clashes in catalonia more than sixty are injured and at least thirteen arrested in the spanish region in a pro independence protest against a meeting between the prime minister and local leader. a secret project by u.s. democrats to test online tactics that during a state election is revealed in a new york times report it is claimed they used the methods of an old adversary those much of a lot maligned russian bobs. and another hit for the trumpet ministration defense secretary james mattis announces he is stepping down just a day after the u.s. president surprised allies by saying he is withdrawing american troops from syria.

are broadcasting live direct from this is our two international i'm john thomas certainly glad to have you with us our violence has erupted ad independence protests in spain's catalonia region more than sixty people have been injured including at least thirty five police officers as anger flared at rallies over a federal government cabinet meeting which had been relocated to be held in the city as a conciliatory measure. was .

extra police were brought in and at least thirteen protesters have been arrested demonstrators threw rocks at officers started fires and built barricades while police responded with baton charges journalist evelina cuts into who is in barcelona for us brought us up to speed with friday's events. thousands of cuts announced took out of the streets today to protest against a meeting between the petro sanchez and their regional readers of cuts along normally the cabinet meeting is held in madrid that's as bad as it already and also want to do it here in barcelona and people took it as a provocation because only one year ago that's a long and declared independence so people obviously are angry because they want to be independent and they want to be separate separate from the hosting so as you can see a behind me you have a science of the but at this is politico's which means peace libor rate the

political prisoners still nine of them are held in detention and basically you have all those people you have young people protesting and still trying to remember what happened here one one year ago so that people took out of the streets not only here in the center but also they blocked he said what seven which is the true way to leading to the airport so many people were blocked today and couldn't go home for christmas. the authorities had hoped that relocating the meeting to barcelona would reduce tensions in catalonia spanish prime minister and the capital on leader agreed on thursday to an effective dialogue and independence referendum held in october last year was deemed illegal by madrid which then arrested on leaders for rebellion and sedition the spanish prosecutor recently claimed that former president carlos put your money spent more than eight million euros on the referendum which one calls a claim as far. as

a reader in spanish history had britain's newcastle university so the rallies should have been expected because current cuddle on leaders are not listening to protestors concerns. parts more. chance the mind. and there. do you see many ways. you cannot control everyone and. this is the first time that the spanish and we can. see in the elections in december last year. was somehow symbolically very important both the spanish and the catalan government and the current government because they haven't been able to do much in the last year in terms of. russia's alleged

online meddling has surfaced once again but this time moscow can't be blamed and the new york times is reporting that a group of democratic party members undertook a secret project to test online tactics during an election in the us took place in the state of alabama last year by employing methods allegedly used by russia to influence campaigns here's r.t.s. commentary. for years the public you me were barash by stories of russian bots on t.v. radio papers daily he told us of malicious programs of evil software soulless slaves of putin an existential threat to america take the alabama election a year ago russian bartz the media reported interfered medaled corrupted on behalf of republican candidates roy moore so surprise

a tougher supporting more they both have a deep love of country the countries russia but still rather. choose for it's pretty alarming when a guy's lives in a fluent russian or speaks fluent russian russian it everywhere year later it's moving closer to the oval office one might wonder why on earth russia would bother with a massive disinfo mation campaign in alabama of all places to fence taliban up but come on as juicy a targets roy moore himself was clueless about it had no idea why this was happening so as is republican tradition he blamed the democrats for setting him up the democrats as a source or tradition change the subject and insulted him maybe more should check with putin who shares his views on depriving people of their civil rights here is

where it gets really good the new york times did some digging and found a report titled the alabama project and figured out those weren't putin's bots at all they were faked dressed up to look like russian bots. we orchestrated and a labrat false flag operation that planted the idea that the more campaign was amplified on social media by a russian but that i've seen some dirty stuff and politics all over the world but this this is platinum tear this on this deplorable and dirty tricks turns out it was all of fake psyop orchestrated by a group of i.t. experts who wanted to help the democrat win by cheating by lying and by defrauding millions of voters in an attempt to frame the republican is being helped

by russia the guy who allegedly financed all of this is billionaire reid hoffman co-founder of linked in and apparently a guy with a really faulty moral compass often comes with the money my experience now here is the kicker and lighty is telling people shouldn't worry it's only one hundred thousand dollars peanuts when it comes to elections whatever world the democrats live in a hundred grand is pocket change joe trippi a season's democratic operative said it was impossible that one hundred thousand dollar operation had an impact on the race journalists no longer report the news they report their opinions same new york times when talking about how alleged to think russian facebook accounts spend the same money hundred thousand dollars on

advertising on a national campaign the disclosure adds to the evidence of the broad scope of the russian influence campaign. so when a democratic group is all but cool with spending a hundred grand on this information on lies framing and defaming someone it's just one hundred grand pocket change but if it's the russians at one hundred thousand dollars becomes an absolute fortune crime against america and god i've always been suspicious that the russians bought in there it was slim z. and was probably made up simply because that's the kind of saying that the democratic party does they make things up in order to create the basis for an attack on the right wing and on the conservatives this is in the character of the democratic party and in the lack of character i should say and it's it's

a criminal element that has taken over the democratic party the mainstream media only talk about things that service that democratic party agenda and it's an agenda that we saw in syria you know it's an agenda that will lead to war it's an agenda that risks nuclear conflict with the two great nuclear powers it's an agenda that needs to be stopped. president trump has left the international community stunned of following his sudden decision to withdraw u.s. troops from syria however the move has been backed by a number of leaders including one major nato ally amal saying to them for the us the trump told us during our conversation will you quit dyess from him of them before and after this of them as long as you give us the support in terms of logistics and how they started to withdraw all they have. well not all those who

are party to the conflict in syria are on board with the decision there is anger among the kurdish forces in the region with family members of the fighters appealing to washington to reverse the withdrawal mothers and wives of soldiers in the so-called syrian democratic forces have been gathering near an alleged american military base in aleppo province plans you know it's all the. american turned his back on us as we continue to find. out and they're going to have any. why did they leave i said. you know we went to the airfield they promised that they would not leave and now as they've sold us out. well tension is already escalating in northern syria with turkey now valuing an offensive against the kurdish forces which currently control my beach a representative for the syrian democratic forces told russian media they could be ready to hand the town back to the syrian government to prevent turkey launching a similar operation in the province like it did after the liberation from islamic

state back in two thousand and sixteen. we do not support and we would oppose efforts to move south and engage in activities against the syrian democratic forces the kurdish commanders have made commitments that they will turn over areas to local population as they have been so tremendously successful in liberating those areas from dash we expect them to live up to those commitments. i'm from on base maffei to thank and that talk is threat with cost to find together the americans and the caliche and again they talk to me until they have a stronghold in the surrounding villages as complicated as this is sarah. and territory.

but this year we noticed more movement from the euphrates shield along the front line as turkey before its military operation on a free and threatened that manned beach would be the next target. as i said before our relationship he's at a critical juncture either we must put it back on track or it will further deteriorate we have agreed essentially to normalize the relationship again manage is one that as i said is going to be given priority in our joint work is there for and this is one of the this is the foreign ministry it is one of the issues for us to work together.

with a part of syria and we don't call for separatism but to one degree meant on something nice as political free syria to be reached you heard from former pentagon security analyst michael maloof who thinks the syrian government will look to fill the void being left by u.s. forces. well i think that given that the u.s. is begin to move move his troops back in and mazes is very very important strategically. it keeps the turks away as well the turks are not going to be. going into my own bees as they had threatened to do so giving it back to assad is very important and i think that that avoids the potential for a major conflict between turkey and the kurds and so and also a. turkish president and a lot has pledged support now for. this this is all

beginning to offer an a whole new dynamic in that region as a result of the u.s. pull out. the blowback from trump's decision on syria has reached his cabinet as well defense secretary james mattis has announced he's leaving his post pointing to differences of opinion with the commander in chief also appears to have driven a wedge through the u.s. at large as well with many media and establishment figures criticizing the move while the american public largely seems to support it more years artie's killed the promise announcement withdrawing the usa from syria has got the media up in arms the republicans and the democrats are livid they say that the usa is losing out i believe it is a catastrophic mistake the job's not over dangerous premature jeopardize america's mission in syria and hurt allies makes our country an even bigger laughingstock than it already is that gift it benefits iran the only reason they're not dancing

in the end to ron in isis camps is they just don't believe in density media's outrage does not match public opinion polls show that eighty six percent of americans say that u.s. military force should only be this isn't last resort now that opinion used to be very common on the opposite side of the political spectrum remember the peace marchers the antiwar movement this is what bernie sanders had to say my main concern terms of the middle east is to make certain that the united states does not get involved in perpetual war in the quagmire. iraq in syria trump made the same announcement last year but forces swiftly moved in to change his mind russian president vladimir putin who sent forces to support the syrian government against the terrorists a big game changer in the conflict he says he's a bit skeptical of trucks announcement would be stupid to you considering the us withdrawal from syria i don't really know what that means for example the us has been presence in afghanistan for the past seventeen years and almost every year

they say that they are we drawing the troops they are still there now because of the presence of american troops needed in syria do you think so. let's not forget that that presence there was illegitimate it was not agreed either with the u.n. security council nor with the syrian government if the us plans to withdraw the us is the right decision while politicians and media from both sides of the political spectrum is voicing outrage truxillo is at least complying with international law now let's see if he sticks to his guns this time. r.t. new york china is telling the us and to take a back accusations that it is engaged in global hacking campaigns more on that after a short break stay with us is our two international. china much bigger economic power much or wall inter. i

think. you have to live with that. and there's lots of advantages that the europeans jethro but as well as america. i've been saying the numbers mean something they matter the u.s. has over one trillion dollars in debt more than ten dollars times happy each day. eighty five percent of global wealth you long for the ultra rich eight point six percent market saw thirty percent just last year some with four hundred to five hundred three per second per second and one rose to twenty thousand dollars. china's building two point one billion dollars ai industrial park but don't let the numbers overwhelm. the only numbers you need to remember is one one does not show

you know or to miss the one and only. i. call them back to start international now china has denied us allegations that it is behind an extensive hacking campaign in a dozen different countries this comes after two chinese citizens were indicted in america over what has been described as a massive cyber theft of sensitive data china also urged washington to retract its accusations. made fun of me. years for brickies facts out of thin air the chinese government has never pursued me to a supported anyone a student visa secrets whatever is the is to me that lose draw this so-called indictment of chinese citizens and the chinese nationals are accused of stealing data on one hundred thousand u.s. navy employees as well as on a nuclear power research center in california and

a nasa jet engine propulsion lab and the allegations of a massive hacking campaign come with relations already strained between the u.s. and china over a trade war three weeks ago at the g. twenty summit president trump and paying agreed on a ninety day a halt to new trade tariffs on steel and aluminum exports in the hope of a broader trade agreement could be reached however that agreement was quickly overshadowed by the arrest of a chinese tech giant official in canada at washington's request mangal along drew the company's a chief financial officer faces extradition to the u.s. the arrest is believed to be related to alleged violations of u.s. sanctions on iran we heard from the director of the china national association of international studies who says the u.s. accusations are sensational and political. as accusation against the two individual chinese cannot be worse at a time when china u.s.

relations are very much strained not only by the trade war whatever that has been made available by the us government is very flimsy they don't seem to really want to get to the facts they seem to have a major design to says in the lies and politicize this whole situation and they want to create the fear of china not only in the united states but in many other countries and i think the rest of the world knows for sure that the u.s. government is the biggest acute abuser of cyber security this is really good history in the relations between china and the united states keeping with the same topic a chinese telecom giant while way may be blocked from a german auction to develop high speed internet infrastructure that comes amid rising security concerns over the company's possible espionage activity for beijing earlier a u.s. delegation reportedly visited berlin and held a closed door meeting at the german foreign ministry encouraging

a boycott of huawei the company has already been blocked from building high speed networks in the us australia and japan u.k.'s secret service chief alex younger has also voiced concern however germany's ip watchdog has expressed skepticism due to the lack of evidence proving while ways by activity. for such serious decisions like a ban you need proof. are jeffrey tucker editorial director of the american institute for economic research thinks this is a case of the party calling the kettle black. they wes's is famous for its for its hacking and cyber surveillance so every political system in the world i mean so this is this is getting really out of hand and it's trying to be i must say deeply embarrassed scene for the u.s. on international economic stage but i think it's really sad because we're supposed

to be in the middle of a trade truce but instead of just using the ninety days to come to a better understanding what the u.s. is doing is almost you know every forty eight hours another propaganda blitz against china is kind of a rhetorical bombast we're getting on a daily basis is actually having a tremendous human cost and it's also futile i mean yes china is a rising economic power if you want to call a power but actually what it really means is that we can as a world community get to get richer and richer together and i think the u.s. needs to like come to terms of theirs and stop playing the bully on the playground really. north korea has issued a stern warning to the united states saying it won't give up its nuclear capabilities unless washington is willing to meet halfway the statement could cast a shadow over the recent fine u.s. north korea relations. the united states must understand the proper meaning of the korean peninsula denuclearization and they had better study geography. when we talk

about the korean peninsula it includes the territory of our country as well as the whole of south korea with the united states has placed its invasive forces including nuclear weapons when we talk about the complete denuclearization of the korean peninsula it means the removal of all sources of nuclear threats not only from south to north korea but also from areas neighboring the korean peninsula. well relations between pyongyang and washington took a nosedive when trump initially took office as the two countries leaders traded insults and threats of the situation improved through mid june this year when the two met in singapore donald trump and kim jong un committed themselves to denuclearizing the korean peninsula and normalizing relations the summit was seen as something of a breakthrough although not much has been accomplished since with u.s. officials insisting crippling sanctions will remain in place. that the united states has no intention of easing are unilateral or united nations sanctions they

have they have not lived up to the commitment so far and until that happens there's not going to be any release of the economic sanctions earlier we spoke to human rights attorney eric can you things washington has failed to reciprocate pyongyang's efforts toward resolving the nuclear issue. and washington has not approached these negotiations in a level at the same level as north korea and in reality what their purpose thing is not anything different is still the idea that we can do nuclear eyes and then pull off when we made it so the threat of nuclear attack is law on both sides that is going to win the u.s. open in no if the civilities the international inspectors to make sure there are nuclear weapons still there the u.s. doesn't comment on such things we haven't seen any progress from you on formal

relations ending the korean war ending the state of war in the korean peninsula why would they you nuclearized when there is an ending state of war there the next step. to take place at that time is a commitment to denuclearize what i would look like but only after a peace treaty is entered. shaking hands is a sign of friendship a but it's causing a major fallout in denmark the country's adopted a new law obliging people to shake hands as part of the ceremony to become a danish citizen supporters of the law insists that shaking hands is a custom and part of being danish the reason it's causing consternation is because of claims of targets muslims for whom physical contact with family members of the opposite sex is forbidden for religious reasons some town mayors are refusing to comply it's against my ideology and conviction to have to force the people to have

boards. it's a subject that fired up discussion earlier on our t.v. with both sides proclaiming it's all about respecting their respective traditions. it just shows how petty and vindictive the danish government is shaking hands is a personal choice there are many members in the jewish community you would choose not to shake hands of the opposite sex you can be vibrant members of society you can play an integral part in health and education as a lawyer in business be a good citizen without having. no one for religious reasons i do not want to shake someone's hand and therefore i'm not going to do that does that make you any less of a human being less of a responsible citizen and you want to live in denmark they want to shake hands well from we shake hands get in the modern world use this nonsense we don't shake hands if it doesn't. go they finish go back to their country want to be forced it's

a sign of friendship if you don't want to be friendly if you don't want to make similar coach or if you don't want to be tolerant go home i'm sure there's loads of places where you don't even have to shake hands but you can chop each other's hands off if you steal some the job enjoyed is going to play to the gallery aren't going to talk to you about individual freedom or human rights. to the gallery. and it doesn't necessarily make it possible that you won't be responsible citizen engaged in society played an active role just been able to practice your faith the fairy the fact that people have been forced to do this you've got dozens of mares of. no no you don't are jehmu to the law on the point is the central point is this that it's about individual responsibility it's a human rights and it's about stopping bigotry and this law pacifically designed to target just a muslim community is discriminatory and inacceptable if you read the articles if

you take the time to do it rather than just play with a chip on your shoulder you'll see it's not just about muslims and secondly if you don't like to shake hands don't move to denmark or don't because. citizen and this idea that it's an attack on your human rights hormone grow up whatever you want to assimilate whatever you want to fit in with western coach or but no they want to pretty the other people on this godmamma ease always diminish it wants to. create division and then he accuses me of played to the gallery listen we show in the west it's the way it is by not shaking hands does it make you less of a human being doesn't stop me from contributing to society making a positive contribution now i'm somebody who personally my own choices i do shit people can learn through email but there will be people out there who choose not to touch their choice. russia's media regulator has launched an investigation into

whether b.b.c. world news which broadcasts in russia and the b.b.c.'s websites are in compliance with the country's laws or culture of us following the story for us the b.b.c. has already commented on this new development saying that it's in russia as in any other country the company brings independent information to its audience following all rules and regulations by the local government now russia's media regulator launched this investigation into the b.b.c. world news just a day after the british media regular said that the news channel broke impartiality rules and now the kremlin says that that was a measure taken and response. of course it's a retaliatory measure. your.