now for nearly seventy years on where has been a lifeline to the palestinians who say that without it basic access to services like education health care sanitation would simply vanish and leave hundreds of thousands of children to even move around

a bit where they are today there is also concern about his latest fear undermines the ability of the united nations to respond in the future if and when there is a flare up of violence. we spoke to dr mustapha bug general secretary of the palestinian national initiative he says the decision will hurt palestinian refugees scattered across the middle east these are now more than five million or six million refugees that will be punished for being good a few g.'s b. will be deprived from the school to provide for the medical care the will the.

deprived from shelter to people with disabilities this is a very serious blow to the work of a very important agency that is providing humanitarian aid to palestinian refugees in syria in lebanon jordan and in palestine itself back in june the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. nikki haley tweeted a picture of herself with palestinian refugees at a camp in how post she explained how she'd managed to talk with them about their hopes and dreams however two weeks ago she changed her tone calling into question the future funding of the refugee agency. i think the president has basically said that he doesn't want to give any additional funding or stop funding until the palestinians are agreeing to come back to the negotiation table and what we started to resolution was not helpful to the situation we're trying to move for a peace process but if that doesn't happen the president is not going to continue

to find that situation this. is directed. that ides of the palestinian defuses a typical gloom what you just said the palestinians. just because we're not coming to the table of negotiations and. mr president that i'm off the table of negotiations those who are viewed as i don't know his dick and off those of. you has dickon off the issue of settlements. bill is the empty why would. you believe over to him this will never happen. when we were members of the european parliament have had a busy day discussing russia and supposed threats coming from moscow r.t. europe correspondent peter oliver has more now what we did see is this polarizing m.-e. piece on one side the group that said that russia was the root of all fake news and lies they were trying to drum up support and extra cash for the east struck calm

task force now that's the e.u. body that tries to look into an expose what it sees as fake news r.t. sputnik featured very heavy in some of the rhetoric coming from. their focused firmly on the fact that every vote in europe was potentially the target of a dust that the russian plot and there are russian agents in this very own parliaments right now and they're already trying to actively influence our elections russia to come to other channels are dangerous it's quite interesting. but the communists and the extremists nationalists in this chamber they can see russia and us information. and of course your carbs but we can see you are also voices pointed back towards those same any piece you just heard from saying that they were just looking for a bogeyman

a scapegoat for their own political failings and that russia fitted about skate go perfectly we need to be careful when using phrases like i'm not trying to defend the russian regime by that i'm just rather skeptical of references to interference in the us and european elections there is no evidence of such interference. siskind lies and lies and lies are being told throughout europe and we hear the same story over and over again. you say that the russian media spreads false figures and facts as when have russians provided false facts when i followed events in libya afghanistan iraq and syria and in all instances i've seen the transatlantic lies the media have been reporting published the findings of following from this debate on whether there needs to be more financing for the struck on passports in the spring and keeping an eye on not expect to see this debate over fake news not going anywhere anytime soon. in gaza lonia probably independent supporters have rallied

to celebrate a separatist victory in the regional elections but a bully in the new parliament more on that after the break. but politicians do something to. put themselves on the line. to get accepted or rejected. so when you want to be president. some want to be preached.

to the right to be close with what before freedom or people. interested always in the why. there should. be. welcome back pro independence supporters have held a mass rally in catalonia celebrating the first session of the newly elected regional parliament which has a separatist majority. widescale relatives have been a common sign since catalonia spoke for independence was declared illegal by men

trid move saw a number of pro independence politicians killed while former catalan leader. went into exile in belgium many are now expressing hope that he would turn to power. we expect that from here today man can be proclaimed president the best option the one way that he swears in as president and brussels because what people have chosen it and then he comes back to catalonia as an elected president. but i think there is a way that he can be elected and stay in brussels. what is best for the country's disobey the spanish monarchies to make the catalan republic go forward there is a whole country behind him a social majority once the catalan republic we don't have anything to do with the spanish monarchy emotionally mentally speaking and we want to make the republic go forward. after the first session of parliament wrapped up the question of electing the region's president remains open palace which tomorrow claims he could run the

region via sky or through a special representative well during the session the seats of the representative absence due to imprisonment already well marked with yellow ribbons the symbol of the independence movement well apart from pro independence activist anti breakaway movements have also been gaining popularity made to bania it's a fictional land inside catalonia which includes the regions of barcelona and gone are the activists who came up with it wanted to split from catalonia and join spain and this is the the reason. it was but i don't know what that is that i can i mean we went from being one of the main drivers of the spanish economy to a mediocre autonomy at the exit of more than three thousand companies was followed by encouraging the civil population to disobey the constitutional order to get a republic that lasted eight seconds and without any international support.

russia's investigative committee claims that new evidence refutes allegations the state sponsored the swapping of athletes samples at the sochi winter olympics artie's daniel horgan's has the details. well this is the result of a low inquiry by russia's investigative committee going all the way back to last year with regards to that doping scandal they've looked into some new details of course of google rights in coffs account before head of moscow's anti doping approach really for now whistleblower and fugitive in the united states into some of the technical details in his allegations namely how allegedly these samples were transported and tampered with they found out that these samples were transported to the social abode three under strict conditions of supervision and then processed during daytime periods of between thirty minutes and two hours so a very rapid turnaround that of course contradicts accounts which was quite different. people coming from the fire and here.

i was a. little. sort. of there claiming that this alleged operation took place in the dead of night it was of course his claims that resulted in this scandal which resulted in the banning of many russian athletes and blanket ban and subsequently on the team. himself of course is a controversial enough figure as we said he's the former head of moscow's brought tree he is wanted though in russia on drug trafficking charges on selling and moving dangerous and illegal substances we understand he's now under a witness protection program in the united states nevertheless despite these charges it was his evidence his allegations that led to the mclaren report subsequently used as a basis for this banning blanket banning of russian athletes at international olympic events just last month we learned that i you see decided to impose a ban on the blanket ban on russian athletes at the south korean winter olympic

games making them participate hundred neutral flag not under russian flag not playing the russian at them. so this result really puts into question many of allegations raises more questions than answers but certainly a very interesting turn to this story very interesting to see to follow it and see where it goes after this. activists supporting the recent movement against sexual misconduct so now we're talking their peers or service actors and all the public figures who have question the direction in which the so-called need to campaign is going to facing a few respond clash linda again has the latest examples i feel like every time you turn around another me too headline has hit the press with new accusations from directors to actors to fashion photographers but it seems we've reached a turning point as we're now in feminist are concerned that the campaign is becoming a witch hunt take margaret atwood author of a handmaid's tale an acclaimed work attacking mythologising who says she's starting to doubt the movement this

structure guilty because accused has applied to many more episodes in human history than salem my fundamental position is that women are human beings the full range of sente end demonic behaviors does entails including criminal ones they're not angels in keep of all of wrongdoing the backlash she's received online and in the media has been ruthless strange how someone so brilliant can demonstrate some legal insight and self reflection i guess privilege is blinding which margaret atwood would get back to writing dystopian a fiction but a message in this world instead of you know actively creating it. i mean seventy eight year olds on exactly knowing that progressive takes congolese a writes the first female african-american secretary of state also says me too maybe changing perceptions of women and not for the better i do think we have to be a little bit careful let's not turn women into snowflakes let's not

infantilize women over in france one hundred influential female artists are being led by actress catherine deneuve and signing an open campaign letter against me to rape is a crime but in system comes the floor is not a crime nor is gallantry of sharpness aggression now this liberation of speech has been turned on its head but the reaction to that was furious and another was forced to issue a hasty apology a few prominent men have also voiced their reservations one of them was actor liam neeson there is a bit of a witch hunt targeting famous people. accused of. touching some girls in the forest something suddenly they're being dropped from their approval rymer something unsurprisingly recent comments have also been less than well received by many the problem here seems to be that there's often a if you aren't with us you're against us mentality with movements such as me to those who are speaking out about their concerns are not condoning sexual assault

nor attacking the campaign itself but more often than not their words are twisted or go unheard attwood may have said it best herself in times of extremes extremists when. more news at the top of the hour in the meantime. the two thousand and eight economic crisis turned some countries into pigs these are the countries with we korea colonies that needed austerity policies if you are in a situation of low gloat even the recession austerity is a very bad idea it doesn't work and it makes millions of people very unhappy those who are unemployed see their wages decline after almost a decade how good are the results just all of it to new york city's will by the

people gathered in which the wad of good people with you what do i do engineer it choice letting three d. be in full view she thought plumbers i mean if a legal. challenge nothing more than this you mom was always the case you stand there and not get it was why are the same measures still in place to one of the consequences who's to we can blue bird flu dismantle who will first do more of this is the truth the consumer does the consequences are actually quite acceptable to the decision makers. join me every first day on the alec simon show and i'll be speaking to get off of the world of politics or business i'm show business i'll see that.

greetings and valued patients that incredible stupendous stalwart resistance movement in the united states congress to counter president donald trump and his agenda continued yesterday and the senate democrats voted past filibuster efforts by sen rand paul to move closer to extending the controversial foreign and domestic surveillance powers granted infection seven o two of the foreign intelligence surveillance act or as we lovingly call it spies in eighteen senate democrats including senators claire mccaskill dianne feinstein and renowned from prisoner jeff lake have now joined fifty five fellow democrats in the house of representatives to basically hand rather than donald j. trump an attorney general jeff sessions of the keys to the superfast surveillance

supercar that is section seven o two i guess when the national security state is on the line hash tag resistance quickly becomes hash tag assistance yes that bad and it's this kind of failure of governments to properly protected and act in their citizens best interests that help spur larry think the founder and chief executive of the six trillion dollar investment firm blackrock to levy an unprecedented ultimatum to wall street tuesday . he basically says help make society better or else in the letter think rights since the financial crisis those with capital have reaped enormous benefits society is demanding that companies both public and private serve a social purpose companies must benefit all their stakeholders including shareholders employees customers and the communities in which they operate today

our clients who are your company's owners are asking you to demonstrate the leadership and clarity that will drive not only their own investment returns but also the prosperity and security of their fellow citizens. i'm sorry but i i believe i believe i just i just read a modern titan of corporate capitalism i think may have just blinked demanding benefits for everyone not just shareholders demanding diversity and better retirement for workers serving a social purpose not just a financial one could could this really be the awakening of a new hash tag woke wall street. let's find out as we start watching the hawks. you deal with the running. to the bank the rails in. the bottom.