the. russian national marine is sentenced to eighteen months in jail by a us federal court for failing to register as a foreign agent. i don't think. anyone who thinks that someone who wasn't russian would be in this situation is for. journalists who leaked the sensitive information on arms sales in the yemeni war hauled in for questioning by french intelligence. also a project of truly epic ambition britain and germany hailed china's road trading

network initiative that says the countries take part in a major economic forum on beijing's plans. for joining us this evening this is r.t. . and we start this hour with breaking news russian citizen maria accused of conspiring against the united states and being a russian agent has been sentenced to eighteen months prison time by federal court and his lawyer spoke to the media following the court hearing. clearly ripe for reform you've got an odd situation where maria could not have been prosecuted under civil farah which is the one that that everyone knows about through metaphor and other cases because she had no knowledge of the statute in order to be criminally prosecuted or fair you need to have a willful violation so because of her lack of knowledge she ended up being charge

of the more serious crime the foreign agent statute i think is an area that's ripe for reform if you take it seriously and literally the government's position in this case and applied to other circumstances you really end up in a in a pretty dangerous situation not only for foreign nationals here but i think for americans and abroad doing similar activities i think would not be thrilled with this and i don't know if i'd go that far then we have a overall of a good process in this country i don't think she's in jail shoulders of politics but that anyone who thinks that someone who wasn't russian would be in this situation is one itself. correspondent kelly most instances live from new york now katie take us through then how we got to this position. while those who were in the courtroom and heard the testimony of the speech that maria buton then gave i heard a very emotional presentation she spoke about this entire ordeal how since her

arrest her family has been through quite an experience she talked about the way she's been held in prison the way her family members heard about her arrest and how really traumatic this entire thing has been sent she's been arrested this is some of what maria buddha said to the court prior to facing sentencing. my parents discovered my arrest on the morning news they washed in the roof in a savior and i love them dearly but at home the morally and financially they're suffering from all of that i destroyed my own life i came to the united states not under any orders but with who and now nothing remains but penitence now it's important to note that then the prosecutors spoke and they allege that maria buddha had done considerable damage to the u.s. political system that her lobbying with the national rifle association somehow hurt the u.s. political process and that this was a crime that must be atone for a must be punished that was how the prosecution spoke now the judge handed down

a sentence of eighteen months in federal prison however nine months of that eighteen months will be time served because she has been held that long by federal officials she was not granted bail she has been and u.s. custody sense her arrest now it's important to know that essentially what she has pled guilty to the charges she has pled guilty to and now receive this eighteen month sentence the charge is being a an unregistered lobbyist she's essentially been charged not filing the proper paperwork the allegation is that she was working with the national rifle association and other gun groups doing so on behalf of the russian government without properly filing paperwork with the department of justice as a foreign agent they allege she did not fill out the proper paperwork and was thus an unregistered foreign agent now the sentence that's been handed down of eighteen months in federal prison nine months of which are time served will be followed by

her immediate deportation so she will be sent back to the russian federation now observers are seeing this as basically a conclusion to the ongoing case a boot into her attorney is saying that he will not appeal this and so the sentence will stand as is she will serve nine more months in federal prison and then she will be back in russia. the tanks killing more than that with the latest from new york. then mcadams the executive director of the ron paul institute joins me on the line now so we've got the court's decision daniel was sure reaction to both the fact that he's been convicted and the length of the sentence as well i think it's a horrific miscarriage of justice the only thing that you being erosion in america at a time that america has a spell of some kind of russian hysteria what she did is what thousands and thousands of other foreign international students do in the united states they come to us to get to know the country to get to know how the political system works to

make friends network it's absolutely identical to what thousands of other people do the idea that you some sort of russian spy it's absolutely absurd and i think everyone in the u.s. should be ashamed of this. louis warned off the back of that this ruling will be disturbing both to foreigners in the u.s. americans abroad and if you extend the law and of logic there i mean on the brit i'm working in russia you start thinking so what all foreigners have to register is foreign agents if it's all countries do this this is a it's kind of a road to madness isn't it absolute madness i was just out of grad school and i moved to hungary in the early one nine hundred ninety s. i did the exact same thing maria that i got you know the ongoing political system i had made friends with the u.s. embassy i talk to people i was obviously in favor of a free market economics is from a democratic elections did nothing different than what she did essentially so you're basically criminalizing thousands of other americans who've done the exact

same thing that i've done and brits as well and other so it's it's really a critic step in the wrong direction. in his lawyers as i understand they're expecting it to be deported back to russia why do you think that's not happened. well because obviously the judge decided to throw the book at the problem often with with what with today is that both sides hate or the russians need to have or the democrats need to keep this russia hysteria alive and of course wash in washington the conservatives also want to have someone to blame let's not forget this woman was held in maximum security solitary confinement for ten months for a crime than the average person were convicted of would get a small fine and be sent off really the us with this kind of horrible treatment of its prisoners is as bad as the old u.s.s.r. i would say. and i'm going to don't want to overly defended but as i understand it you know this is a bureaucratic misdemeanor it's a paperwork thing she didn't register do you expect this to be seized on by the

democrats in any way to try and you know give a big momentum to that trump russia collusion bandwagon absolutely that's what it's all about they want to say aha look and they also want to tarnish the n.r.a. because they hate gun rights and here's a russian woman who's in favor of gun rights we in the u.s. have the second amendment we're in favor of of that it's been our history but they hate that and they want to use that against they want to tie trump to the n.r.a. and tie them again to because of her ties her friendship with the n.r.a. so it's all political it's a political crime just like you had in in under communism political crime doing this she will be you know one of scapegoating things will calm down or will there be an increased hunt for russian agents. there's blood in the water the sharks are circling after the end of that the big nothing of the more the probe they're desperately looking for something else this whole idea of hating russia you know thirty years after the end of communism it's just pure insanity history will not

look kindly on our era daniel thanks for joining us on t.v. sitting down mcadams my guest he's the executive director of the rome pool institute thank you don. french journalists being grilled by intelligence service is a breach of national defense secrecy after they leaked sensitive data about weapons used in the war in yemen on the shoulder do pinsky explains. they appear to have exposed a government line but now three journalists all the ones being investigated they've been summoned to appear before the french general directorate of internal security or the d.g.a. s.l.i. after a feeling of confidential note from the country's intelligence services it showed the french government knew weapons that sold to saudi arabia and the united arab emirates were being used in the conflict in yemen

a fact the government has repeatedly denied a war that's left thousands dead and pushed millions to war to the brink of starvation it's been described by the u.n. as the world's worst humanitarian disaster. you're you're. this investigation by the d.g.'s only has provoked theory with journalists from thirty seven french outlets signing a letter defending their colleagues this document the publication of which in no way jeopardizes the safety of french agents on the ground was revealed because of its obvious interest to the public they have done only their job to bring the

citizens attention information of public interest on the consequences of french arms sales at the center of all that this storm is a classified by france's military agency the d r i'm real to these journalists it should be forty eight french sees a terrorist guns were being used along the sound the game in that tanks and fighters sold to the u.a.e. . in action and it's miss our guiding technology may have been deployed as well it reveals that french ships are serving in the blockade of the yemeni ports directly leading to diet food and medical shortages in additional battalion of sees a truck mounted how was that had been deployed the yemeni border on the saudi side to bring the number of cesar's in that area to forty eight as of the twenty fifth of september twenty eighth see about forty you. tanks are observed in

a fixed defensive position and advance positions in the west of the seventy or so tanks deployed by the u.a.e. as part of the operation the french government has continued to repeat the line that weapons it sold to saudi and u.a.e. were only being used for defensive purposes but this note was written back in september contradicting those claims the concern now is that this investigation by french authorities is about putting pressure on these journalists to break their professions most. to reveal their sources charlotte even ski ulti paris. is mideast expert an attorney at law in france and joins me on the line now very good evening to you. i don't think any governments like having their dirty linen

living in public what kind of crimes do you think they're going to try and put on these journalists. i think that there's not going to be a lot of crime because in france it's a different number for this is protected by the law by the law of france they usually. and the what's going to happen it's still going to be addition by the police and it's going to be a free edition so it's they have the right to go or not to go the gun aboard their bikin not be arrested so what what's it's gonna happen is what they are what they're going to ask them is this the the the took a french confidentially for a mission a security. a security information and they transmitted to the public but that's that's part of the freedom of press. another issue how france going to explain what's been revealed explain that it knew its weapons were being used in yemen.

it's sort of it's a bit calm it's a bit complex because the french authorities say that they sold these weapons to saudi arabia and to. the united emirate of. so they said that they are use it for defensive actions but what defensive action it's a day want to be they want to be they want to be like very correct very politically correct and say that the we french we we french government we sell we sell weapons to saudi arabia and and the way they use it but they use it only defenseless so they're not going to kill people because it's only defensive which in the in the north they got from the military information. they said that these weapons are used as a pack as their attack weapons so it's means that saudi arabia and dubai

are using these weapons to kill yemeni people but french or french government would like to say that it's on the defensive because it makes sense for the french public and the reason is because french people say that this country's. french people say that this country especially saudi arabia sent terrorists to france so why are we selling weapons to them to kill other people so for the french government to be to be politically correct and to be in it to be nicely seen by the french by the french people they see it's only use the defensively and not as the attack weapons. if these journalists are convicted of any crimes would you expect a big show. resistance from the rest of the media there are what thirty seven media outlets already back them. i think i think the french press gun is going to resist

that because in france this source of information is is protected by the law so if you go ask journalists. a newspaper where did you get your your information what who is your sources of where is the resources you can not ask these you cannot ask this question from a fringing and journalist and they are a lot not to respond to that question because it's protected by the law saw what they do now it's it's more for a political reason the god they say it's an. institution it's a national journal so that way they can if they want to convict then they can convict them you know last week there were you know you know that in france we have this season every saturday the yellow jacket the protest every every saturday and last weekend the areas that few journalists because they see these journalists

showed them a finger because and this you know this was the journalists their use. you soon of this. took out the story about the bin allah you know they get the guy the bodyguard who was protecting the president so that's why he got there arrested and they say we didn't iris them we didn't d'arista him because he was a journalist we are arresting because he finger pointed to the police so i think french or german is going to resist that because freedom of press is very important in france to rush joining us here on c international this evening my guest this hour is attorney lauren france a middle east expert. stay in france because the french president is going on the defensive timing is there nothing wrong in dealing with the country's issues in a televised address on thursday night and other mccraw made an impassioned plea protesters who've been demonstrating across the country for almost six months. as i to be a complete movie q i ask myself the question did we take

a wrong turn i think it's quite the opposite i believe that to lead a democracy today no matter the country has to accept not to be popular and i'd rather be responsible for it and be unpopular rather than to seek to charm in such a way that would always be fleeting. micrometers reveal big tax cuts and a pension boost he had it french democracy needs more decentralized government rules for organizing public referendums take a look back at how the yellow vests protest unfolded over the past five months. of course is the right one and we're not going to change it just because wind is why we.

are in a populous move micron's also scrapping an elite school famed for high profile graduates as he did the institution a symbol of inequality. fellow i phone because you feel good i think to carry out reforms the needs to be abolished not to take pleasure in abolishing the e n a but you create something that works better as i described yes i do not think that in this case there can be any patching up or a bit if it were thought to get people from the national school of administration known as the day is a top institution in the country is established in one hundred forty five undertook the initial training of senior french officials took the step as a response to months of protests against having to some of those some of labeled it an attempt to shift attention from the real problems. efforts are being made to put

up a smokescreen so that we forget what the real problems are in france this is undoubtedly a distraction it's not a critical question who will replace the e n a with another school because we will have to continue to produce senior officials. this competition brick model is that micron's moves will have a pretty limited impact. people are unhappy with this policy but what is tool is that there is no united demand about what to do with this but this is not school i didn't say the european union there's nothing here he can do because you have been one to force the sort of nearly belief loans and of course that he's with that but even if he didn't can do anything about it so is the dilemma nics measure is more social spending and more i mean less taxes but you said he does this cause is it is going to get to him i don't know how he's going to balance the budget was a one to balance a budget so he seems to me that is grossly you know

a discourse of the tiger discourse he's trying to satisfy people that he's angling to use at least i do believe that the discontent he steve. the u.k. and germany have praised china's plan for a massive global trading network known as the belt and road initiative forum for which is currently underway in beijing leaders from your asian countries and further afield have gathered to share their views on how to develop economic cooperation reporting from beijing is not easy gets done. well i have to say it is more than just a forum more than just a place for people to meet to walk and sign documents no it is a statement by beijing and those countries and representatives of international bodies and leaders who have come here today who have come to beijing it is a statement that this is a new way to boost global prosperity and also it is far from being just a regional event for instance the boat and road initiative and this forum have been

the cautiously praised by the european union have a listen to both the mode initiative has tremendous potential to spread prosperity and sustainable development to achieve as it does potentially seventy percent of the world's population a project of truly epic ambition the u.k. is committed to helping to realize the potential of the belgian road and to doing so in a way which works for all of those whose lives are touched by the project in the big used seats we have agreed that we don't want to sign any by a literal memorandums but together make necessary arrangements between the greater european economic area and the economic area of greater china we will take this promise seriously this tone goes into a bit of a contrast with what the united states have been saying in fact washington has been one of the most stark opponents to the whole belt and road initiative because they see it as a threat to their dominance and here's why because thing is this forum is merely a tiny part of a much larger scheme

a much grander vision of beijing outlined its concept for the first time in twenty thirteen and since then it's been all about well investing into global infrastructure into building new major trade routes somewhat inspired by the you once prosperous silk road in fact he's a map showing you two key projects two key trade highways if i may say so that are being developed within the framework of of this belt and road initiative as for the rushed. in leader vladimir putin he's of course here in beijing and when it comes to relations between moscow and china the two haven't really pulled any complements a should say when it comes to that and also both lattimer being they shared their thoughts on why they think the belton road initiative is so important. we work together to promote the high quality development of one belt and one route we are

told to the principle of extensive consultation joint contribution and shared benefits and have to create multilateralism know what is important to create an effective on search for the risks of global economic political and technological space fragmentation and on search for the rise of protectionism the most dangerous form of which is the illegitimate one sided measures taken without any account from the un or even worse trade was well when it comes to action the sides are russia and china have already agreed to conduct joint military drills sometime in the near future the also announced the establishment of a new fund of a new investment fund and it is now it is said to gain of the net capital totally warthe of around one billion dollars and its key purpose is to streamline the process of investments of russia and china investments into projects within the framework of the bridge of the belt and road initiative and somewhat beyond that as

well so i guess it is fair to say that russia for now has asia and its spotlight. this week the race for the us presidency in twenty twenty stepped up a gear to the former vice president joe biden threw his hat into the ring democrats are hopeful they can pick a candidate to topple donald trump but the need plenty of support and together they're considering extending voting rights to prisoners. people in jail can vote no here is why i view but i think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy yes even for terrible people but people who are in convicted in prison like the boston marathon bomber they should be able to vote i think we should have that conversation but it's not just prisoners democrats want to get to the polling booth under a young one of the twenty democratic presidential candidates has also suggested lowering the voting age to just sixteen republicans in particular of come out against the move saying it will give the democrats an advantage. over many say it

is the economy that will determine the outcome of the twenty twenty lections which could potentially be the key to a trump victory recent c.n.n. poll shows more than seventy percent of americans are positive about the u.s. economy a record number since two thousand and one in particular more than fifty percent are pleased with trump's handling of the economy and this predicts a healthy economy couple with low unemployment and rising wages might lead to a second term for trump political expert and author gina loudon believes the democrats have lost touch with the average voter. most americans think once you kill people and you take away their right to be alive your rights are pretty much negated at least until you've served out your term in prison and in some cases even as you know in the united states we can do the death penalty regarding murder because we believe you relinquish your rights when you take another life they realize now that the basic americans out here are the people that we call them joe six-pack in america the guy this just working his job trying to provide first

family he's not going to vote democratic or because the democrats have gone so far regressive left that they've lost their rank and file old school democrats that used to vote for them and in fact not only have they lost i'm president trump has reigned them then and has become the president really of the average american so the democrats realize they have to go someplace else they're quite desperate and they're willing to let criminals and children vote. britain's queen may be happy with the singing god bless her and all who sail in her but it seems a maritime museum in scotland isn't as big and referring to ships as it's to appear more gender neutral move comes after it was found people have been scratching off references to. information signs over the museum's director says the vandalism wasn't the reason for the swap but instead to recognize changes in society smart the police marine industries federation says that the organization will continue

the centuries long tradition. referring to both shea dates back to at least the fourteenth century on this story and believe sailors associated femininity with motherhood and protection the struggle to keep up with modern times is sparking debate in society he took to the harbor city of portsmouth a reaction. by disagreeing tre i think nation day is it all to do it history and things like that i think quite important to keep our history so i think would be a shame i think the boats are beautiful failings and therefore they ought to be fine and therefore she. should change you can me just change for the sake of change i mean if you're historically the bridge. pre-marriage and for ships and already don't see any particular need to train you personally we thought that it was called because we have a queen and if we had a king then the ship would be

a he or do you think was. very very angry. also spoke with the former submarine captain ron ramsey he believes that generations of sailors will be angered by the make. sure it is a safe haven for many sailors and actually see that. capability. is not so much with a. man or woman but actually some of the ships in the seas got through everything but it's what the ship. for the. speciation for a moment we lose all history and tradition it's. also in the. book of that with updates in half an hour for us either.

it's. after the previous stage of my career was over everyone wondered what i was going to do next the multiple different clubs on one hand it is logical to sit in the home field where everything is familiar on the other i wanted a new challenge and a fresh perspective from i'm used to surprising people by salt or not so you think . i'm going to talk about football not the or else if you think i was going to go.

by the way ways of the slide here.