russian national maria butanol was 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 to leave sensitive information on arms sales in the war room called in for questioning by french intelligence. the project of truly epic ambition in britain and germany hailed china's road trading network initiative as the countries take part in a major economic forum on beijing's plants. are

joining us this evening this is our. start with breaking news russian citizen maria accused of conspiring against the united states and being a russian agent has been sentenced to eighteen months jail by federal court as a lawyer spoke to the media after the sentencing. 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 everyone knows about through metaphor and other cases because she had no knowledge of the statute in order to be criminally prosecuted under 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 of the foreign agent statute i think it's 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 but 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 for old because of politics but i think anyone who thinks that someone who wasn't russian would be in this situation is one itself. that's it will serve only hoff having already spent nine months in detention at more pain has details those who were in the court room heard maria but not give quite an emotional speech prior to her sentence being handed down she talked about how she came to the united states not as an agent or an operative but with purely good intentions and what a nightmare her family has been through this is some of what maria buton a said to the court my parents discovered my arrest on the morning news they washed in their rural house in a siberian village i love them dearly but i harmed the morally and financially

they're suffering from all of that i destroyed my own life as well i came to the united states not under any orders but with who and now nothing remains but penitence. now the prosecutors in the d.c. courtroom argued that somehow maria buton his activities with the national rifle association had somehow harmed the political process of the united states significantly they argued that by being an unregistered lobbyist and working behalf on behalf of the russian government inside the national rifle association that she was in severe violation of u.s. law and had somehow harmed to the u.s. political system and done a great deal of damage now the judge did then hand down a sentence of eighteen months in federal prison now nine months of that will be time served that will be the time that she's been held since she was initially arrested so only nine months remaining in federal prison and then after that time

she will be deported from the united states back to russia now what's interesting is that maria bhutto was swept up in the aftermath of the twenty sixteen u.s. presidential elections in which talk of russian agents and russian meddling and russian subversion seemed to be quite widespread there was quite an atmosphere of fear and in that atmosphere she was swept up and it appears that now after months of being detained after quite a bit of time in which it was it was reported that she was held in solitary confinement in rather harsh conditions that she now has nine more months to serve in u.s. federal custody before she will be allowed to return home to her family so people are seeing this is kind of a conclusion to the case as at this point her lawyers are saying they will not appeal this verdict. russian embassy in the united states has already reacted to the news saying that putin is a political prisoner and they demanded her immediate release.

and joins on the line now by douglas mcnabb who is the senior principal and international criminal lawyer just the man for the job very good to have you on the glass what is your reaction first of all to the sentence and also the the as well as the conviction the length of the term what do you think of it well the statutory maximum for those. crimes that she'd like guilty to is five years sixteen months in the courtroom and stir to eighteen months which a lot of work that's not real sentencing guidelines this inappropriate sentence. as it's been reported. she receives credit for the period of time in which she was in custody in pretrial custody which is nine months which would put it at nine months left to serve but actually chill do a last line. incredible custody then nine months because she also receives

good time credit you receive fifty four days good time per year after the first year which effectively means she'll do about eighty six percent or receive the forty percent reduction so children shall have truly more months knocked off of that nine months which will put her seven months social actually do. with the with the bureau of federal prisons seven however. and blasts her counsel specifically asked the court and the courts thought to load the work quest to have missed routine immediately deported this routine is going to be cramps for over two when in effect is immigration custody waiting for her deportation she can sit in that immigration the syllabi which is

a completely different facility people than the one that she is in on for many many months waiting to be to be deported so i'm i'm hopeful that experienced counsel asked the court to immediately before her and in the court order in the record indicates that she is to be immediately deported otherwise she may be in the states for some time now to choose designing of this case said that there were no precedents for such a case and that it was hard to apply legislation what do you make of that. well i certainly respect what what the court had to say however if you were representing not. a country. that isn't the u.s. then you're required to register and it's a very simple process that can be done many times online.

there's a very simple form that needs to be filled out i understand defense counsel's argument that she wasn't aware that she was with wired to do it now. that might indicate a proof problem for the government but in the us there was a legal fiction that everyone here is that is supposed to know what the lawyers whether they actually do or not so that complicated the situation a little bit but overall her doing a bottom line net seven months based upon this felony conviction i think is a is a is a is a good service i'm sorry good term for her to serve if she had to felt like she had to plead guilty i'm just concerned as i indicated a minute ago that she's going to linger in a what in another facility waiting of to be deported back to that one and just to

clarify douglas for anybody watching it doesn't understand this you know what is it specifically about what she was doing the way she was operating working that meant that she had to be registered something awful foreigners have to. sign up to say i'm a foreign agent what was specifically about her required that. that's a very good question. and. i have not read the factual statement that she submitted to the court along with her plea of guilty so i can't tell you exactly what she said what she agreed to have done but that factual statement in ripley's very much would be accepted by the court had to the aisle like the statue. so someone who has who is in the country as a tourist or as she was initially on a student visa doesn't have to register but if they are out.

making. representations to the i was in the united states trying to influence what takes place in the u.s. to the benefit of a foreign country then you in effect are being a lobbyist and that's what they're suggesting that she was was a lobbyist that's what she agreed that she was a lobbyist which she entered a plea. your viewers should know that in u.s. federal criminal court when one plays a guilty it isn't simply a matter of standing up before the judge and saying i'm guilty i did it and the judge finding you guilty it's about a forty five minute hearing where the court asks the defendant a series of questions and then also tell me what you did. that tell me what you did is

a concession in the mission that the statute which the individual is charged that the individual is guilty and there are so many. they committed a violation of. so it's completely different from being just a tourist in the u.s. it's someone who is acting under the law and acting. in the best cristobal foreign government and see. the u.s. . policy favored. in such a way that it benefits or. douglas great speaking to your analysis my guest mike now the international criminal lawyer. as journalists are being grilled by intelligence services for breach of national defense secrecy after they leaked sensitive data about weapons used in the war in yemen has been. they

appeared 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 didn't know it a war that's left thousands died and pushed millions to war to the brink of starvation it's been described by the un the world's worst humanitarian just awful.

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 to 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 francis military agency the d r m group real to the by the journalists it showed forty eight french sees a terrorist guns were being used along the sounding game in order that tanks and fighters sold to the u.a.e.

in action and its missile guiding technology may have been deployed as well it reveals the french ships are serving in the blockade of the yemeni ports directly leading to doa food and medical shortages in additional battalion of sees a truck mounted how was this had been deployed the yemeni border on the saudi side to bring the number of cesar's in the area to forty eight as of the twenty fifth of september twenty eighth seen about forty you clerk tanks or 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 being used for the defensive. 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 so love. to reveal their sources show that even ski ulti paris. the french president is going on the defensive claiming he's done nothing wrong in dealing with the country's issues in a televised address on thursday night among the micro made an impassioned plea to yellow vests protesters who've been demonstrating across the country for almost six months. as i please many v.q. i asked 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 and be unpopular rather than to seek to charm in such a way that would always be fleeting i can also reveal big tax cuts and

a pensions based he added french democracy needs more decentralized government and east rules for organizing public referendums comes after months of nationwide protests this is how they developed. the false is the right one and we're not going to change it just because the wind is poor weak. and a populace move micron's also scrapping an elite school fame for high profile graduates the seat of the institution a symbol of inequality. fell i phone calls yuki 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 a bit of reform in the national school of administration known as the and a is a top institution in the country it was established in one hundred forty five and undertook the initial training of senior french officials to step as a response to months of protest against the meters and for some of labeled as an attempt to shift attention from 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 ripley's the with another school because we will have to continue to produce senior officials. political commentators on brick mom

believes that micron's means will have a fairly limited impact. people are unhappy with this policy but what is true is that there is no united demand about what to do with this but this is that school again said the opinion of a thousand years you can do because you have been one to force these sort of nearly well if loans and of course that he's with that but even if he didn't can do anything about it so is the dilemma a c.s. measure is more social spending and more or. less taxes but you said he does these courses it is going to get dirty i don't know i was going to balance the budget was a lot of well as a bird it's all you seem to need it is yours the discourse of a tiger discourse is trying to satisfy people that isn't going to be satisfied with the discontent he did. you can germany have praised china's plan for a massive global trading network known as the belt and road initiative four of

which is currently underway in beijing that leaders from your asian countries and further afield have gathered to share their views on how to develop economic cooperation reporting from beijing is it is 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 ching 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 bolton 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 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 belton road initiative as for the rushed. 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 i should say when it comes to that and also both lattimer potentiating ping 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 the principle of extensive consultation joint contribution and shared benefits and after create multilateralism it is important to create an effective and search to the risks of global economic political and technological space fragmentation and answer to 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 besides her 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 worth around one billion dollars and its key purpose is to streamline the process of investments of rushing 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 it's spotlight. we want to get rid of the nuclear weapons that's the message from donald trump in a wide ranging interview where russo welcome moscow's efforts to denuclearize the korean peninsula the us president named two countries that must also scrap their

atomic assholes. who want to get rid of the nuclear weapons we all have to get russia has to get rid of them in china has to get rid of an. well talks call comes just a day after the pentagon's top policy official said the u.s. nuclear forces are now playing catch up to beijing and moscow deputy undersecretary david trachtenberg added that he would try to counter russia's confidence. we're trying to take some modest steps in order to lower russia's sense of confidence that what they are doing gives them some kind of exploitable advantage that could lead to a miscalculation on their part that we absolutely do not want to see or the issue is of increasing concern after the u.s. and russia suspended participation in the i.n.f. treaty eliminating intermediate range nuclear weapons. and speaking to guests mark brewer does the adjutant professor in the peace war and defense curriculum at the university of north carolina mark pleasure to have you on

we just kind of outlined the situation that had the pentagon's top policy official saying the u.s. is going to ramp up a nuclear arsenal the day later the commander in chief says nuclear weapons have got to go what do you think of that. well i think that mr trachtenberg knows more about the what the russians think that maybe even the russians know when he asserts that russia thinks it has an exploitable advantage. in fact we are seeing a new arms race or resurgence of the arms race that it's been developing over several years and it's got a lot of people alarmed hopefully including the president but when i hear him making these statements i think we're in danger of falling into two traps one is to put too much faith donald trump is really going to achieve something major in arms control when in fact it seems as though there isn't much substance and it's

very reminiscent of the kim summits where they they've met twice and they've handshake to name grin but they haven't agreed on anything substantial. and the second is the all or nothing trap this notion that we have to have one big deal that's going to solve all our problems or the we otherwise we can't do anything the issue that's before the united states and russia with great urgency right now is the renewal of the new start treaty without that there would be essentially no agreement now at three in the united states and russia limiting the number of nuclear weapons that each country is is pointing at the other. and we lost the i.n.f. treaty says a whole new range of intermediate range missiles which are drug. to be expanded now by both russia and the united states united states has three major programs to develop new missiles that would have been prevented prohibited by the treaty but if

we lose new start then basically there is no cap on the arms race so it's hopeful to hear the statements from the president also some statements out of russia two days ago the chairman of the head of the russian security council stated that they were interested in new talks at the united nations on arms control for emerging technologies and he mentioned specifically artificial intelligence and biotechnology which is very welcome news because russia's position on the un talks on a ton of us weapons has been distinctly negative over the past several years so if this is a shift that's very hopeful so it's i think a good thing if everybody gets together and has and ambitious agenda of talks and look at all these issues but if we say that we have to have one big deal and solve all our problems or once then we're probably not going to get any deal at all we

have a lot of guests. chutney talk about the military industrial complex i mean that the fact of the matter is there's no if a lot of money to be made in sales isn't that do you think it's very hard to try and push for denuclearization when it is such a big business. move us right i there's a lot of excitement in that sector right now about all the new opportunities that are created by emerging technology and i think initiatives that come from from russia or from china are likely to be dismissed in the united states likely to be a lot of voices many of them paid for by that industry saying that all this is hypocritical and look at what they're actually doing at the same time. whereas it might be possible for russia or china to respond more favorably to you. u.s. initiatives but in any case i think the hypocrisy is all around if if russia makes a proposal that we should have talks about emerging technologies and the united

states doesn't at least say ok let's talk then you know who's the one that's saying no there are. the arguments that oh the russian proposal isn't sincere or it's not good enough but we don't make the counter proposal this doesn't hold water. i get it also it's good to hear from president trump and he's concerned about this that he'd like to achieve well his statements implied complete nuclear disarmament it's very unlikely that he's going to be able to conclude any kind of deal like that and it could potentially be a cover for the failure to get any progress at all lead to a renewal of a new start there are many other initiatives that could be taken i proposed for example a test ban hypersonic weapons this could be a moratorium could begin immediately if the u.s. proposed it to russia and china and the russians and the chinese refuse to stop testing hypersonic weapons then the it would be on them on the other hand if russia

proposed that the u.s. goes ahead with its now two point six billion dollars program to develop new hypersonic weapons and to conduct tests in the near future then it would be on us so there incremental steps that could be taken there are there are small initiatives that can be made that move things that are in the positive direction and that are substantial that actually do put an impediment in the path of the arms race and if we're not willing to take small steps i don't know why do you imagine is that we're going to take one big step. could speak to appreciate your time well good guest he said i'm jim professor in the peace war defense curriculum at the university of north carolina thank you. britain's queen may be happy with this saying god bless him and all who sail in erm but it seems a maritime museum in scotland isn't it's begun referring to ships as it in order to appear more gender neutral the move comes after it was found people been scratching off references to boats as she from the information sign the order the museum's

director says the vandalism wasn't the reason for the swap but instead they say to recognize changes in society despite this the british marine industry federation says their organization will continue with the centuries long tradition. now referring to boats as she dates back to at least the fourteenth century some historians believe sailors associated feminity with motherhood protection but the struggle to keep up with modern times is sparking heated debate in society we took to the harbor city of portsmouth to get reaction. i disagree actually i think nation is it ought 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 both so beautiful things and therefore they ought to be friendly there for sure through the royal moment should change you.