my confession from my flesh. he was taken. following the arrest of the wiki leaks founder in london president accused as the whistleblower of turning the embassy where he'd been for seven years. faces possible extradition to the u.s. where he could be tried on allegations of conspiring with fellow whistleblower. freedom of speech activists say the charges are. journalism. coming up on the program french made weapons may have been used against civilians in yemen according to leaks reportedly from french intelligence.

environmentalist's attempts to disrupt london real and true. for attacking the headquarters of oil giant the climate change protest polarized opinion and. if your house was on fire and you were asleep i would kick your door in a car and trying to claim the shell building came to saving people. you are justified harassment you are justified you're justified. twenty four seven years. this is international my names you know neal if your company story this hour and we start in ecuador where protesters have clashes in the nation's capital police following the arrest of wiki leaks founder julian

assange in london last week. the protestors claim president of. the united states what i know is perjury in washington where he has accused the whistleblower of hosting and coordinating rocker's at the ecuadorian embassy in london he suspended us citizenship last week and terminated as this led to the arrest of the astri international in the embassy . convicted by a british court of breaching bail in twenty twelve he also faces possible extradition to the us being charged there with conspiracy to hock a government computer but civil rights groups saying some of the charges are simply based on actions that any journalist might take. up in reports raised. freedom of the press. what message does it send to the world that's the concern

shared by the american civil liberties union the very body set up to defend civil freedoms in the united states the indictment is troubling nonetheless it characterizes as part of a criminal conspiracy journalistic t.v.'s that are not just lawful but essential to press freedom now much of the indictment focuses on hacking and conspiring with chelsea manning however this bit that has everyone talking. he was part of the conspiracy that assigns and men into commercials to conceal men and as the source of the disclosure of classified records to weaken leaks including by removing news and names from the disclosed information and delete in chat logs between man and the songe so trying to protect the identities of anonymous linkers and whistleblowers is now considered to be illegal well if that's the case american mainstream media should be in huge trouble intelligence sources tell and b.c. news the source tells n.b.c. news law enforcement and democratic sources telling c.n.n.

that in a five sources two sources with links to that counter intelligence community according to anonymous washington post source take this article from the washington post. the washington post has obtained transcripts of two conversations president trump had with foreign leaders one with mexican president enrique pena nieto i don't know that with australian prime minister malcolm turnbull the transcripts were prepared by the white house but have not been released the post is publishing reproductions rather than original documents in order to protect sources so time to bring in the department of justice it's a criminal conspiracy to cover up a leaker right or take this one this one turned out to not actually be true it looks like somebody in the government is actually spreading disinformation who could that be well c.n.n. is protecting its source we have a not anonymous sources we protect that for real reasons so the information that is

important to the public through can get out of hand and sends donald trump has taken office hollywood has decided to celebrate the who wrote press the challenge the nixon administration back during the vietnam war. do you have the papers. at the time says seven thousand pages detailing how the white house has been lying about the vietnam war for thirty years. i'm talking about exposing years of government secrets is that legal what is it you think we do here for a living so if you follow the logic of the indictment tom hanks' character is not a heroic journalist at all in fact he's a criminal and that points to another big question a number of voices have spoken up and said that it's ok to persecute and punish julian assange because quote he is not a real journalist but here's the thing the first amendment protects everyone whether you're labeled as a real journalist or not this is how the courts have explained it in the past as

the supreme court has accurately warned a first amendment distinction between the institutional press on the speakers is unworkable the ninth circuit really believe that the world has changed and that everybody should be entitled to personal interactions so i do that of course julian assange to. protected fact that he's hiding that means he's protecting his source that's what journalists do he's a publisher. leaks is an organization that publishes truthful classified information that's in the public interest and under that definition he's definitely a journalist so at this point the u.s. department of justice is telling us that julian assange may have done a bad thing by trying to hack into top secret government files well nobody disputes that but the bigger issue may be what he actually was able to reveal wiki leaks made public a lot of information that angered powerful people and it seems that now they want him to pay up and r.t. new york well in today's going on the ground here all of our t.v.

former pink floyd from one roger waters hit so i took the u.k. for not opposing moves to extradite us and. what they're trying to do trump and the rest of them and to raise them a is they're trying to frighten would be truly innocent is who may provide this incredibly important service for the rest of us in society in the future they're trying to scare them off so they won't do it somebody like julian as sarge willy nilly will be a progressive think thoughts why he chose to do the job that he chose to do they are killing his son do you see him when he came out of the embassy he's been living he hasn't seen hardly seeing daylight for six years having committed no crime he may very well end up dead that is why the british people he calls them

as he was taken by those special branch offices into that van and driven away he called upon the people of great britain to resist i watched on the t.v. resist them and they should there should be a general strike in england to prevent him being extradited. to another story we're closely following today french made weapons that may have been used during the saudi led coalition's incursion into yemen that's according to leaks said to be from french intelligent they were made public by investigated website the slows which also say the weapons may have been used against civilians on for other war crimes. it demonstrates that hundreds of thousands of civilians live under the threat of these arms and provides information that allows us to demonstrate that some of these weapons may have been used to commit war crimes the french government

is today where of the risk of this well in light of the revelations the internationals called on france to suspend arms sales to saudi arabia at present mccraw government has doubled or no staunchly defending the sales on done playing their role in the conflict at talking us through what we know the implication charlotte event. france has long been criticized for supplying weapons to saudi arabia human rights charity said time and time again told the government that those weapons are being used to bomb schools hospitals and other civilian targets exacerbating the crisis in yemen a war that's left thousands dead and pushed millions to the brink of starvation the u.n. has even called what's happening in yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis. you're.

a little bit france has always hit back saying the weapons that it sells to saudi arabia only used offensively to defer attacks by the theses i'm not aware that french weapons have been used directly in yemen except that now appears to be contradicted by a classified note by the french military intelligence service uncovered following an investigation by a media outlet called disclose it was feels french weapons sold to saudi arabia and the united arab emirates are being used in the war in yemen but one pressed again in light of this new evidence the government's once again offered denials to our

knowledge the french weapons available to the members of the coalition are mostly in a defensive position outside yemeni territory or on call issued rights of way but not on the front line and we are not aware of any civilian casualties resulting from their use in the yemeni theater france is not among the lead. arms suppliers of countries and gauged in yemen but that's hard to swallow given that this classified note was apparently provided to the french government in october twenty eighth jean it showed forty eight seas our artillery guns were being used along the saudi yemen border that tanks sold to u.a.e. are in action as to fight it jets missile guiding technology may have been deployed.

france's military agency note actually goes even further to friendships are serving in the blockade of yemeni ports directly leading to food and medical shortages that means that women and children can't access the food that they need nor medicines if they've been attacked now last year president mccone dismissed pressure to halt arms sales to riyadh after it was implicated in the murder of journalist jamal khashoggi. st it's pure demagoguery to say stop selling weapons they have nothing to do with mr has to not confuse these things but it is interesting to hear before

knowing the facts say we will not sell more weapons already so more than france through the joint ventures they have on sales to saudi all big business for france between two thousand and eight and two thousand and seventeen it was the second biggest purchaser of french elam's with deals totaling more than eleven. billion euros meanwhile mark owen has talked about the ongoing crisis in yemen his country even hosted a humanitarian conference to discuss the issue but for many so far it's been all talk and little action as pockets continue to be lined all why the people of yemen face one of the world's most desperate plight. so it's even ski marty harris. you know a lot of people within the country itself having their say in what happened to a french m.p. we spoke to went as far as to say parlous is complicit in the civilian has violated

international law by supporting the saudi led bombing campaign. continues to surprise weapons to the saudi led coalition then the coalition uses them as it wishes one hand we cannot be sure how these weapons are used but on the other hand we can be sure of one through thirty percent of coalition attacks a direct to the great civilian targets. since we supply weapons that are being used in coalition strikes we help them deliver these strikes against civilian targets in other words we are violating the rules of international law. france remains in shock after its iconic. was wrecked by a devastating fire after a fifteen hour battle to put out the blaze this is the same thing gothic world

heritage site. obtained by a video agency ruptly shows where the fire tore through its its hundred fifty year old with and eventually brought down as well its famous fire and investigation is still looking into the cause as experts survey the damage. many precious artifacts were saved from the historic building which was undergoing restoration work at the time many world leaders and companies have expressed their sadness and willingness to help in the rebuilding process. lisa.

still to come this hour a climate change protesters calls in london and we pump the environmental conundrum up for debate with our guests up to the break.

join me every thursday on the alex salmond show and i'll be speaking to us from the world of politics sports business i'm showbusiness i'll see if. the activity known as journalism is under assault and it didn't start with the trials of julian assange and wiki leaks once it was a noble act to report on the nefarious activities of those in power now it is being criminalized free speech is now the privileged few. you're back with are to international the united states has announced it has lifted

a ban on lawsuits against foreign companies in cuba it's a decision on kind of a major impact to all negro opinion cuba's biggest trading partner all the time when transatlantic tensions have been rising our correspondent peter all of us spoke to earlier. we're talking about cuba's tourism industry the tobacco industry as well as distilleries on the island all of benefited from large scale foreign investment and all could be subject of lawsuits the european union issued a letter from their top foreign policy person federica mockery and leading you commissioner on trade that's a letter to mike pompei o the u.s. secretary of state saying you follow through with this you courts will be looking at where they can punish u.s. businesses the e.u. will be obliged to use all means at its disposal including corporation with other

international partners to protect its interests this could trigger solved if you don't cycle of claims that will impair the business climate without bringing justice to holders of claims or impacting the situation cuba in any positive way now the particular piece of legislation dates back to nine hundred ninety six every president since bill clinton signed it into being suspended one particular part of it to avoid a flurry of lawsuits from those who claim rights to property that was seized during the cuban revolution in one nine hundred fifty nine and that's aftermath brussels is not happy about this it was built in. the extraterritorial application of the u.s. embargo is illegal it's contrary to international law i also personally consider it immoral we believe that this will harm us all that it will be self-defeating obviously this will create even more confusion more deterrence more confusion for foreign investments so why not just extend it no voyde all of these problems the

reason for that is this has absolutely nothing to do with trade this threat of a tsunami of lawsuits against cuba is really intended to put pressure on her to walk away from nicolas maduro in venezuela in the u.s. secretary of state in fact being quite transpire. that is the reason that they're playing this pressure to watch the political and diplomatic noose tightening around but. we will begin to do the same thing the cubans of us understand too that there will be a cost associated with their continued support of nicholas berg we are seeing is donald trump living up to threats that he made that he wasn't afraid of a trade war and he will use trade as a stake when in order to beat those that aren't doing what he would like to see he would like them to do a trade war though a transatlantic trade war that benefits nobody in the long run it will be something that will both sides you would hope would be looking to avoid we heard from a lot an american expert and spanish history professor who is of the view that

washington's move code but. it's not really were courting international law and now . why in the in the first instance in ninety nine to six. between governments decided to interviews this is way. too real. marc was not going to be to be a part of the european union actually threaten to take him to power girl due to you know. organization or the video power of these. large united states it was an it was a war the question of course is why now. trump miscreation thinks it's fine that could be part of the problems while the united states because certainly it will lose. if they take it to a lawsuit in the international court. environmental group

extinction rebellion has attempted to disrupt london's real and blinds that's after more than three hundred activists were arrested over a series of protests that cause traffic chaos in the british capital. well thousands have taken part in coordinated sit down protests at key sites since monday demanding action over climate change vented their anger at the london headquarters of oil giant shell smushing windows on spring for a fee on the walls you spent a number of the protesters at the same. my grandchildren know what everybody's grandchildren to be able to grow up to safely we are demanding that the government tell the truth. and they must do that because people don't know what i doing is

criminal all the governments across the world are parts of this and they are letting us down i die all you care system is now i and we all have to stop this government can cooperate and cooperation is you know what you're seeing there are those demonstrations they're part of a global campaign organizing say by british climate group extinction rebellion which was formed last year the movement governments reduce carbon emissions to zero by twenty twenty five progress should be monitored by a public group to achieve its goals extinction rebellion promotes civil disobedience staged rallies in more than thirty countries to date we can take a look at monday's demonstration in berlin. have not made no stance we have demonstrated long enough we have the right and must

now use the means of civil disobedience it's time to rebel. leader of climate change has placed activists on teacher tim jones andree walker a political commentator a new york observer columnist and opposing corners. what these people believe that just because they think they're rights that anything that they do is morally justified that is an extremely dangerous i think stream the own democratic positions of. making a point by make by not harming anybody and so no life is harmed or threatened anything we do and we sometimes we do commit criminal damage and we do that to draw attention because nobody is listening to the terrifying severity of the of the evidence that is relevant to what we're talking about the idea that people do not believe in manmade global warming in this country is nonsense we've got ultra low emissions i would just been launched in london this affects diesel call's we've got a lot until tax which means that you have to recycle everything on less you want to

pay a hundred dollars a toll and this is classic denial what's that going to what none of those things are anything to do with climate change ok or the or the collapse of. biodiversity in the world they've got nothing to do it so you're just distracting from what is a terrifying prospect and climate change is going to get worse and worse and worse all of these scientists that have given predictions of the world's going to end in five ten fifteen years all of those deadlines have passed and so they say well that's just. because i've had the most of the i.p.c.c. predictions going back if you look back at what they said what happened they were massive underestimate especially if you look at things like the decline of arctic ice they massively underestimate what has happened i'm going to bet you if you're dead as a result of climate change by sixty five that i will pay fuel for you don't get me upset if you're still alive when you claim your pension when you'll still if you'll still live long enough to claim your pension then you've got to give me the in top had said if you also come for that that you're going to be dead by retirement age

will you take that bet your own well i was just one of the stories we're going in-depth on on our website right get involved at our t.v. dot com and here on are great program starts in moments. just. a little bit of. what

politicians do something to. put themselves on the line to get accepted or rejected . so when you want to be president or injury. or somehow want to be rich. have to go right to be close to slightly before three in the morning can't be good that. i'm interested in the waters in the house. so something seemed wrong all right old old just don't call. me old but yet to say proud disdain comes to educate and in games from an equals betrayal. when so many find themselves worlds apart. just to look for common ground.

we came here where did you work before you came here when you live well death row in many us states capital punishment is still practiced convicted prisoners can spend years waiting for execution but most of the time the victim's family. they are very much in favor the death penalty there are some people because of what they did have given up the right to live among us some even proven innocent years on death row and how many more exonerations is it going to take before we as a society realize that this is not working and we actually do something about. my body told me that i belong with the board if my thoughts my mind with that along with the girls. under the surgery still be of any particular. form of what persons doctors. i was born a male had

a sex change when i was thirty years old. i've now been living as a woman for twenty eight years and i fully regret this. problem should have gone away from by now but they hadn't so these surgeries are nothing more than plastic surgery i've had several female to male friends and you look at it and you just go oh god you paid for that it's horrible nobody can change genders is impossible. is still luzhin it's a mental illness. this is now where one of my bones from flesh are from my flesh she shall be called woman because she was taken out from a. hello

and welcome to cross talk we're all babies are considered i'm peter lavelle the activity known as journalism is under assault in. it didn't start with the trials of julian assange and wiki leaks once it was a noble act to report on the various activities of those in power now it is being criminalized free speech is now the privileged few. across talking journalism i'm joined by my guest john white in edinburgh he's a political commentator and writer in london we have george galloway he's a former member of parliament broadcaster and writer also in london we have michael patchett joyce he is a barrister with a place chambers specializing in european international law cross talk rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want and i always have.