the election. results monitoring. the hold. after its key changes focus. partner in the region turkey. former russian colonel who spied for britain is allegedly poisoned in the u.k. sparking media speculation. by comments from the police also coming up in the program. carrying a baby trying to escape a military operation. in

from around the world welcome. of your company our top story the u.s. military has halted its operations against this law make state in eastern syria in a statement the pentagon said that kurdish forces in the area are shifting their focus from fighting terrorists to country a turkish offensive. some fighters operating within the s.d.s. have decided to leave operations in the middle east river valley to fight elsewhere possibly an r.n. they're not fighting isis anymore and that basically meant that the not taken to richard barrett from isis is quickly as they had been in the past the list syrian democratic forces mentioned in the pentagon statement are predominantly kurdish militia they've been a key ally of the u.s. in the fight against isel in syria enjoyed washington's support well they have now joined the fighting in the city which is located in northern syria which has been

one of the main flashpoints of tension in the country i'm not so after a ground offensive against kurdish forces in january well turkey considers militias based there are terrorists and say it's started the campaign to protect its border with more on this same your account. according to u.s. officials u.s. backed a ground operations against islamic revenants in eastern syria have been put on hold now that's because kurds who had spearheaded combat against extremists have shifted to a separate fight with turkish forces in a free for the kurdish region of free and in northern syria has become a new geo political pivot point in the conflict turkey launched an offensive in a frame in january to expel syrian kurdish forces which it sees as a terrorist group and as an extension of a kurdish insurgency at home while the parties in the region are trying to figure out what to do exactly the violence in the region continues.

for weeks now defense secretary jim matheson other u.s. officials have called turkey's operation a distraction from the isis campaign you know you've got the. distraction of what's going on in africa right now it distracts from international effort to ensure the lasting defeat of isis what is going on in a free and is taking away from the fight against isis it is a distraction as secretary mabus had called it is certainly not helpful however it seems that for kurdish forces the fighting in a frame is more than just a distraction kurds have been washington's key allies in the fight against iceland one of the most effective forces combat ing extremists in the region the pentagon has already admitted that the potential costs of their destruction from the isis is severe now we just have to wait and see how this will affect the battle against

isis in syria and whether or not this will extend u.s. operations in the country. daniel make amends executive director at the wrong paul institute thinks relations between the u.s. on the kurds are unlikely to normalize well it's three months of the old saying it's better to be the enemy than the ally of the united states because if you're the enemy they may try to buy you but if you're the ally they certainly will sell you and that certainly seems like what they're doing with the kurds perhaps the kurds are understanding that they will be sold out they were sold out in iraq as well and they will be sold out in the eastern part of syria where the us is operating and they're coming to the aid of their allies dizzee us hope that the syrian government gets further drawn in to the fight with the kurds against the turks then the us can swing back around and help its turkish ally in fighting the syrian government and the kurds as well maybe that's the move that would mean the big question mark is what will russia do in a situation like that talk about

a disaster. two people are in a critical condition after being exposed to an unknown substance in the u.k. one of them is believed to be a former russian colonel who spied for britain the alleged victim surrogate scribal is retired from the russian military intelligence service in two thousand and six he passed the identities of russian secret agents in europe to the u.k. and was subsequently called scripture was then sentenced to thirteen years in prison but then twenty ten he was released as part of a high profile spy swap with the u.s. and flown to britain. or comparisons have already been drawn with former russian spy alexander litvinenko who died in london back in two thousand and six poisoned with a radioactive substance his death was later blamed on moscow you recall back to two thousand and six that was when a man named. alexander litvinenko was poisoned and died

a slow horrible death is circling st paul was poisoned it will never really do questions about kremlin involvement given that russian defector alexander litvinenko was murdered in two thousand and six using radioactive polonium so it's according to the b.b.c. and sky that this gentleman is the one who's been found ill now the police also as well as not naming who the person is they've also not said anything about what the substance is at this stage however that hasn't stopped the media here from drawing parallels with the case of alexander litvinenko who was poisoned in london in two thousand and six but again it's key to point out that the police haven't named either who the man is or what the substance is involved so at the moment anyway the media seem to be jumping to conclusions in drawing those power else once you put the word russian in front of somebody who's ill taken a hospital the hospital. cleared out from some people or declared declare

that no one could enter the area suspect and what do you read into that you read that it's a radioactive substance is something which is very dangerous and then you say well which country would have the facilities to produce that purp of. the british authorities blamed the murder. go on the f.s.b. eventually back to vladimir putin and they're just going speculatively it's too good it's too juicy it's too good to let go. well the spike to the media speculation sources in the u.k. emergency services have been quoted as saying the former spy may have suffered a prescription drug overdose his symptoms apparently point to the use of a powerful painkiller call it phantom though it's reportedly fifty to one hundred times stronger than morphine and has a similar influence on the body overdoses from the drug cause that least sixty deaths in the u.k. and twenty seventeen former m i five officer i mean must shawn give us her views on

the case. this might just be some sort of drug instant there have been numerous stories over the last couple of years in the u.k. of the spread of. synthetic kind of annoyed called spice which seems to create the same sort of symptoms that were reported in this case people who. dissipated because they've been involved in a spy swap for example their lives are forever changed there's a long history of people in that situation self medicating with substances this happened they were taken to hospital they were identified their names were fed into the system and assume is there their names are fed into the system there's some alert around the fact that this guy had indeed been involved in the sysop in twenty ten suddenly became much more much more news worthy and i think this is where this story is built from. another headline stories this hour and it's really officer has been caught on video throwing a stun grenade at a couple running with an infant. i

was. in the video released by an israeli human rights group we can see a palestinian couple running with a baby on it's really soldier then throws what appears to be a stun grenade in their direction it goes off right behind the family which looks to be fleeing the earlier. we i.d.f. responded by seeing dozens of protesters were throwing rocks after troops in the area of the officers did not spot but the couple were carrying a child the statement went on to say that if a baby had been noticed they would have acted accordingly the rights group which released the video so it's violence by israelis against palestinians is what comes under occupation and little is done to prevent it. the reality of the occupation the israeli occupation over the palestinians in this incident as well as in many many others in recent weeks we're seeing in this collision of violence by israeli

citizens or settlers towards palestinians civilians who are not citizens despite these many many incidents. public awareness is still low and more importantly the military is failing to provide provide. the security required we're seeing that many many of the violence of settlers and military personnel palestinians go without any trials without any investigations or with food investigations and many of them closed down due to lack of the police failure to investigate as they should this is the case and this is the reality that we're in. we have reached the one hundred day mark before football's showpiece tournaments world cup twenty eighteen kicks off here in the ship a total of sixty four matches will take place at twelve either revelant or brand

new stadiums across eleven cities. let's cross live now to danielle hawkins who is in her special studio in central moscow so there we go dollywood we're almost down to just double figures in terms of days until the world cup gets up and running in the russian capital are preparations on track. good morning. surely central moscow here today of course when the world cup does happen it will be in the blistering heat of the russian summer it seems ages ago of course russia won the bid to host the fee for world cup but as it moved closer the time has really flown by a hundred days to go mark the first marker as you say twelve cities proponent a host thousands of fans from all across the world from design in the east to

kaliningrad in the west then. of course have been keeping a close eye on developments so far so good from them it's been a thumbs up from the fee for officials. is very important for fee for and for the local organizing committee to make clear to everyone every fan around the world that the walkup is going to be an inclusive event an open event and welcoming even for everyone respective of their background origin nationality gender sexual orientation or skin color it is an event which is for everyone and this is the commitment that we have made in the local authorities in the local organizing committee that are behind this as well together with us. crossed into security preparations and the security concept people look. forward to use the local organizing committee and we had also a great opportunity to test all the security arrangements and the concepts during

confederations cup last year and everything went forward from what point of view is football's biggest global first of all i need the biggest such sporting event to take place in russia for many many years so understandably a lot has been done for fun come for the country is expecting tens of thousands of fans from all across the world and has taken as we had some previously unprecedented measures to ensure fine comfort namely the introduction of the fine id that will enable people to come to russia visa free and even get free travel between the host cities as they go from much to match also of course and hall and security will be one of the benefits of having this special final id it can easily be picked up at multiple points across the country to enable fines to get around quickly and easily now the organizers of course have aim to please the files that the main guest solve this tournament but of course the main stars the main line ups all the teams themselves have to say they've also had their share of let's say

rather more unusual requests. will come. will come once in a while to prepare and i do you expect to will enjoy it it's about

a boy scout recalled. once in a while i'll be able to give you our best we're going to come for you. clearly full steam ahead with preparations as that countdown begins of course so what better place to watch the latest updates than here on r t with a star studded lineup as well of pundits analysts. to bring you the latest updates on that upcoming sequel cup back to you to i'm liking argentina's electric golf cart stun will we see skirting around moscow in one of those in the coming months from a nippy moscow artie's downing hawkins' thank you very much well we will of course have special coverage all of the tournament with some of football's biggest stars to guide you through it all here in r.t.e. all the board let's run through some of the monk chest united's former goalkeeping great peter schmeichel ex english premier league striker stun cullimore and one of the most decorated coaches of the modern game joe say marino. twenty eight team

coverage we've signed one of the greatest goalkeepers of all but there was one more question and by the way it's going to be our coach. guys i know you are nervous he's a huge star among us and the huge amount of pressure camera you have to get me to the center of the beach but how would you. agree. if you are the rock at the back nobody gets passed to you we need you to get down there we have to go. along with you and i'm really happy to join our team for the thousand indian world cup in russia. this special one come on dr appreciate needs to just read the review the r.t. team's latest addition make it a bigger. look. and the great dane peterson michael has been traveling across russia to take in the final preparations

to. i think i wish football stadiums were like this when i play i think you're saying it's brilliant and you get an idea about how the atmosphere will be and that they're all in on the same kind of theme but they're all very different as well variant of it one one looks like a u.f.o. than another one i said the stadium is such it looked like a cake. i've been to all the eleven cities yet we were finished or that within the next three weeks. but what i've experienced so far is the city's a very nice i'm absolutely sure that fief and the authorities they've got everything under control and so far my experience is that everything has run smoothly and everything is really well organized so my my my advice is to to relax a little bit about the things that we see every day in the western media and then

enjoy it. well we will have coverage fried the day today from some of the world cup host cities as they mark one hundred days until russia takes on saudi arabia and the opening match. still to come this hour as germany's national anthem is caught up in a sexist ra we asked people in berlin what they think about removing words like fatherland. everybody i'm stephen ball test hollywood guy suspects ever proud american first of all i'm just george bush in our view to say this is my buddy max famous financial guru just a little bit different. you know with no doubt with all the drama happening in our

country i'm shooting the brood have some fun meet everyday americans. and hopefully start to bridge the gap this is the great american to. join me every thursday on the elec simon chill and i'll be speaking to guests of the world of politics sports business i'm show business i'll see you then. just approaching twenty minutes into the hour welcome back germany's national anthem could be in line for a gender friendly make over a leaked letter written by the country's equality commissioner us for the words

fatherland and brotherly to be removed across that story our europe correspondent peter all over. it's one of the most recognizable national anthems in the world. but there are plans afoot to make changes to the woods of the lead in an attempt to make it more gender inclusive now this is being put forward by the country's equal opportunities the plan put forward by kristin rose morning would see the phrase full of the land swap for homeland on the line of brotherly with tottenham and changed to courageously with haas and hand it wouldn't be the first time that the german anthem which has been used since one thousand nine hundred twenty two it caused trouble after willed war to the first verse in its opening lines.

but alice soul germany germany above all else caused problems then as well the words themselves were written back in the nineteenth century about german unification however the nazis made them their own. the and. after reunification in one thousand nine hundred one germany adopted the us as its national anthem the first isn't to be sung but people still to forget like earlier this year at a fed cup tennis much in the united states which on good play is found a like. movie. was. and back in two thousand and nine british musician

pete daugherty and could the wrath of a german audience after he sang the first for. during a life performance. was. perhaps the time is right to update the anthem we spoke to some people on the streets of berlin that's what they thought i had jewish vices i don't know i'm undecided i belong to the generation that grew up with this answer i think is good as it is. meant to solve its i think it's fine the way it is. i don't agree with this i think it's nonsense why should we do this just to make one group happy without the words isn't an option either the texas half of the song without it it would only be half of what it is just me i honestly don't care.

because why not i think it's ok the word fatherland has some negative connotations and he somewhat right wing as far as i'm concerned it feels like a negative sort of peach or tears or it would be better if it was more neutral peter all over the. north and south korea maybe on course for better relations with envoys from both countries meeting on monday but it seems not everyone is on board with having warmer toys with pyongyang to look him up and picks up the story. the winter olympic games have seen an unprecedented thaw in relations between north and south korea and now that the games are over the two countries have not given up on their road to better relations at this point south korean envoys are meeting with kim jong un for the first time in more than a decade you won't hear any celebrating in the u.s. though take donald trump's tough talk as far as the risk of dealing with

a madman is concerned that's his problem not mine while warhawk neo cons talk about a military solution all the damage that would come from the war would be worth shit in terms of long term stability and national security to be fair u.s. leaders did pause their rehearsal for all out war during the olympic games but almost as soon as the closing ceremonies were over the tanks and planes were out once again and they were rehearsing for mass death new york times reports that a classified u.s. military exercise examined the number of u.s. troops that would be involved in a potential conflict on the korean peninsula according to their estimate roughly ten thousand u.s. soldiers would be wounded in just the first few days of the new korean war the brutality of this war will be beyond the experience of any living soldier in the north and south korea may be tentatively moving forward but the reluctant united states will only sit down with conditions trump says that a meeting can only be arranged via beijing if the north will give up their nuclear

weapons that according to pyongyang is a ridiculous and preposterous demand we've waited so long for this to come up there's no leadership in south korea that is recognizing that this has gone on for far too long and this leadership under president moon who is a progressive lawyer he knows what dialogue can do and has seen how it can get interrupted by one side or another wanting to engage in this ongoing type of tug of war at the. united states has not necessarily had an interest for peace in korea really. it doesn't seem like the leadership wants to create a real atmosphere for peace and that brings us back to the beginning full circle to the vitriolic war of words which is not exactly been helpful in previous years caleb mop and r.t. new york. term used for naught but if you'd like to dig

a little bit deeper into any of those stories why not go to a web site r.t. dot com also leave your thoughts there as well back in thirty minutes time with more global news from r.t. the russian capital. for a world cup twenty eight team coverage we've signed one of the greatest goal people . but there was one more question and by the way i was going to be your coach. guys i know you are nervous he's a huge star and the huge amount of pressure you have to be the center of the problem. and do all the great britain if you are the rock at the back nobody gets

past that you we need you to get the best go. alone. and i'm really happy to join for the thousand in the world cup in russia meet the special one come on both appreciate me to just say the review the aussie team's latest edition may go up as we go so i need to look. up and some is not is not a quick place is not a good country and. trying to secure a bunch of minutes. before the storm. is your best but at the best of it is. just the culture. ok let's. check if it was yes. just with the embrace from the fellow muslim of

oneself to be. the best and i think our better john said i'm based on our much last night no one can agree to that i would just like this from happening i don't i. cannot. stop and i can. almost feel. the bottom of it. that's the sort of thing the sort of numbers go to show you will see both of them go to this is another. forces in the world of the street. and i'm about to go there you know there was this.

pious max kaiser this is the kaiser report i've got a warm fuzzy feeling all this talk about gun reform we're all going to just join hands and saying up with people and i'm looking forward to that oh boy stacy well i think you're talking about trump donald trump taking on the n.r.a. in a remarkable way that we haven't seen certainly in the modern era where he said that basically both the republicans and the democrats were afraid to do any legislation on gun control because they were own by the n.r.a. especially which is a remarkable that i think they gave him something like thirty million dollars in two thousand and sixteen but delic this whole attitude toward congress like. you know you're a doer and scared to death of the n.r.a. you punks not meet. the mafioso no muffler decapitation no nobody scares me away now the men are a thirty million dollars nothing. well we're going to talk about some other sort of

moments of chutzpah that have since come on ravelled because a lot of donald trump's chutzpah unravels quickly he says one thing and then he does another well jamie diamond also says one thing in does another. chorus you know you know should we go. here's a headline from the past week and that is j.p. morgan chase admits cryptocurrency is a risk to its business for the first time despite j.p. morgan chase c.e.o. jamie diamond having called big queen a fraud the big bank is now taking crypto currency very seriously and knowledge in the block chain based technology as a veritable threat to its future yeah i must really hate to have to say this there the way it works is that if a company like a j.p. morgan or there's another bank that made a similar comment their big bank.