donald trump threatens to remove the security clearance of several former intelligence officials they're accused of politicising and monetizing the information they had access to. also this hour how his seventeenth century slave trader is remembered as divided bristol in southwest england the old ones with the clocks going to be so you because you've got to pull things into a context of what we saw you know so i know you would guess it's money is a regularly scheduled round so that's what up plus i'm a lawyer. and the former trump advisor comes under fire after he announces a new foundation to reportedly for men a rightwing revolution and europe he's taking aim at a liberal plant based george soros has been promoting the left for years.

this is r t international bringing you your live news update this hour welcome to the program. donald trump is considering revoking the security clearance of several former top intelligence officials the white house press secretary said that they had been making political and financial gains from the information they had access to but the announcement didn't go unchallenged. doesn't like and you want to punish them for you know i think you are creating your own story there is the president doing exactly what you just said the president doesn't want all these people doing politicizing matters of national security by going after his political enemies people are politicizing agencies and departments that are specifically meant to not be political and not meant to be monetized off of security concerns or. six people were named including former heads of the cia f.b.i. and n.s.a. most of them are known for being critics of donald trump's policies but the

officials themselves say if their clearance is revoked it won't really change anything the security clearance has nothing to do with how i or any of us feel about the president i don't get briefings i don't have access to any classified information it's more of a courtesy i don't go back for classified briefings won't have any effect on what i say all right former u.s. intelligence officials have a history of speaking out once they leave office and reports the former heads of u.s. intelligence agencies are now dabbling in politics the fired f.b.i. director james comey just advised the democrats to steer clear of socialism. democrats please please don't lose your minds and rush to the socialist left this president and his republican party accounts going to do exactly that now this comes

just after his recent tweet in which he said that the only way to support american values was to go democrat. all who believe in this country's values must vote for democrats this fall policy differences don't matter right now history has its eyes on us now james komi fits in with a big cast of characters these are former intelligence officers we're now telling us what we should be thinking about politics i know we're not nazi germany all right but there is a commonality there and a fear on my part that we have standards we have to live up to having some understanding of the levers of power that or available to the president if. he chooses to there to resign. there's. downright scary and and disturbing there's a big question first of all in terms of those who are on mr trump's team whether

they can continue to serve in good conscience an individual who basically portrayed his nation now it hasn't always been like this former cia top boss george tenet became a private investment banker he left the public eye after leaving office and former f.b.i. director louis spray he launched a private consulting firm here's why it's kind of a big deal it turns out that former intelligence officials usually keep their security clearance. he's john brennan monetizing his security clearance is john brown and making millions of dollars they volunteered secrets to the mainstream media with his attacks on donald trump so even after leaving office they've still got power and connections that they could use to further their agenda on the intelligence. so whatever happened to a quiet retirement now in the air pocket from the new forces of emerging former top

spy who are turning to political activism. r t new york editor of defense and foreign affairs magazine gregory cope when he says that in any other country such behavior would be considered treason but what we've seen lately and the last two years is. the situation where people like director of national intelligence clapper and the like brennan. and so on have been making it stream. comments designed deliberately to undermine the current u.s. government now who says this would be treasonable the most governments around the world there are profound cases of damage to the united states' image to the united states' ability to function. even national security sense from what we've seen from this range of ok shows commenting in the last eighteen months to two years.

people in bristol in southwest england are divided over a plan to add a plaque to a statue that commemorates a seventeenth century merchant involved in the slave trade aboard colston is a prominent figure in this city's history for his philanthropy however much of his wealth was acquired through the royal african company which was involved in the slave trade some residents want to raise awareness of cost and pass and city authorities have agreed to make some changes to the inscription on the monument they propose adding facts about the enslavement of thousands of africans around twenty thousand of whom are said to have died as a direct result of colson's involvement in the slave trade. with many now also calling for the statue to be removed altogether we spoke to racial equality campaigner lee jasper and stephen morris from the english democrats why are we got the statue of a man who sold millions of africans into bondage and slavery

ripped operate them babies from their mother's breast separated families killed maimed and murdered millions of africans but he gave money to charity so we should have a statue of him in our town square we have to look at the full history of the of the slave trade and this was going on for thousands of years before europeans arrived africans were enslaved africans and selling them to the arabs way before we got there and it's actually quite unfair to judge the past by today's standards and today's models so for me it's part of the history but it really got to be showing the full history of what was going on at the time and not just to be a scene until european issue against the slave trade when the slave trade was very predominant across the entire continents at that time so for me you look at the history of but we've got to put it into context julie the fifty million people who

were not a ransom. for what we know and redesign and find here that day historians of the tie are all consensual around that figure so i think is you need to get your facts straight all depends what the plots going to be saying because you've got to put things into context of what was happening now you all the guest is just going on a complete. whatever whatever point he was trying to put forward whatever argument he was trying to put forward is actually been lost and he's actually runts now you all the guess is this man is a racially ground so that's what i. want to be wrong to trying to put forward i'm going to pluck their. and you have to make sure that you put it into context of what was happening around the world we shouldn't be imagining and celebrating culture and it should be either a bristol museum of shame which you can go in and all the order of colonial aspects and relic of the past can go in but i don't way it should be called checks your

lies as the book to refute period in bristol's history you cannot george historical events by today's standards you have to look at what was going on at the more blood was enslaved by blacks than there were by the europeans so he needs to tell us all the why when i walk eagle why why r t why do you subjecting me to the most ignorant based racist. rewrite of the street a week early but obviously. the name of the white man who's got no idea how we all believe in marriage to the comments i'm with girls leave me more blood was enslaved by blocks than they were by the europeans so he needs to needs to actually look and stop being very hypocritical. president terms former advisor steve bannon has announced plans to spark a right wing revolution in europe he wants to create a new foundation promoting the ideology the plans were revealed in an interview with news website the daily beast bannan says he aims to rival the impact of the

open society foundations set up by liberal billionaire george soros and foundation is called the movement and is expected to have headquarters and brussels the organization would offer a polling think tank research and advice on targeting european right wing groups these plans sparked outrage among some members of the european parliament an attack on freedom and democracy in europe we will not stand idle we will respond we have to fight now with good arguments confident and true it's a frontal attack on the e.u. and european values. george soros has spent billions to promote leftist ideas for years for example funding pro e.u. campaigns by supporting a second referendum we asked i mean peace studios collabo from the syriza party what he thinks of balance initiative what is wrong with promoting an alternative does it not challenge views so you get debate you get conversation instead of name

calling people in the united states. are a few full reminding so where the money was going to finance the. movement would still move rather for the division of europe and north korea the unit you're right could that argument not be made to george soros says well why shouldn't these parties and groups who have support of large swathes of the population get some help from the outside the same way that the left has been getting help from soros and other like minded billionaires this is not the point where yes we know where that money comes from because of the flying hours themselves but they have their financing their of sims for what their example for the richest. you know called the preferred list would be you yes well that's not really on the working class tell us is that there's a lot of working class people who fear that their jobs are being taken by possibly

by immigrants possibly by other forces at play and they are voting for who they think will be able to solve those concerns and at the moment across europe and many countries it's not the left they need an alternative well yes. this is. sort of the left of course so you admit that there is no way you know but it's very easy to be a democrat you don't you should play the scapegoat whether. mr soros or the scapegoat is the recruiters are you why workers are going to be excluded right we didn't you. there's that sort of chill in britain with the brakes it but now they regret it that's true that's the reason you don't have to be an extreme right winger to have views on immigration do you when you're seeing so many people coming from north africa and sub-saharan africa into your nation that they did not vote for so well you see so many people are. devoted

pleasure you have to we will i was you know and the people who you know they're coming from the. middle east that we started all of the people out of all of these are reproduced there are people we united states great britain the people of bombarding you know they destroyed the crowd and now they're at the ninety story go and political responsibility and this is the say it is the same goes for the people not the recruiters wherever girls come from africa will devastated i forgot all of the character essentially you know that reaches european governments they have to take their response should be the core of. the nordstrom to pipeline which is currently under construction is set to deliver natural gas from russia to germany the project has been widely criticized by the us which wants to supply its own liquid natural gas instead trump is also warned that the pipeline will make berlin

too dependent on moscow but according to a recent poll it seems the majority of germans don't see it that way. i think it's a horrible thing that you have a pipeline coming from russia and i believe that germany's going to be getting fifty sixty or even i've heard numbers of seventy percent of their energy coming in from russia. and how can you be working for peace and working from strength when somebody has that kind of power of your country i don't think it's good you're not working from strength you've given up all of your strength i think is very bad for germany very bad for the german people the pipeline will be about one thousand two hundred kilometers long it's a multi-billion year old venture between russia and five international companies and it will run next to the original nord stream pipeline and will double the amount of gas thing transferred north rim two is set to be fully operational next year economists i commerce says the but the project is the best way for germany to

meet its growing demand for natural gas this is a matter of a great opportunity for germany to have another infrastructure that supplies us with natural gas which is needed in germany without being able to be blackmailed by the countries in between every american foreign policy is the duty they have to give a closer relationship between russia and germany the u.s. is not in the position anymore to make a big ace because germany now after the sanctions and after the not occur like behavior of america against germany we have to look for better opportunities are out of the cuties and therefore it is no possibility at all anymore to separate germany or europe. from russia anyway he just wants to be the first he just wants his company to make the deal and make that your base especially the germans

to wait a little bit longer and the american companies are allowed to make the year in russia i think this is all about he's a business that. coming up on the program greece is in the grip of deadly forest fires and is asking the e.u. for help that story and more after a short break. people criticize us or they question us and they want to know why we're not more book for nickel of russia and the real question is how come we're not tooting russia's horn more because they are been genius during this crisis but that would be i think a little bit you know over the top to simply point out all the good things that they're constantly doing so we just try to take a more balanced middle of the road approach that's you know the fact is that they're making all these other economies look stupid like.

the pope says and. he put themselves on the line to get accepted or rejected. so when you want to be president and. want to be preached. to going to be press which is what was before three of the more people. interested always in the waters of. course. this is our to international welcome back the theme of alleged russian meddling seems to have touched a multitude of areas in recent times from presidential elections in the u.s. to rebellion in catalonia and with nasa celebrating its sixtieth anniversary that's

apparently gone into orbit. looks like we've had fifty two american astronauts launched by the russians what's interesting is not a single one of the an african-american none of our african-american astronauts have ever been launched by the russians is mean since two thousand and eleven no african-american astronauts from nasa have been in space it's had the opportunity you know it does raise the question what's going on are the russians were fusing to launch african-american astronauts. if that is the case i have never heard that. certainly i will start asking that question now that you meant that to me but i have not heard that and i am unaware if that's the case.

i seriously do not believe it was the russians our russian colleagues partly because i'm i've been through the training with them and i think. i was able to develop really good working relationships with everyone there and. you had a testament to that it was that i think some of the people there may have known that nasa the speaking of doing this but they were adamant that i had to complete all of the training. the chinese president xi jinping is in rwanda as part of

a four nation trip to africa to establish deeper trade ties he earlier. senegal which is the first west african country to be involved in china's belt and road infrastructure project has been expanding its presence in africa in recent years in two thousand and sixteen alone china and china and just every thirty lines billion dollars in the continent bringing the total to more than two hundred billion but the initiative hasn't been without its critics the u.s. thinks the countries are not prepared for such huge investment and may end up deeply in debt to china over recent offensive remarks from donald trump strained relations with the constant. the president of the united states is racist he really is the devil this is an actual quote from the actual president this is the gift that he decided to give the american people they're not. for one donald trump isn't there president. johnson from new side viewpoint africa believes countries are

looking to china because of u.s. government policies the united states into those on africa was already doing b. well before don't want to sean came into the play and it will continue to do because of some of his comments he's attitude towards africans and he's position on africa in general he's only interested in military bases and africans i'm afraid very much interested in partnership and those that take them seriously and i know it was like a liberalized constant it's voting with his return is changing the united states in every sector that i know of in favor of the chinese or i'll of course china already had a huge presence and influence and that includes i just grown to levels for which even if the americans were to try now like you to ever catch the the chinese in my time . a german football star of turkish descent has quit the national team saying he

feels unwanted in his own country now that ozil was subjected to widespread criticism after posing for a photo with the president of turkey in the run up to the faith or up cup. here infuses chantelle a national lampoon closing out a long time ago and that seems self-important parameters from the speech of the muslim congress someone down that is not a german and someone that should not play football for the germans national team such a photograph has a symbolic value and it is definitely not what is needed at the moment it is clear when you play for germany you represent the country the german values. are also with the plan was a mistake it is still a mistake to say the reason the president also gave did not convince me so he

speaks of respect but that raises the question of how is respect for the victims of crimes policy perspective journalists who are in prison because they have done that job. or. is it just as you know the chance to hold mr president in hi steve vizard rosalie's and wait he has done a lot for the national football team he has now made a decision that must be respected and in any case the truth is on the pitch the fact of the germans knockouts wild card has little sting with mr us all having his picture taken the president wants. local authorities confirmed that at least sixty

people have been killed and devastating wildfires in the greek capital athens one hundred fifty others have been injured. that's our global news update for this hour but don't forget you can find us on all of your favorite social media platforms for the up to the minute updates thanks for tuning in.

join me every socially on the all excitement show and i'll be speaking to guest of the world of politics for this list i'm showbusiness i'll see you then. do. look it's just. that. it's gotten a little. to do with it's really not very.

well it's only about the moon although the. full to one of the most well columns will. welcome the report i'm nice guys are all kinds of exciting stories developing right before your very. hey max i want to say i don't need to toot our own horn but i'm going to we were right and b.b.c. newsnight were wrong and that is according to bloomberg and a former i.m.f. official and they say basically kaiser report was right newsnight was wrong newsnight was wrong not only like once but like two three four five six times in

a row back in two thousand and fourteen. with the introduction of sanctions against russia and the tumble of the ruble. well during that time b.b.c. newsnight said there would be a current account crisis be a debt crisis and basically russia would fall and we covered the story we had liam how again mom telegraph journalist and we had constantine and it was episode six nine five and this is december twentieth two thousand and fourteen and here's a short clip of liam halligan talking about the nerves of steel coming from the kremlin i actually think even though the current the interest rate move that we have seen has been dramatic from ten and a half to seven seen of course the six interest rate rise so far this year the central bank hasn't actually fired its big guns yet we have had

a little bit of currency intervention it's mainly been the conversion of the ministry of finance as existing on the books flows from rubles. from dollar story into roubles. you've also go the reserves this the so-called stabilization fund stabilization fund those created for more revenues over the last few years precisely for this moment we've only seen single digit billions used from that. and that's why a lot of people have been so we've got to i say and they still didn't fire the big bazooka it suggests to me that some pretty strong criminal at the moment so the kremlin had nerves of steel back then and we reckon they would survive b.b.c. didn't reckon they were survive and then we're going to get into a headline from bloomberg saying actually they did very well they have an agenda over there the b.b.c. and we also have an agenda it's called truth and we just look at the numbers and we give you the unvarnished view of how gravity works in the universe as it relates to

the economy they were basically blinded by some sort of hysteria they were wrong here's one area where russia beats the u.s. by several key measures as the. world's best economic management says the i.m.f. former top man in the country martin gellman he spent twenty four years at the international monetary fund much of it as the funds man in russia before during and after the country's the final crisis of the late one nine hundred ninety s. a devaluation and default that reverberated around the world since two thousand and five he's been a professor of economics at moscow's higher school of economics and a well connected observer of the government's policies so bloomberg asks him how does russia's economic management today differ from what it was back then and he answered that well it's much better largely because so many of the people now in charge experience that crisis for instance the head of the central bank elvira nab ilana was a deputy economy mr alexei kudrin a close putin advisor and chairman of the accounts for chamber was

a deputy finance minister german graf the chief executive officer of the state controlled sperm bank was a deputy minister of state property these people want to make sure that it never happens again on their watch so long as this economic team is in charge there won't be a crisis and russia people criticize us or they question us and they want to know why we're not more quote critical of russia the real question is how come we're not tooting russia's horn more because they are been genius during this crisis but that would be i think a little bit you know over the top to simply point out all the good things that they're constantly doing so we just try to take a more balanced middle of the road approach that's you know the fact is that they're making all these other economies look stupid by comparison certainly elvira in abilene as martin gilman goes on to say he says they have really brought home the lesson of that crisis consider the oil shock of twenty fourteen and twenty fifteen as the price drop by more than fifty percent the central bank protected its foreign reserves by allowing the rubles exchange rate against.