kuala carnival. swedish prosecutors drop a 2010 rape case against julian assange after admitting they lacked evidence the charge of the wiki leaks founder. and a major policy overhaul the us schools is outraged by declaring that he no longer views israeli settlements in the occupied west bank as illegal. policing international law with the law of the jungle. i am in no way an anti muslim demonstration erupts into a street brawl after a copy of the qur'an was set on fire. good

evening to you thanks for joining us here on r.t. international. prosecutors in sweden say that they are dropping nearly a decade long rape case against wiki leaks co-founder julian assange is missing the evidence that we can over time clears the path for is likely extradition to the united states where he faces espionage charges earlier i spoke with donald quarter for the details. you know this whole saga started out did it with the rape allegations against us and you've been through the whole mill since then but now we're back to those initial charges that's right neal exactly it was in 2010 that the swedish government filed in international arrest warrant against songs for 2 charges one of molestation and another of rape but assad has always denied these charges he's even cooperated with the international investigation from abroad and it was the threat of extradition to the united states if you were to have been arrested in sweden that forced him to take political asylum within the ecuadorian

embassy in london and now it turns out that this case that started it all doesn't even have enough so-called corroborative evidence. to dividend cherry basis is such that he corroborating evidence is not sufficient to in a way that is prescribed by the supreme court deemed at the description of the alleged criminal act can be proven. earlier today the swedish prosecutor explained her reasoning for dropping the charges she said that the witnesses involved were were credible but over the years the case itself had weakened and in the q. and a that followed she also said that the heavy media influence on the witnesses was another important consideration that they took into consideration 1st inspection suppose of doing the soldier might think this is good news but things are rarely that simple do you think it is good news well at 1st glance it certainly seems so but i mean the original fear was that if a songe was arrested in sweden he would be extradited to the united states but the

fact of the matter is that the situation has changed since then and let's not forget he's been sitting in a u.k. high security prison since april sancia has been i mean the government is set to decide his fate in 2020 and the united states has already filed an official request for his extradition to london so wiki leaks has already said this actually only means that sweden is no. longer going to be competing with the united states for the extradition rights over a song now as for what awaits a song in the united states if he is extradited that while he is probably nothing fair i think a son should be assassinated actually. contract maybe use a draw or something but this guy is a traitor a treasonous and he has broken every law of the united states the guy ought to be shot i'm not for the death penalty so if i'm not for the death and want to do it illegally shoot the son of a i think the mad as a terrorist act tough and say if we catch you we're going to hang you whatever wiki

leaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service ignorance or misplaced idealism is no longer an acceptable excuse for lionizing these demons and why has the us been so set on getting its hands on the songs well see for yourself.

so we can examine his clocks that he joins me on the line now welcome clark and it is this development from the view of wiki leaks is this a good thing or not. well it's not a bad thing but certainly the focus is now. completely towards the united states and what will happen there he's facing you know near 175 years or more. and he's looking at extradition hearing coming up in february and i i honestly

think that. that has been the main worry always the respect borders and the conscience so what i find really disturbing is that just last week president donald trump pardoned 2. to military officials who are accused of war crimes they have not been convicted yet and meanwhile. he's looking at convicting and extraditing joy in the songs for publishing the war crimes committed in iraq and afghanistan the same wars that these these 2 army officers were. fighting in and this is coming this is coming from the same man who in 2016 knocked over right before the election claimed to log wiki leaks this is the same man who repeatedly calls pretty much

all news organizations fake news yet wiki leaks has 100 percent track record of publishing nothing but the truth and yet donald trump wants to bring a songe to the united states convict him of espionage for these. for publishing truth about war crimes and that's not just ironic that's horrific it's horrific because it's not just about songes life but the 1st amendment and press freedoms altogether in the united states. well you took about the irony it gets even thicker because i mean as we speak right now there's an impeachment hearing underway in the united states which is based largely on the revelations of a whistleblower a song she's a whistle blower would you feel about the dramatically different ways in which whistleblowers are being treated the fact that the man who exposes alleged

wrongdoing of the president in regards to ukraine is is regaled is given protection and his word is taken as gospel for an investigation and julian is on this is treated as a must among criminal it's just proof that everything's politically motivated that the trumpet ministration has absolutely no credibility and no principles whatsoever when it comes to these things. whistleblowers should be protected whistleblowers should be lauded their heroes. whistleblowers do this sort of thing not for personal gain not for their ego they do it for the public good and it's proof to me that donald trump doesn't care about the public good he cares about self and no one else i mean clearly when he says that he loves wiki leaks and then after he gets electors i don't know anything about wiki leaks and you allows the pile up of

charges allows for chelsea manning also to be put in jail for refusing to pacify. all of these things show he does not have principles he only cares about insult and getting reelected. let's not forget principle of law innocent until proven guilty and the fact that julian assange is now is behind bars not because he's supposed to be but he's already served his term for the conviction for breaking bail conditions he's there because he's considered a flight risk. so the months imprisoned yet to be proven guilty of any wrongdoing what about the conditions of his imprisonment there's a lot of complaints been made about that well that's horrific as well and you know he hasn't been able to his lawyers visitors have been few and far between. the reports i've seen either malnourished he is not receiving medical attention all of these things are above and beyond what real criminals actually have to face

and so that again also shows me that the british government the judges they're awfully aso politically motivated in this as well and it is you've got many organizations coming forward and saying this is a perversion of justice no the speak and. it's inhumane and it really shows that these 2 governments these imperial list fascist nations are essentially treating journalists and whistleblowers with absolutely no respect and no you human rights whatsoever. this is going to be such a significant trial if and when it takes place as you mention the significance of it the journalists all over the will 2 things that spring to mind how do you think that the u.s. media will will cover any potential trial and do you think that the public might

come to just defense or not. i've seen the united states media especially when i covered chelsea manning strive really dropped the ball at least the more corporate media. and i've also seen great amount of apathy amongst americans when it comes to supporting a songe chelsea manning edward snowden and so forth. they really don't seem to care as i would expect them to as i see activists around the world care about their lives and that saddens me but i think. that needs to change and how that's going to change i don't know. but it seems to me that it's sensually sense that you thought was the 16 election. both sides of

the aisle both sides that all when it comes to media i really thrown the songs under the bus and they only really seem to care when it helps them politically they don't seem to stand by any sense of principles when it comes to the 1st amendment when it comes to press freedoms and it's only they're only going to really say what what they feel their viewers their readers are going to want to hear. no luckily there are international news organizations that look at this a little bit more objective really and. unfortunately i don't think americans are really paying enough attention of us right especially. those who voted for trump i think they were. often. say that they like wiki leaks is a way to help them out with it wasn't it in all honesty they really don't

care about anyone but themselves and donald trump same goes for the president himself it's becoming increasingly clear that the authorities and you can say the u.s. and you can throw in the u.k. authorities in with with them on this one i think we're very aggressively pursuing julian assange as reports to come out today in the news that the surveillance of the ecuadorian embassy where sons was was holed up in london was was aggressive extensive choose your description including a surveillance device in a fire extinguisher microphones hidden even in the women's bathroom i mean what do you make of the efforts that clearly were taken to try and get documentation every single movement and word spoken by julian assange. so i was in the ecuadorian embassy in january and i was given a short tour of

a few of the rooms there were cameras everywhere and i wouldn't doubt that there were microphones all over the place because of that julian and i decided. you know trivial things like cats and. and its health and and so forth we chose not to speak of anything sensitive political whatsoever. that also is. this craze to human rights. and in just shows that the government only cares about secrets when covering up their corruption and they don't care about privacy of citizens and journalists and activists whatsoever and that's. and it's also really disgusting how they were

able to kind of rule leave the ecuadorian government to make this happen. appreciate coming on r.t. personally to dispute the clocks that a wiki leaks think you know with any thank sions on iran's nuclear facility he'll say repeated his support for the ongoing protests in the country around him back bacchis in the us of stirring up unrest united states will terminate the sanctions waiver related to the nuclear facility at fordo iran people enjoy a better future when their government begins to respect. basic human rights abandon its revolutionary. and its destabilizing foreign policy in the region to be simply like a normal nation. it is strange that the united states and its officials who have committed the greatest of crimes by imposing much pressure and the toughest sanctions on iran are communicating to the iranian people that they support these protests we don't expect anything else from mr palmer who disagrees he defends the

maximum pressure regime and imposition of sanctions on iran. after a surprise 50 percent hike in fuel prices announced friday. boiled over in at least a dozen cities and buildings vandalized the pictures of iran's supreme leader burned around said the revenues would be used to help the less well off comes with the country in the grip of a deep economic crisis. u.s. sanctions on the scale of morbid ripples. the trumpet ministration seems jubilant about the recent protests in iran. the people of iran almost a year and a half ago the united states is with you now the protests are being driven by the economic situation g.d.p. growth projections are down by 9.5 percent inflation is it 40 percent and unemployment is at 16 percent and rising but it was a 15 percent increase in the price of fuel that sparked the recent turmoil.

now an economic squeeze like that is bound to get people upset but why is iran in such poor shape well donald trump has a lot to do with it in 2015 the international community agreed. decades old sanctions in response to an agreement that was reached about iran's peaceful nuclear energy program but then along came donald trump he decided to pull out of the nuclear agreement he says that iran broke the spirit of the deal however international observers say that iran fully complied as of today i can state that iran is implementing its. commitments after pulling out of the deal the trump

administration began imposing sanctions on iran intended to wreck their economy accusing iran of quote destabilizing activities around the region the usa even threatened to impose sanctions on other countries that dared to buy iranian oil anyone doing business with iran will not be doing business with the united states i'm asking for world peace nothing less. weare ready to impose sanctions on any activity subject to restrictions after the iran nuclear deal in 2015 iran was exporting roughly $2500000.00 barrels of oil per day now that number is down to roughly 200000 in a country where the economy is centered around state run oil exports that's a pretty big financial loss and it has been detrimental cuts in fuel subsidies and other benefits for the population had to be made so i don't know top arena fishers have sat down and made a decision for the country based on expert assessments this decision must be

executed. but according to donald trump working to economically ruin iran makes him the best friend of the iranian people nothing says i love you like bleeding someone dry as cool nations to support iran's people as they struggle to reclaim. their religious and rights is just today i want to deliver a message to the long suffering people of iran. the people of america stand with you will be arrayed in people return to the nations proud roots as a center of civilization culture and wealth where their people can be happy and prosperous once again the united states throughout the reigning in history has always been against democracy i mean the united states was the country together with britain that instigated the 1963 rule against democratically elected mohamed

mossad there right now it's no different i mean the united states has imposed a very severe sanctions on iran which is hurt a lot of ordinary people so coming out and saying that they support these people is hypocritical in the sense that if you do support these people then you wouldn't sanction them so hard that you know they are having difficulty even getting on with their daily normal by. why pompei also provoked outrage by announcing a reversal of a decades old stance on israeli settlements in the west bank. necessarily violate international law the settlements are on territory occupied by israel since the 6 day war the one of the most contentious issues in the conflict between israel and palestine. the u.s. administration has lost its credibility to play any future role in the peace process we regard washington's decision as another step aimed at collapsing the

system of international law regulating the middle east and thus further straining israeli palestinian ties settlements in occupied palestine are a blatant violation of international law and un security council resolutions they're an illegal action that will kill 2 state solution jordan's position in condemning them is unwavering we warn against dangerous consequences of the us change of position on settlements on middle east peace plan all settlement activity is illegal under international law and it erodes the viability of the 2 state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace. for decades the u.s. regarded the settlements is inconsistent with international law that's still the view of much of the international community silencing the 4th geneva convention washington's change of stance contradicts numerous un resolutions and international human rights conventions and this is only the latest controversial move by the trump of ministration when it comes to israel only the white house recognized israeli sovereignty over the golan heights territory was seized from syria in 167

and formally onyx in 1901 washington's also broken with international consensus by formally recognizing jerusalem as israel's capital both decisions widely condemned including by the united nations when the us announced the embassy location on protests erupted julie forces killed dozens of palestinian. political commentator me oren what he thinks the implications of the latest decision will be. of course a very. discriminating way of conducting diplomacy and the united states has chosen to act unilaterally disregarding the united nations security council even its allies and the western allies do not see eye to eye with washington on this topic so obviously it will not be a precedent and the united states will probably be isolated obviously this is

going to please the right wing in israel it is not going to change anything if at all it is going to give more strength to those extremists in the palestinian community who say that diplomacy is not the road for statehood and that they must act violently and therefore israelis should be against this policy announcement and not for it. u.s. secretary state my composure justified the decision saying it provides the space to find a political solution between the 2 sides however the us has issued a travel warning at the same time we have been on the ground what they think. the usa zionist position is against ethics this is our homeland and our families so we will resist as our religion says if you die fighting for your lands you are

a martyr and we will continue want to difficult part against any decision which can steal our right to decide and our freedom and our dignity it is only to cover up the israeli crimes and propaganda against anyone opposing the building of settlements. in our own or the decision of trying to consider the israeli zionist settlements on the police union lands legal and legitimate is totally against international law to take any occupied lands and give them to the occupying force today they lost this role as a mediator in the peace process in the eyes of the palestinians by declaring in a direct way that the settlements are legal and legitimate. the demonstration by a group called stop islamization of norway ended in a brawl when it was confronted by muslim counter protest tensions flared when 2 copies of the koran were thrown in a rubbish bin and another one was set on fire by the organizations leader.

of call media reports claim the demonstrators also compared with fascism and called it a religion of violence describing the prophet muhammad as a ping to far over the arrests were made as police moved in a local muslim union leader described the whole incident as a hate crime he promised to take legal action against the organization itself and its leader who burn the koran incident provoked an international reaction with turkey expressing its condemnation. we are deeply concerned about the recent rise of discrimination against muslims hatred against islam and attacks on mosques in western european countries these attacks are not only aimed at muslims but also pose a threat to all humanity. that have dialogue at the islamic cultural center our own father drinan believes that the rhetoric of some norwegian politicians even

more dangerous than this kind of incident as it happens far more often sometimes we get stuck in blood in this our progress but more interesting as the politicians that were against muslims still islamisation of the ways in society that is at least more dangerous than a couple of crazy people in christian sun i think the most important thing to count when it comes you know how do you hate speech is to talk to each other and create good examples are all muslims 'd that aren't muslims and look when we talk in our way and this is very important to us as muslims we don't talk about muslims and they're not muslims or addition to us the reason they muslims what we talk about is just as a everybody's part that they are us. through this ruling party has lost out in popularity to anti establishment opposition that is the finding of a new opinion poll for the 1st time in more than 100 years the social democrats are

no longer the country's most popular party and the figures show the anti immigrant sweden democrats would have the support of 24 percent of voters if an election was held today compare that with 22.2 percent for the ruling party or the parties they too are well behind the margin between the 2 has been narrowing ever since 2010 and this when democrats gained enough votes to enter parliament for the 1st time. the age of reason cited for the trend is rising crime in the country which is seen citizens swing good in favor of more right wing in the nationalist groups democrats favor tough immigration controls and increased security along with traditional families it claimed sweden's become something of a hub for international crime according to a separate survey where the citizens of increasingly experienced lawlessness violence and vandalism says the numbers are among the highest in europe and the ruling party concedes it is bearing the brunt of public anger it's a damned tough situation right now so i'm not surprised when he consider what we've

got against us we gang murderers shootings and explosions it's us as the ruling party who has to pay the price and to cross this from the sweet democrats party believes that a hard line against crime is something the country's been lacking. we needing to raise taxes to pay for all this immigration and of course our focus ordinary people because they have to pay more taxes but it's also a matter of a cultural phenomenon will swedish people don't feel at home anymore in their own city or in their own country they walk outside and they think where did the big debate. is on this increasing gang violence that is almost exclusively immigrant related regular order of people can't even walk in central starcom without fear or there is getting raped getting assault at gaydon getting robbed that's the real risk to freedom and now we have a situation we need to address and one of those things is to be tough on crime

which none of the other 7 parties have been or have been interested in. being appreciated company here on r.t. international but that with updates on our stories in half an hour. what politicians do. they put themselves on the line. they did accept the reject. so when you want to be president and she. has some want to be rich. it's a going to be this is what the. reasonable people are. interested always in the why. should. the.

ratings and sell you taste it was last friday on a cold november evening here in washington d.c. we were witness to a grand display of magic hawk watchers when united states president donald trump took out his magical pen with and with a few quick flicks of his wrist disappeared the sins of 3 u.s. soldiers accused of committing various types of war crimes including one criminal conviction the serviceman were army major matthew l. gold star who was facing a murder charge over the controversial killing of an unarmed man in afghanistan he claimed was a taliban bomb maker was also former.