the u.k.'s home secretary passes a u.s. extradition request for julian songs to the court in the whistleblowers fate could be decided at a hearing on friday. also this hour 2 oil tankers catch fire in the gulf of a man in suspected attacks amid high tensions in the region the incident has all prices soaring. special alliance with very special people requires your equipment to board planes and donald trump praises a new deal that sees deepening of military ties with poland a 1000 extra u.s. troops will be deployed as warsaw by is over 30 american fighter jets.

watching our 2 international coming to life from the russian capital where it's just turned 4 pm welcome to the program. the u.k.'s home secretary has handed a us extradition request for julian a song to the courts which will now consider the whistleblowers fate a hearing into the matter is scheduled for this friday shall be a edwards reports from london. the u.k.'s home secretary sajid javid has signed an order which paves the way for june a songe to be extradited to the united states not only today such as jeff said himself so that there was a very important day for justice and that just is what end day profile what the sentence. we are very pleased that the police were finally able to apprehend him and now he's right behind bars because he broke you cade law i want to see justice done all the time so we've got a legitimate extradition request so i've signed it but the final decision is now

with the court's. well of course it must be noted that the final decision is for the courts and the courts alone regardless of what such a job it has said today but of course the united states has indicted jordan assigned for 17 counts under the espionage act for spying and publishing classified military and diplomatic publications all related to the war in iraq and the war in afghanistan of course another one is for conspiracy and to hack a government computer to publish these secret documents now if convicted you're innocent could face up to 175 years behind bars now and did the wiki leaks is the organization that you're innocent used as a platform in the editor in chief says that journalists aren't will not receive a fair trial. i don't believe that we are going to win this with legal argument there is no chance the julian will get a fair trial here in the u.k. or in the u.s. of course unless there's

a change of reporting that people actually start speaking out we're not talking about a prosecution we're talking about a persecution. well of course students are just setting a 50 week sentence in the u.k.'s belmarsh prison that's a high security prison here in the united kingdom and that's all because he skipped bail back in 2012 and this is a video that was actually obtained by artie's video agency ruptly and as you can see songe looks rather may see it in here in the belmarsh prison he's looking rather skeletal in fact his father has said just earlier this week that he's recovering from a dramatic weight loss throughout his time in the belmarsh prison and indeed the ecuadorian embassy nigerian a songe was actually moved to a medical ward in the belmarsh prison and could not even appear via video link for his latest hearing now of course you know saddam was thrown all back into the public eye back in april when he was forcibly removed from london's ecuadorian

embassy there in fact he was seeking political asylum and indeed spent nearly 2 and a half 1000 days holed up in that ecuadorian embassy which equates to almost 7 years in solitary almost electric confinement for 7 years in the ecuadorian embassy and it's not just the united states seeking julian assange so know that sweden is seriously. a diplomatic prison sentence themselves that's all related to sexual allegation cases a case and sentence that your innocence he himself. denies so today's announcement by javert the u.k. is home secretary really is the latest blow to journalists and his supporters they of course believe he is a valiant campaign if the truth and simply should be applauded rather than persecuted for simply telling the tree. to oil tankers have caught fire in the gulf of oman in what are suspected to have been attacks on the vessels incident occurred amid high tensions in the middle east and triggered a surge in oil prices it comes

a month after similar events in the region back in the u.s. accuse iran of sabotaging 2 saudi oil tankers something the islamic republic. has denied joined in the studio by dollar quarter for more on this bring us up to speed on what we know so far while jacki there's still a lot of unconfirmed information but much of it has been cleared up in the past couple hours the main thing we do know right now is that the entire crew is accounted for and safe iranian state t.v. has reported is reporting 44 crew members as well as 2 tankers were involved in this incident that happened near the strait of hormuz 11 russians were on board and the tankers were sailing under the flags of panama and the marshall islands witnesses report one vessel called front al terror was quote on fire and adrift and state media of iran also tweeted pictures of this going on the company that owns the oil tankers frontline told russian media that the fire has yet to be extinguished but there doesn't appear to be any pollution relating to any oil spill or anything like that and the crisis became known after the u.s.

navy reported 2 distress signals and rescued all $44.00 of the sailors are cool according to iranian media the fleet's commander said that later on that a possible attack was described and taiwan state oil refiner said that one of the tanks may have been hit by a torpedo but as of now we have no confirmation of any attacks or anything and frontline has said that it's too early to call whether this was an attack or not but these events are strikingly similar to something we saw last month as well right back in may there was another attack on for oil tankers near the united arab emirates now the government there at 1st denied the attack happened at all and later said that it was an unnamed state actor that was involved in sabotage involving naval mines although the u.s. at the time was actually much more straightforward in blaming iran national security advisor john bolton said that he was almost certain that the iranian government was responsible and in response to ron called the accusation ridiculous

and they also called bolton the war monger these harsh words weren't accidental they came amidst heightening tense. ins that are continuing to persist in the persian gulf today let's not forget that the united states has sent its navy to the persian gulf but also has said that it's not looking to raise tensions or start a war with iran and on top of that they have dedicated themselves to exerting maximum economic pressure on iran so this is certainly a delicate situation that could become more volatile very easily although quarter bringing us the latest thank you. the u.s. is boosting its military presence in poland as part of a new deal with donald trump or so will host an extra $1000.00 american troops plus by u.s. fighter jets and american liquefied natural gas donald trump praised his polish counterpart in washington d.c. u.s. polish alliance it's a very special alliance with very special people poland will still. basing an

infrastructure to support military presence of about $1000.00 american troops polish government will pay for this so america is bolstering its military presence in poland they are adding to the $4500.00 troops that are already in the country on a rotating basis now it sounds dramatic but it's actually somewhat short of the request from poland for a permanent us military base which they intended to name for trump in the end the usa agreed to shift non-combat troops to poland to had already been stationed elsewhere in europe so who are the poles trying to defend themselves from because. russia is again showing its unkind unfriendly imperial faces russia is always looking out to take us territory yes those menacing russians on whole one's border just waiting for the right moment to invade but it seems that donald trump doesn't quite share that view do not see the rush to read the whole 1000000 and the euro.

i hope. we're with everybody and i hope that i think that russia will treat poland with respect now while the russian threat may be imaginary the money that poland is showing the united states is very real big buyers of our equipment to our planes and our munitions in every form in every respect at this point we've got praising warsaw for meeting its nato spending requirements 2 percent of their g.d.p. trump is encouraging poland to buy more than 30 f. 35 fighter jets even had one of them fly over the white house on the sunny afternoon due to gave an encouraging wave and there's more money from poland coming america's way trump ale the deal in which the country would purchase 2000000000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas from the united states furthermore at this point trump is praising poland for its baltic pipe project to support poland's

construction of the baltic pipeline. which will help european countries diversify. their energy sources it's just brutally needed and that's the way to go so the big bad russians have got poland into a situation where it has no choice except to increase its military spending purchase a bunch of fancy new f. 35 fighter jets and import liquefied natural gas all the way from the other side of the planet yes trump the salesman is happy to make a deal it seems that sometimes having a bogeyman can be very convenient kaleb up and r.t. new york moscow says it regrets the u.s. military buildup in poland former pentagon analyst michael maloof told us warsaw i can't really afford the jets it's bought or to host more troops being trump he will take the he will take money from wherever he can get it and the whole the whole notion of putting a $1000.00 troops noncombatants i might add does not alter the balance of power at

all in the region it's really more of a show showcase type of thing the cost for those f. $35.00 is going to be horrendous ultimately the u.s. may have to subsidize it to present a poll and it really is trying to in namur himself more with the west by buying these f. 35 s. and at the same time trying to purchase natural gas from the united states united states is going to have a problem in getting the natural gas and i don't know yet if poland has the infrastructure to support that all well intentioned but the reality is going to be something else. you know go back to our top story of 2 oil tankers that have caught fire in the gulf of oman and suspected attacks to go back to that for a library action we're joined now by defense analyst and retired lieutenant general . welcome to the program now what do you make of this accident was it an attack as some suggest or is there another explanation here.

this accident doesn't seem to be. a nun planting seems to be a band of. some have been used maybe the cia isn't bored and a situation is being created where iran is being an brought under pressure and all saw ready a situation has been created where the attempt is being built up towards the gulf countries and all saw what for the for saudi arabia not the obss did the aim could be dead a medic up would like to keep their troops here and here they would like the eternal counties of the gulf countries including saudi arabia before the bill we have been heading that from was intending to keep 120000 troops head in this region and they have brought their navy all saw so there that has to be a situation where they can justify the placing of troops in this region and i think

they are moving in that direction these incidents are not just accidental incidents the being i think the that being staged the that being well crafted incidents which are being played by the cia and most probably you will recall that in syria. we have been heading the deceit and government laws and war in chemical attacks and all of us and that time also had doubts about that syrian government is already. there they're fighting a war and they are. almost neck deep how can then build in this chemical attack business but then americans took that to that excuse what you and they bomb syria and subsequently know that even the united nation is saying that they had the syrian government was not involved in it one disk is the blame is being put on the don't they are saying that did onions that inboard i mean although they are saying that we are investigating but so did it be another country that forced to report the blame on iranians why should it on the others do it when they are just.

awarding of war when they are dead to god it could be saying that we already have a lot many things that are hand they are already suffering on account of the sanctions this have no reason to go to the war than they have movies and to escalate the situation so there is a design behind the whole thing on one hand they were selling their weapons through this old these and also to the gulf countries and the money as we know trump has been doing all over the world they were also forced them before the bill for the forces that they are going to present to syria and by the virtue of their presence in i didn't see closer to disturb her mother and brother to pakistan's. other board i think they are going to have a check on the seat back which is a big giant is going to operate from to pakistan or not go by the book so i think it will save multifarious design which they are implementing and by one move by one

move they are going to draw not many benefits from this base money will do so these against the iranians and also have a check on the chinese move on to shave defense analyst and retired lieutenant general thank you for coming on the program. human rights watch says a british government report on yemen whitewashes saudi arabia's role in the humanitarian crisis there the british foreign office report states that the conflict in yemen has had a devastating impact on people's lives but it only mentions saudi arabia one of the sides in the war in connection with the alleged use of secret prisons. and mr international alleged the use of secret prisons in areas under the saudi led coalition's control there was no reliable process for inquiry into detainees held at these facilities human rights watch adds that riad actions in yemen could amount to war crimes and accuses the u.k. of turning a blind eye. the report's most striking weakness is on the yemen while acknowledging

the many civilians killed in the conflict it ignores a saudi led coalition's responsibility indiscriminate saudi led coalition air strikes in yemen have huge hospitals funerals weddings markets civilian homes and even a school bus killing and wounding thousands many of these attacks may be work crimes since 2015 britain has sold 4700000000 pounds worth of weapons to riyadh making it one of the biggest exporters of arms to the kingdom the issue of weapons exports to the saudis has sparked heated exchanges and the parliament we've requested comment from the british foreign office although so far we have not had a response is not a lead coalition began its bombing campaign against what the rebels in yemen which sees as terrorists back in 2015 saudi arabia insists it's doing all it can to reduce civilian casualties the u.n. has described the situation in the country as the worst manmade humanitarian crisis

on earth and warning you may find some of the following images upsetting. the bomb has a killing the cholera epidemic the number of people who are in hunger because of the blockade. etc. foreign office is trying to obfuscate or hide from the british people the fact that they are supporting the illegal action saudi arabia and its allies in its war on the people of yemen the united kingdom just like the united states has strategic interest in the

region they want to protect. dictatorial monarchical governments and order to secure all natural gas resources and the people of yemen fighting for their liberation. to their foreign policy go their cleverness i take continues after the short break.

before q.e. 4 is now well under way can't taper a ponzi scheme no economics matters only money printing and stock manipulation. so what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have it's crazy. let it be an arms race is spearing dramatic development only loosely i'm going to resist i don't see how that strategy will be successful very critical time to sit down and talk. welcome back u.s. national security advisor john bolton says reports of disagreements between donald

trump and his top aides are part of a distant from ation campaign by the likes of russia china iran and also branded american journalists who write such reports of these regimes north korea iran. venezuela russia and china pride too so just information about the administration and to say that the president his advisors are divided and things like that. of these regimes and the american press immediately pick it up. come on mr bolton in case you've been living under a rock the past few years u.s. president donald trump doesn't get along too well with the rest of capitol hill close to 30 of his team members have either resigned or were fired and since he got into office his term has been haunted by a cascade of information leaks by insiders saboteurs and trump hasn't always been on the same page with the rest of the administration. you think north korea remains

a nuclear threat yes but the president said he doesn't it's not what he said i mean i know i know personally we did it and there is no longer a nuclear threat from north korea. i had a very good talk with president putin is. that looking at all to get involved in venezuela he was apparently ready to leave after the airport but the russians talked him out of that is that right that's right now it could be because the trump isn't a tory asli divisive figure by nature could be because he's flip flops so much that he's policy u. turns were created into actual flipflops well you know he's sometimes difficult to keep up with and you know after all he doesn't have to be a bad thing a clash of ideas challenging each other on policies is synonymous with democracy isn't it i really did use 3 times due to how unbelievable it is that the russians in other bad guys spread this information about

a divided opinions of us president and his closest aides seriously when the president and his inner circle had different opinions it is a sign of the democratic process in the country doesn't washington defend this value with such zeal so yeah it could be a good thing except it probably stops being one when things move from the realm of professional to personal to go to work for a man who. is pretty on discipline and doesn't doesn't like to read doesn't read briefs. reports doesn't doesn't like to get into the details of a lot of things bricks to listen didn't have the mental capacity needed he was dumb as a rock and i couldn't get rid of him fast enough he was lazy is how we already know a lot about the discord ready in the tribal ministration from former tribe ministration officials i mean let's face it look at north korea due to sow discord in the us what could be his way it would be doesn't make any sense the white house

does not want to appear to be for action they're now facing a reelection very soon in 2020 and boldness trying to help trump cover is behind by claiming others are responsible for discord and not those with them but what a course the message being that you know john bolton's looking for a pretext to go to war somewhere he's a very devious man he likes to write. and alliance of new year of skeptic parties in the european parliament have come together to form a bloc called identity and democracy will be the 5th largest group in the parliament with around 10 percent of the seats they've since announced they intend to oppose the extension of anti russia sanctions joining us live from berlin as r.t. as maria finishing up maria what more do we know at this point. well hijack a we have been hearing about the nationalist alliance in the european parliament for quite some time already and on thursday in brussels the leader of france's

national rally magnet then announced that officially saying it is a drastic change to the political chat sport of the european union identity and democracy or shortly id that's the blocks name will unite the right wing parties from 9 european countries common direction common goal to take power from brussels and give it to the country members capitals that's for that's for that very reason they are often referred to in the media as you are skeptics shortly after the new born alliance presentation its course. chairman who is also known here in germany as the federal spokesperson for the alternative for germany a right wing party presented some of the features of the party's chorus that is definitely go into different from the european union sanctions against russia make no sense let's take a listen. we oppose the extension of sanctions they did not suspect the actions of russia we can extend them for another 10 years it will not change anything it came

less than a week after the russian president vladimir putin said that russia is directed to move towards the european union but the you should take the 1st step. if the use policy towards russia changes will not only welcome it will take reciprocal steps this also applies to the countries sanctions we were 1st to apply after the you post certain restrictions on the us the new alliance will take $73.00 seats of this $751.00 seat european parliament 10 percent compared to 5 percent in the last previous significant change makes it to feast largest alliance in the palm and which makes the chances a very high that the party will be successful in pushing forward its policy and we are going to see the changes then talked about back to you art is where if national reporting live from berlin thank you that's a global news update for this hour but don't forget you can always head to our

website r.t. dot com for the details on all those stories and many more. you know touga 2017 the german newspaper developed published an article claiming that the european union that last 30000000000 euros as a result of its very anti russian sanctions. particularly affected eastern europe many polish farmers went broke and even committed suicide. sometimes i can't account for as i was off on a good on one of the top level will put on the ground on the. on

these it floods the younger of them to have to finance my view on the whole so i'm going against that doesn't on the kind of a no harm doesn't then let's see in the. different if one song the smith. on does dance with all the faults and that's what you call. make this manufactured sentenced to public wealth. when the ruling class is protect themselves. when the final merry go round lifts and be the one percent. we can all middle of the room signals.

welcome to the alex salmond show interest special program on the tour the leadership race at one point it looked as though election to determine the next leader of the conservative party without more contestants in the you have vision song contest idea in a panic a change of rules from the all powerful bought bench 1022 committee has only taken the field going from unlucky 13 to 10 runners entering the starting stalls this morning the great sporting spectacle of velasca begins next week and this is how the tory hopefuls line up at the post. i did today show

we asked during conservative commentator peter oborne to assess the prospects of the race which will determine not just sit next to the leader but the next prime minister over the next week or so a tory m.p. for what will the feel dying to just 2 and then just over 100000 tortie members will choose the next prime minister for the rest of us studied the results of any race you have to look at. the form of a course and distance of i think at the close look at the ownership the trainers you've got to make all of these assessments can they cope with the going of they be . taking any noxious substances all of these the masses need to be taken into account but 1st here treat the mess just and emails in response to my shoe of last week on the state visit of president trump on the politics of protest john says a great interview with bad saunders find of rock against racism on this week's show

bob says social media is probably one of the best watched as most people read whatever is posted and believe it immediately then any retraction is only believed by people intelligent enough to read it dawn says really great show with very searching questions. also says fantastic sure we're guests are treated as such and also very informative what i love is the diversity of guests and interviews with very interesting and intelligent people that we rarely see on mainstream t.v. keep up the great work guys thank you very much pope and finally james says what's the e-mail for alex in the show well james if you want to contact both please the e-mail and at the sure alex salmond scoff and of course you can contact us via twitter or our facebook page now as in all the best races there is a keen betting market this is how the later thought look where the bikies. i'm so bored is johnson is a runaway favorite.