to storm the u.s. embassy and after last week's deadly american airstrikes on iraq diplomatic staff including the ambassador have reportedly been evacuated from the compound. claims he's dying in a u.k. prison. subjected to 23 hours of solitary confinement every day we hear from his friend who was told the chilling details and the call from the wiki leaks co-founder. rang me because he spent christmas with me and my family in 2010. he said to me but i'm slowly dying. a review of the key events that shaped 20

continues we shed some light on the table that. one minute past 5 pm here in moscow missed the last day of 29 a warm welcome to our to international my name's union neal. let's begin in iraq where hundreds have attempted to storm the u.s. embassy and with some of the protesters starting a fire there they are reportedly demanding its closure i'm not american forces exit the country these are live pictures right now from the iraqi capital iraq's popular mobilization forces say over 20 people have been injured in this compound the nation's prime minister has urged the assembled crowd to leave it warning of a tough response if they do not the arrest comes after american bombing raids in

iraq and syria killed 25 at the weekend. was. it was. was the a well the situation is unfolding quite dramatically as we speak the latest reports suggest that the u.s. embassy staff including reportedly the ambassador has been evacuated from the american compound and this comes as iraqi security forces continue to fire tear gas at the crowds that have gathered there now earlier on tuesday they were funerals were held for some of the victims of the american air strikes on sunday and following the funeral part of the procession made its way to the american embassy where we see these scenes unfolding only at the baghdad government also some in the american ambassador for an explanation of sunday's strikes in which the americans

targeted 5 targets belonging to the cats his below armed group now this is a group that emerged off to the american invasion of iraq it has been primarily involved in firing at american troops and it is one of the main militia groups that has been fighting islamic state in syria and iraq now the united states says that one of its bases was hit by a rocket barrage on sunday a base in qatar cook during which one of its contractors was killed and although no plinth group has claimed responsibility for the attack the united states insists that it is this has been a group and hence it justifies its actions in fact the u.s. special representative for iran brian hook has defended the operation again now saying that the u.s. is targeting iranian backed militia to prevent the aggression of what he calls to iran one of the things we want to emphasize is that this was a defensive action that was designed to protect american feces and american

citizens in iraq. restoring ditz. against me and aggression the protests began on sunday night after hundreds of protesters took to the streets as news broke of the american strikes on this particular group and they started chanting slogans against america saying down with american motor american burning american flags burning as well flags condemning the american actions and expressing support for those who the americans have targeted. or asked for washington donald trump has accused iran of orchestrating an attack on the u.s. embassy in iraq he warned that iran will be held responsible iran killed an american contractor wounding many we strongly responded in ways we'll know iran is orchestrating an attack on the u.s. embassy in iraq they will be held fully responsible in addition we expect iraq to use its forces to protect the embassy and so notified the gorge at all of now it

takes a look at her or rocks got caught up in a standoff between the u.s. and around. they come they see they leave a barren wasteland american airstrikes on foreign soil have become a normality the whole world is their military's sandbox and this time they've been playing in iraq's corner where we did was take a decisive response that makes clear what the president has said for months and months and months which is that we stand for this long. to get the full of american men and women in jeopardy i would add that in our discussion today with the president we discussed with the other options that are available and i would note also that we will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from iran the u.s. bombing pro iranian forces in iraq unilaterally if there's one country living in

the borderless world of tomorrow that's america and what happened yesterday was a clear aggression it was not right and we tried to stop it but the u.s. insisted and very unfortunately this thing happened to them i said that this was a very dangerous matter and asked to discuss it live face to face with the responsible parties not only by from what he said the decision has been made and i am informing you will loose but for baghdad and installed bigger than the airstrikes themselves is the fact that the bombing over its land wasn't even about it it had nothing to do with iraq instead washington was after iran and its power grip on the middle east part of america's great again plan of weakening tehran irony is america that complains so much about iran now who was the one to inadvertently elevate iran into a powerhouse it is now in iraq in particular saddam hussein once prompted by the us

was iran's greatest enemy and the cia even aided his brutal chemical. backs against the rainy an army but then hussein himself became a problem fell from grace and ended his reign on the gallows the us invasion created a power vacuum which iran didn't hesitate to fill iran as the major destabilizing in influence in the middle east and we aim to fix that one of the greatest security threats facing peace loving nations today. is the repressive regime in iran really think twice that. the u.s. has been after tehran on so many levels from sanctions to declaring iran's elite military force a terrorist organization but they are not stopping there and the u.s. has been particularly aggressive in trying to push to iran's influence out of iraq this alone shows just how much free will the u.s.

has left its ally iran going to stop in fact the exact opposite we're not done this is an ongoing process a process. let's try to tackle some of the issues raised today because we're joined live by dr mordecai kadar of the center for strategic studies in tel aviv welcome to the program your take 1st on donald trump blaming a run for the embassy attack and pledging revenge as well. when he is right and as we know the united states don't do not to retaliate for what iran or iran. have done in mid september. because no nobody was hurt and especially not even american was hurt in that dark. hero a few days ago they actually killed an american citizen and this is actually what

made the difference and today you do know yes the united states will tell you did in a way you which might convince the other. especially the iraqi tentacle or. not to mess with america. iraq's leader has been quite direct in his reaction calling the u.s. strikes a violation of sovereignty hope badly could this damage baghdad washington. well 1st of all don't forget that this government is an interim government it's no permanent government in iraq because the former government had to leave office because of the demonstrations against the option however iran actually manipulates iraq totally this. forces which we have talked about the americans out of sponsored by iran with established by iran are trained by iran and by iran

so actually what happens today is it's actually. a struggle between the united states and iran. after iran employed the iraqi soil for its interests but it does seem as if u.s. forces are using iraq as a battlefield here to mr trump a set to get revenge on iran does retaliation against the really impact militias justify u.s. strikes on iraq and syria among to deaths that they call. look. this is not alone we also. the iranian expansion over the syria. lebanon as well as you know hizbullah and lebanon is also controlled by iran and if you take yemen another good example you can actually see the grape which is to end goals. jordan israel. taking over iraq syria

lebanon into northern tentacle while the southern one to call. yemen over and they're trying to crack everything which is in between which is how the abio is and in jordan this is the picture which we all have to build in mind and now the united states but lo and behold doesn't like it so would what you see today is actually the struggle between iran or the expansionism of iran and how it's handled in arkansas. keeps its interests in this. bay to think that iraq u.s. relations are going to worsen before they start to improve. look the problem in iraq is the division between sunni and shia. militias which definitely have a major hold to play inside iraq and no doubt iran succeeded to turn iraq into its phone. if i may say this and now the united states

in iraq is around going to see who argue that united through what they not more. in iraq well look at. is a vacuum which was created in iraq as of 2003 definitely drags into it external powers like iran from one side you like to sell them other side the same thing as it is in syria today with turkey is being sucked into this vacuum israel contributes its. contribution the united states russia of course is in syria definitely you have to tell you. in the arab world other players come into the vacuum in order to fill it thanks very much for your time this hour dr mordechai kadar of the begin set out center strategic studies.

ok let's move on to more global news this hour wiki leaks founder julian assange claims he's slowly dying in a u.k. jail that was often tranquilized and kept in solitary confinement 23 hours a day he made a disturbing revelations in a phone call to his friend on smith and wesson saying. he sounded all full and it was very upsetting to head and the idea of him being sedated has come from several people who visited him who clearly being told and the british government have been asked about it and they refuse to address that matter and what they say is they're not mistreating him but clearly he's being kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day he sounded awful and he said to me that i'm slowly dying you know please remember he served that time all the bail charge and he served his time too that he's now on remand it's highly unusual to put a remand prisoner in belmarsh when they're not a threat of physical violence threat to society i think we need some arms was from

from the british government why are they treating him like this why can't we have some independent assessment 100 international got to those and asked to arrange a visit at least to send some representatives to check on him but that hasn't been allowed and those meltzer at the un rockets are on torture has been very clear about asylum just mistreatment and describes it in the most of all human terms and yet it's claims very recently in november that the british government of completely ignored his request to see julian probably his health properly assess. was arrested in april and since then medics and you had observers have warned about his the climbing physical and mental health hearing in favor of the side on his extradition to the us there he is accused of publishing classified documents and could face a 175 year jail sentence or commenting on the claims that

a sound is being mistreated the u.k. government sales there are unfounded they are false but that has not stopped politicians activists her a profile figures as well continuing to draw attention to this place. one of the number of the words. he had been exposed to psychological torture for a prolonged period of time that's a medical assessment and. asked him for in the rules to investigate this case. 15 keating's right and. the same things in.

the medical situation is that by decisions there is no times and. still ahead we continue our review of the past year and it was certainly an action packed 20 life team a recap after the break. join me every thursday on the alex simon show and i'll be speaking to guest of the world of politics small business i'm show business i'll see you then.

2020 just hours away it's time to look back on more of the key events that shaped

the past 12 months. well today's topics are don't believe the hype and streets of rage let's take a look at the former 1st 29 was characterized by balance of political history from debates about climate change to the doping scandal of course emotions run over brags that boris johnson's victory in the u.k. is general election gave leaders hope left some remainders in despair. the entire saga. the festive season is upon us why christmas and smells and sounds the promise of snow but the time to come together i'm going to tell stories and while they do i have a good one of. one cute morning over 3 years ago the porch

people woke up and decided they just had enough of this and brussels i'm all 60000000 mourn the loss of that repost 17400000 rejoice off with those european chapels make britain great to get off till they promised it would be easy getting out of the e.u. can be quick and easy the u.k. holds most of the cons. the there are 2 votes to leave we hold the cogs and we can choose the path we want an optimism apparently not shared by david cameron because he made a fateful exit but theresa may bounded to the rescue on her lap at kitson heels and she meant bricks it means bricks it bricks it needs frets it wrecks it means bricks it and we're going to make a success of it so she cracked and triggered article 50 starting at the hold to

force process and to have credit she did manage to wrangle a deal from the e.u. so the pressure was the only one who thought it was any good but desperate times desperate measures and off to parliament she went and it was a botched the deal was flattened not once not even twice but 3 times 2 years on m.p.'s have been unable to agree on a way to implement the u.k.'s withdrawal. as a result we will now not leave on time with the deal eventually she ran out of that as a policy son so turn to the front of number times door so i cheer i do so with no ill will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country i love and boris johnson but that won't but maybe he'd be the one to get rex it done 1st of all what are we

going to do to really. get bread dad is really going to actually get it can you make a promise today to the british public that you will not go back to brussels and ask for another delay to practice it yet and so young and would you line them. ditch could find it was just too much hassle to get invited by parliament so suspended but opted not to go down well. so he said ok fine back to brussels more negotiations and he returned to london with a deal even port employees to walk on a saturday but alas knows that that his people just like me was rejected and he was forced to beg you to get him out that today some of his m.p.'s even go to mutiny on the ship yards to the right 328 the notion that 300 weren't. all that good stuff

maurice suspending part of what happened was an awesome new deal what. it does no one can do is going to the opposition into a general election by putting jeremy corcoran a big house he's desperate absolutely desperate to avoid scrutiny. on the eve of the election the polls are close to boris and on the charm and what would being people door to door. for was. nothing like a good movie reference to win you an election because on december 12th boris was popping champagne and dining on his new parliamentary majority he got his wish of

a korban free christmas and now he might well get his wish for january breck's it the question is will we finally get our wish for just a bit of. 0 to. 6 00 while another key events from the year was street protests gripped cities all over the world chief among them in part us and fuck. the whole of france it seems was affected by a type of yellow fever shara dubin ski reports now on the protest movement that's been shaking things up every weekend this year. as 29000 winds up in front since that time move reflection was a good g.a.a. what gifts did it bring well there were plenty from the government but many seemed to go down like a lead balloon and people took to the streets time and time again. yes

we all know the french all famous for striking protesting but in 2019 it felt like that there was something picking at old wounds its theme of a year with oh i'm going protests and into professional strikes throughout the year one protest movement stood every saturday without fail the yellow vests took to the streets. a movement born in 2018 but it left

a small cone 2019 the yellow vests one to change in the social fabric in france they've charged to the streets in anger of what they see as being a hugely unequal country with a growing divide between the rich and the poor not couldn't have given them concessions but they were rejected week after week the yellow vests and the police clashed thousands on both sides injured. and then you say well the climate strikes led by phone says use they took to the streets to decry the country more so doing enough to join the freud just strikes

president michael was incensed and demanded that they take that action elsewhere. every friday to say that the planet is burning that's nice but that is not the problem people should go protest in poland help me move those i cannot push forward . and of course ending the year has been the big one the nationwide strike against pension reform. the public transport strike has brought most of the country choice down still under was sparked over the plans to merge 42 different pension schemes into a universal points based system and if you know anything about the french use to

mess with that we're toying with it so it's $2000.00 to close it was only one question to ask those who take it into the streets would not call me after all the unwanted gifts he presented to the french this year below folbre christmas is naughty or nice list he is a naughty child that's for sure and i hope he will not have any presents from father christmas so i think that it's father winter who is coming to see him i know i think someone should tell my craw on that father christmas doesn't exist at all as if you were the child i am not sure that he would have a lot of presents this year because he has not been very wise he did not listen to his people. no t.v. no t.v. it's not nice to see you i think that he will be deprived of gifts this year and also next year. the scenes from an angry france and 2019 more of us from the past year can be found on our t.v.

dot com to get a look see is. wow 2020 should be a whopper. but if she warned you and i did the dishes at the bazemore those jeans nudist beach and you see me we need to be true she. doesn't know about that and when you guys e.q.'s will be home in the news i mean guys are that

infantry ball. as if parts about to kill each other both for the most schools. here in cherokee full stop cabinet 5 days doing a sit. in english lady a for people who simply knew. she would include in. seemed wrong. just don't call. me. yet to shape out this day becomes agitated and engagement equals betrayal. when so many find themselves worlds apart when she's to look for common ground.

this is boom bust broadcasting around the globe and covering the world of business and finance and the impact upon us all i'm christiane washington and here's a look at what we have in store for you today should the u.s. and china ease tensions this week to ring in the new year professor richard wolf is on hand today to break down the developments that could be on the horizon for the world's top 2 economies but in another trade development the e.u. is i quote dead in trade relations with the united states according to the union's new trade committee.