the israel defense forces are bombing hamas targets in gaza after a major flare up in cross border exchanges which are now into their second day. in stories that shape the past week president nicolas maduro says he quelled an attempted coup by venezuela opposition leader. who along with his u.s. backers denies planning a military overthrow are just about what really happened. while you go doesn't get him in power of nice national committee six million people voted for nicolas maduro last may in

a free and fair election that i observe you know how many people voted for one boy . and the u.s. attorney general is grilled in the senate over his handling of the muller report but refuses to subject himself to further questions which democrats are now calling william barr a coward and charges of contempt of congress. welcome to the weekly here on r t international where we bring you the latest headline news at the top stories from the past week. we start in israel where warplanes are pounding gaza after a major flare up in cross border exchanges now into their second day the israel defense forces spokesperson warns that television is ready to conduct an offensive operation if necessary we speak we continue to operate against hamas on the palestinian islamic jihad we have deployed an almost brigade. to the girls this

trip with be specific purpose of conducting operations are not there to announce the difference but to conduct offensive operations should they be needed we have the adequate firepower disposal. i am not aware of any talk to a cease fire or anything of that if the i.d.f. is ready prepared and equipped to continue to fight against hamas ultimately to defend israeli civilians against rockets fired from gaza israel. let's not cross live to tel aviv in our tears pile of flare what's the current situation at the border. well this is the second day that we've seen the surge in violence so far four hundred and fifty rockets have been fired at israel from gaza israel for its side continues to pound the gaza strip with air strikes we're hearing from the israeli air force that they've hit some two hundred and twenty targets belonging to islamic jihad and hamas and all the rockets that have been

fired at israel according to the israeli army one hundred and fifty has been intercepted the south of the country is in a state of high alert people have been ordered to state near bomb shelters or schools has been closed throughout the day today and yesterday and in the last hour two more israelis were killed after a factory in the southern israeli city of ashkelon took a direct hit now this brings to three the number of israelis who have so far been killed these are the first casualties on the israeli side since the two thousand and fourteen war that was the last war between israel and gaza and there's a fourth israeli that is in a critical condition on the palestinian side nine palestinians have been confirmed dead and then just in the last few minutes as i was waiting to come to you we heard that a tenth palestinian was killed off to a car that he was traveling in took a direct hit there's a thirty seven year old pregnant palestinian woman who was killed with her child the israeli army with the allegations that they were killed by. israeli missile

instead saying that they were killed by a rocket launcher on the palestinian side now the israeli army has issued a statement in which it says it is preparing for several days like this and as it braces for the risky nation it is tank reinforcements to the border we've heard words of defiance from the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu who has ordered the i.d.f. to conduct what he says to quote massive attacks netanyahu saying that his army will act on the offensive at the same time they will use all the firepower at their disposal and he's not aware of any current peace talks or ceasefire talks that are under way and how are the palestinian officials reacting to those comments from the prime minister. there's a lot of defiance coming off from the palestinian side we're hearing from her masts that they ready to fight until the last moment they say that they have extended the range of the rockets they also say that they haven't even started the real war against israel and also obviously in what is meant to be

a three way to against israelis and thus published in hebrew the coordinates of those locations they planned to target and included there is the big international airport and also the city of dimona where it is believed that israel holds as its nuclear arsenal although of course israel has never confirmed that the islamic jihad another militant group in the gaza strip is also defiant saying to quote that they will resist forceful be until the aggression stops so certainly we see both sides saying that this fighting and this flare up is unlikely to continue now our stepped up military campaign could have negative effects elsewhere and with israel hosting the euro vision song contest in a couple of weeks do you think that this flare up could have consequences for that event. well that's exactly the concern on the israeli side in fact when you speak to israelis here they believe that hamas instigated the latest round of violence because we're just two days away from important israel. public holidays

the small town your music award which are the days of independence and the days that are members soldiers who've been killed in battles and we're just two weeks away from the u.s. vision song faced civil which gets under way on may the fourteenth so while we're hearing these strong words coming from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu it does seem questionable whether or not he's what he's going to want to risk people not coming to israel because of the you a vision faced of all by launching a massive scale operation having said that islamic jihad has vowed to prevent us vision from happening the organizers have said that they will continue with the song festival but of course they all concerned that the violence will overshadow the you have vision faced of all the international battles are continuing to arrive in israel they were her souls that are under way in tel aviv and at the same time they haven't been any cancellations but of course it's still a few days and this could change as we get closer to the you have vision festival. parties pulse where the you for bringing us the latest. this week venezuela

was rocked by violent protests in which more than a hundred people were injured the country's president nicolas maduro sudden attempted coup led by opposition leader one wideout was put down on tuesday gordo who claims to be venezuela's legitimate president announced the quote final phase of ending with girls rule and called on people to rise up against the government. and this one today. brave brave people who are following our constitution. today the armed forces standing behind the people of the constitution .

so we're going to recover and rebuild and there's a way to do that with that system is what venezuela needs today is that's us we're not. by defeating this terrible coup attempt we've tried you know with truth with loyalty with. the crisis and that as well will be discussed by russian foreign minister sergey lavrov and his u.s. counterpart mike pompei oh when they meet in finland next week on the sidelines of the arctic council summit meanwhile washington and white out tonight plotting a military overthrow with u.s. security advisor john bolton insisting it's an internal matter for the venezuelan people. we need better as well ruled by the people of venezuela not by extra forces

this is the bolton who's done his damnedest to ensure regime change in venezuela whose country has championed regime change sanctioned venezuela frozen billions in state funds threatened it with invasion now he's saying no one should meddle that it's up to the days wayland's to decide course not what he meant is no one but america all options remain on the table we said it would be a big mistake for me doro and those supporting him to use force against innocent civilians mr bolton's deficient of innocent i think defers from the classic meaning look at these demonstrators with guns shooting at troops and police i suppose the bullets of full of love to a few bad hold these innocents accountable says mr bolton we might invade

between the lines as thomas called the status where with you america will stand with you until freedom and democracy are restored by and can do yes. today interim president who i'm going to announce starts of a person. the government foolish supports the venezuelan people who in the quest for freedom and democracy democracy cannot be defeated what do you know they stand with the people never mind the sanctions and the misery for millions that they've caused a question is which people exactly the jews say you stand with a few hundred machete gun wielding fellows that try to stage a violent coup or the thousands upon thousands who concurrently marched in support of the venezuelan president maduro against this coup this is clearly not a coup we recognize one go i don't know as the legitimate interim president of

venezuela and just as it's not a coup when the president of the united states gives an order to the department of defense it's not a coup for wind why don't you try and take command of the venezuelan military your info mr bolton one guy do who was never elected doesn't control the military or ministries or anything he is the president but nicolas maduro the actual president supported by millions the military the ministries he's not the president see what i mean by strange it's almost like the bitter and banal things didn't go according to plan the u.s. might object to the term however if we turn to the dictionary the word is defined as a sudden violent and illegal seizure of power from a government our guesstimate of whether that's what's being attempted and that as well. the u.s.

supports coup d'etat is all the time this is another example that wang has no power under the constitution of venezuela the fact the us recognize him recognizes him is of no import the u.s. recognizes him because he has already agreed to privatizing venezuela's oil in the interest of u.s. companies that's why the u.s. recognizes him and that does not make him with the opinion of the united states is no the only opinion for all other fifty countries recognize why go as a legitimate president ninety percent of venezuelans do support also while you go there are legitimate president this is an unfolding coup that the us watched to push forward and we have to remember by the way the us supported the coup in two thousand and two against hugo chavez and we're reluctant to call it a coup back then the fact that the us wants to use semantics to cover up what it's doing doesn't change the fact that this is a coup when people say you know

a seizure of power illegal seizure of power the basic definition of a coup does that key element there is not illegal because. doesn't get him in power recognized by the national committee holder will mingling with nice international community must be in by the people who goes out in matches people are on the streets supporting the dura that's undeniable there are people there that support him i have friends there contacts that support him you never hear their side worst or use never what you never hear from them in the press and so you get one side of the story and that is tantamount to misrepresenting destroyed their recent science or do not just if i decline in common the basic common me and the three million plus on the escaping venezuela for other current. did not start when this actually started this started way before that six million

people voted for nicolas maduro last may in a free and fair election that i observed do you know how many people voted for wango idaho none still to come the whistleblower in chief julian the songe was sentenced to fifty weeks in prison by a british court on wednesday for skipping bail in two thousand and twelve that's among our stories after this short break. max geysers financial survival guide liquid assets not those that you can convert using gas quite easily. to keep in mind now as a tremendous place in. record. join me every thursday on the alex simon show and i'll be speaking to guest of the world

the politics sports business i'm showbusiness i'll see you then. when almost seemed wrong. but all wrong just don't call. me if you get to shape out these days to come after. and in detroit because betrayal. when so many find themselves worlds apart we choose to look for common ground. welcome back u.s. attorney general william barr has defended his actions over the release of the mole

report findings and front of the senate democrats are calling for bar's immediate resignation claiming he misled the american public over the results of the russia probe back in march barr released a four page summary of the report which stated that there'd been no collusion between donald trump and russia as for obstruction of justice barr said that the special counsel had failed to reach a conclusion on the matter during his sonic rilling the attorney general claimed that robert miller didn't think he had misrepresented the special counsel's report that some of the senators questioning him didn't buy that. it's very clear with me that he was not suggesting that we had misrepresented his report i feel your rants are just purposely misleading and i think others do too now the american people know that you are no different from rudy giuliani or kellyanne conway or any of the other people who sacrificed their once decent reputation for the grifter and liar who sits in the oval office being attorney general of the

united states is a sacred trust you have betrayed that trust america deserves better resign the democratic party is on the warpath and all who stand between them and their goal of ousting donald trump have a target on their forehead either join with them or step down this attorney general lacks all credibility for years i really do yes. he should step down or should resign and if he does not resign he should sing impeachment proceedings also he does need to resign to step up william barr he is the next target in between the democrats and their goal of impeaching donald trump why well he released the bob muller report showing no collusion with russia a special counsel found no collusion by any americans in ira's illegal activities testifying before the senate bar was forced to answer questions about misleading the public and standing in the way and the democrats picked up on one key phrase in

bob miller's letter that being public confusion about key aspects of the investigation the democrats thought they had him with this one but not so fast i asked him if he was suggesting that the march twenty fourth letter was inaccurate and he said no but that the press reporting had been inaccurate feels like the seeds of a cover up are here there are still many questions tonight for instance why president trump and so many people in his orbit lied about their contacts with russia i don't need them over report to know he's a traitor i have the t.v. but hope so. brings a tunnel for the democrats next to the stand obstruction of justice president trump in gage destruction of justice and those of his kind of the president who. to my reading of. the report almost certainly obstructed justice or did you find that to be a persuasive act of obstructing justice. no but options still remain on the table for the democrats one perhaps being the fact that the

report was redacted perhaps the bombshell the democrats wanted was simply cut out of the report the public version has been estimated to have only ten percent redactions volume two has only about two percent redactions for the public version so ninety eight percent of volume to dealing with obstruction is available to the public and you can't deny that the democrats have drive they've got a goal they've got persistence that is here in abundance and with their eyes on the prize in two thousand and twenty we can expect that the democratic party will keep chasing tails caleb mop and r.t. new york for school scenes unfolded in the u.s. congress the next day after the attorney general refused to show up for further grilling he said he'd already told senators all he had to say about his version of the report democratic lawmakers didn't cancel the hearing however they theatrically play spars name card in front of an empty chair and congressman steve cohen then put a ceramic chicken on the desk as

a symbol of the attorney general's alleged cowardice and tucked into some k.f.c. with democrats knowing charges of contempt of congress some house members call the situation absurd. yes failed the men and women of the department of justice by placing the needs of the president over the fairy ministration of justice and yes we will have no choice but to move quickly to hold the attorney general in contempt if you stores or fails to negotiate in good faith mr byers the moment of accountability will come soon enough and i think that probably applies chicken bar should have shown up today and answered questions the black sox look clean compared to this team it's a sad day in a bear what are the democrats scared of they don't know bill barr here today they've had the report they've read it they don't like what's in it for the still in the circus continues over here the congress in its capacity here is not really investigating malfeasance by the attorney general which is their job is oversight they're actually having some perry mason like

a mole or two investigation which will gain them nothing and the bar i think just basically said look six hours of this is enough i'm done they didn't want him to show up they made it impossible for him to come so that they could have the theater they had today it's about politics it's not about finding any wrongdoing that part is over now we have the political discussion the tiny tiny tiny portion that's not grand jury testimony that was actually redacted that's been made available to the committee and they don't want to look at it because as i said they want the theater that they don't want cooperation they're not looking for something bad they've decided there's something bad they make the bald assertion and that's good enough for them. it was an eventful week for a whistleblower in chief julian assange he was sentenced by a british court on wednesday to fifty weeks in prison for skipping bail in two thousand and twelve the wiki leaks co-founder was back again in court on thursday to face his first hearings in a u.s. case seeking to extradite him from the u.k.

to innocence has been charged by u.s. authorities with conspiring to hack into classified government files appearing via video link from jail told the court he would never surrender to the americans voluntarily. the next court session on the case will be held later this month meanwhile the united nations has criticised the length of a songes sentencing dubbing it disproportionate it also suggests that his detention appears to be a violation of his human rights these us mint goes the words of a song just lawyer as well as wiki leaks editor in chief both also denounced the authorities treatment of him. has been that twenty three other twenty four hours a day in his cell that is what we call the general term solitary confinement that's on the set of all these cases not about happy. this case is about a journalist in a publisher who had conversations with a source about accessing material and spoke to that source about how to protect their identity this is protected activity that journalistic age and all the time

and any prosecution and extradition of mr sunshine having done so we place a massive chill on investigative journalism in the world. norway recently experienced some russian meddling and its waters this time it came in the form of a friendly beluga whale which approached fishermen off the coast and has since been nicknamed of all the mayor of whale to me or one norwegian expert has alleged putin himself might have had a hand in training it fishing for the facts here's electrico. here's a situation a cute white sea mammal starts playing with a couple of fishing boats. local. creature clearly wants to grab people's attention and even tries to pull straps and ropes. the crew treats the little whale with some yummy snacks but realizes it's probably peeved by the tight

hardness round its body. it takes a while and some real effort to take the straps off the unfortunate friend the white. shap swims away enjoy the harness clip is branded equipment st petersburg which turns out to be a real russian firm making extreme sports equipment now how about this story. a group of norwegian fishing vessels have survived an attack. our ras the boat the tide harness round its body with the name of the lot of our putin's hometown on it made locals think the whale was a russian navy weapon norway is now on high alert amid fears russia could have trained entire teams of sea creatures for spying and combat missions some of you might roll your eyes and think what a weird paranoid freak out well i'll tell you what pretty much all the media out

there reported the encounter of norway's northern coast and in some cases my impression of the catchy coverage wasn't too much of an exaggeration whale found off noways coast believed to be spying for russia has a new alleged russian spy it's a below going kernel beluga off of course if it says st petersburg on that thing the cute creature must be a russian spy or not to underestimate weapon is probably a better word the nuke a whale found wearing a harness to carry camera could be russian weapon. whales trained by russia's military maybe harassing fishermen from nato ally no we ok i'll tell you a secret the likes of the russian or u.s. navy's started training seem for things like the mining rescue operations spotting underwater threats decades ago just google it but it never really put their

neighbors in panic mode this time though beluga whale with russian harness raises alarm in norway i just hope those who wrote those do stay away from some of the following displays of russian humor. that's a recap of just some of the stories that helped shape the world these last seven days for all the latest and up to the minute reports follow us on twitter facebook as always thanks for tuning in. on t.v.'s how they dealt how to international memorial awards twenty nineteen are now open for entries the media professionals are eligible whether you are

a freelance journalist who work for alternative media who are part of a global news conference to participate in sunday's show published works in video rich and much go toward don't altie dot com and enter now. exists is a sticker from the water bottle phone in the stomach of a fish the brand is spawns of the coca-cola company which sells millions of bottles of soda every day the idea was that let's tell consumers they're the bad ones they're the litter box they're throwing this away industry should be blamed for all of this waste the company has long promised to reuse the plastic. seats to look at susie's. demand that seems cool sets their glasses chris takes a close ally and on a day when you don't lose at a special projects funding he tells it to. online your best bet is the end of a footy team but for now the mountains of waste only grow higher.

by the way bank of pres are bothered by government at all that is there is about ninety percent of them as institutions completely to work with. the justice department said today the inmate population of federal and state prisons in this. country is at an all time high. the public sees a need for more prisons because crime is the number one concern to people in this thing. too many in means some of them in not enough space. crime another. one hundred already have and i'm with the start of. the homily race next only in america when the dollar is going to. prison population

or just want to. die. but others are going to die and. a shocking new number was released today and it deserves our undivided attention one out of every one hundred americans is now behind bars walked up to prison or in jail. through the most important thing. is to talk from your heart if you have more than one child give a like an overall message but then do an individual one to each child throw them a kiss talk to them about what you do daily the rest should be just you if you've

written a poor we've had people pray we've had people saying one guy showed his little boy how to shoot a basket the creative. these are gifts to your children. the families of punished right along with. the have people don't think so but the collateral consequences of somebody is incarceration affects not just the whole family but it affects the whole community it affects you as an individual or the you know whether or not and whether you know that person or not that's incarcerated. get to inform. you should care. i have a background in film and video as a producer and i thought there's got to be something i can do so why not combine my career and my experience with the prison system.