it's all that and a whole lot more as we take a few moments to reflect on the year that was watching the hawks in 2019. it's. like you know that i got. sick. welcome everybody to watching the. i robot turn today we will look back on the year that was we will start that look back with the extinction rebellion in our interview with giovanni to marcus a young man with such dedication to save our future that he led not one but 2 hunger strikes this year with the 2nd including hundreds upon hundreds of people in

$27.00 countries spending 6 continents all to protest our elected officials and government leaders lack of true political action or even actual leadership on combating climate change that my friends is a newsworthy event and that is why it was such a pleasure discovering just how passionate about this cause mr to marcus truly is. what's the organization's goals and what is ultimately the purpose what's the endgame. a nonviolent direct action campaign which uses stuff like you mentioned roadblocks hunger strikes getting arrested going to prison because this is the only way that real change is ever come about what we want is a declaration of climate and you know emergency what we want is 0 carbon by 2025 what we want is citizens' assemblies to oversee just transition what we want is

a. transition which put prioritize human rights were profit climate refugees and all the other disaffected communities have been hurt most by this climate and ecological crisis. through really the hard part that a lot of people don't understand is that. the climate crisis isn't going to these things don't hit the top one percent 1st they hit everyone else everyone on the bottom they're sort of kept away from matt. you know i've i'm like twice your age i've spent my whole life seeing how hypocritical corporations and government is when it comes to our environment i mean i remember earth days when they were our age and thinking we've got this we've got it it's all great what was the thing at 19181920 years old that made you like what was the straw that broke the camel's back that you said i can't i can't just sit by and let this keep going . because i'm going to die. because. there's

going to be no more food in the grocery stores. because there's not going to be water running from the faucets it's because the hospitals are going to close down what's going to happen is there's going to be must starvation. and it's going to lead to social collapse. is it how does it me your village you know we're talking about that because it's obvious like the scientists tell us this is what happens you can only go so far before that happens you can see it happening in other parts why do you think that this generation of people are this time right now that we're not taking that seriously well this is what makes extinction a 1000000000 different we're here to tell the truth we're here to say. the scientists told the system is going to happen 30 years ago. nasa went in front of congress and testified and said this is going to happen but if politicians are going to handle this crisis it's going to be ordinary people like me. we're going

to have to step up and say enough is enough we're going to break the law we're going to sacrifice we're going to go on hunger strike and we're going to make it clear to the world leaders and to the adults of this world that we demand change right now because our lives truly truly depend on it it is that that dire i think that i think that's one of the things that gets lost when you see a lot of the coverage on climate and things like that is that like you know you hear good people like yourself this is what's going on scientists this is what's going on but you know all of the talking heads and all of that it's like oh all the effort of fair and balanced we have to have somebody from the oil company on to tell us that there are scientists said that nothing bad is happening or that it's normal and man isn't causing it you took a really dramatic action in august you went on a hunger strike you're in d.c. for 10 days just to kind of show how dedicated you are this what were your motivations for doing that specific type of protest the hunger strike and do you feel you were able to accomplish at least in that little bit of time what you had

set out to do with that. will that work didn't i'm here go like that. what this is what nonviolent direct action does it's respectful it's nonviolent it cause disruption. and it gets your voice and your point across because only when you sacrifice is when people take you seriously. the country of venezuela made headline after headline this year oct watchers thanks to us president battled trump and is of ministration along with scores of democrats and republicans on capitol hill when they decided that they could no longer tolerate about israel and government led by nicolas maduro this started a firestorm of covert and not so covert tactics by the united states and south american allies to cripple the venezuelan government and people both economically and spiritually all in order to help the u.s. back self declared new venezuelan president juan why don't what tempt to assume power in the country. well the fight for the soul of by those whale is still

ongoing this past year saw many skirmishes including a bizarre battle of the bands between competing aid concerts along the battles whale in colombia border r.t. america correspondent dan cohen was on the ground out the concerts and brought us this story. over to my right is the t.n.t. to this bridge crossing where this concert is going on on this side on the colombian side of the border and on the other side the venezuelan government is holding its own concert and it's all about what the u.s. government and richard branson are calling should manage tarion aid now there's a lot of questions about this you know about this so-called humanitarian aid 1st of all the red cross has said this is quote not humanitarian aid and there's just one of many international aid organizations that have to refuse to participate in this so also that elliott abrams the convicted criminal who during his time in the reagan administration the 1980 s.

actually ordered his humanitarian aid officers to deliver weapons to contras. who were basically death squads he's involved in this and he's said to be here today one guy i don't know the so-called no interim president of venezuela is here he just met with a fine duke a the colombian president was so that's basically what's going on on the ground. please tell me dan you've been covering this concert all day can get an idea of how many people are in town they can is this about music or is this about politics because we see a lot of speeches out. well they don't we're going to as we said they expect 25300000 people here and so when i see news no more than 5 or 6000 who go here so for them i can only assume it's got to be a huge disappointment now there's i share that there is something here without a doubt there are people that i've spoken to 2 who are having a good time. but as you can hear there right now they're shouting live or tide

liberty you know i'd be that's kind of a thin veil for the real political agenda of regime change that is what. i mean one why don't has never been he's never ran at a presidential election and there is a president of venezuela regardless of what anyone thinks of his politics now there's a lot of you know some people are talking at a peaceful resolution on the other side of the bridge one of those fellow lawmakers is saying more important than the humanitarian aid is ending what he called the dictatorship so there is there's a clear political agenda with the backing of the united states i'm going to show you some of the paraphernalia that i picked up here my finger is covering really bad words but you can see you know they're calling for my dura to be in prison it's not clear exactly what for and then it says you know an awful curse for your mother so. you know this is being sold around here not everyone's wearing it but it's

a really common chant that you hear. you know it's interesting you're seeing you know this whole thing kind of come together and this is the you know the doing bad you know the doing concerts and all this and it would go richard branson is kind of found himself in the middle of all those you know for whatever reason what what is his role in all of this and why has he down there today. richard branson is the you know the british billionaire who lives on a private caribbean island says he's simply interested in humanitarian aid and helping the venezuelan people and he says he's doing at this at the behest of non-elected president of venezuela but i mean you know there's a lot of questions about why he's part to partaking and participating in this event that international what i can or aid organizations have said is not humanitarian aid he is actually said total falsehoods that the venezuelan government is not allowing aid in the country. all but that's not true not only has the russian

government delivered a medical aid also the european union which is to recognize one has delivered humanitarian aid through the united nations that was announced today so you know richard branson is i think he's really created this concert to to make a fig leaf for a policy of regime change in venezuela. as we go to break watchers don't forget to let us know what you think of the topics we've covered on our social media be sure to check out watching the hawks the podcast which is now available on spotify apple music and everywhere you listen to your favorite or not so yes coming up we present the 2nd half of our end of the year holiday show featuring some of the biggest news stories we covered in the year that was 2019 states to the washington.

thanks. to. an end. to. the world is driven by a dream shaped by one person. no

dares thinks. we dare to ask. cause a report the 1st episode of 2020. days you're ever going to have to really special guest dr michael hudson you know back in the seventy's 970 s. there is a movie called death wish with charles bronson remember that i remember that we could do a remake of the you are the star you play the charles bronson role as called dead way. and you're a vigilante banker economists that goes around new york blowing away yet we think i love it ok i'll set that up. but if he warned you and i do. you should at the baltimore loose jeans new speech

and see me read to you. when you. can use i mean that is without infringing ball. clonic you will see flowing your info as if part 2 kids each other both hard. as if. the. cabinet 5 days doing this is. in english medium for people who simply knew. little. of american men and women choose to soon of a new country's military decision a little sheltered. every thing came to

a complete. the day that i was right. you know hold a shot kill me and i see i would destroy. any screamed at me and he made me come in and he grabbed my arm and he write me. if you take into account that women don't report because of the extreme retaliation and it's probably somewhere near about half a 1000000 women have now been sexually assaulted in the us military rape is a very very traumatizing thing tat happen but i've never seen trauma like i've seen women who are veterans who have suffered military sexual trauma reporting rape is more likely to get the victim punished to be a friend and almost 10 year career or chose very invested in and i gave a sex offender who was not even put to justice or put on the registry this is simply an issue of power and violence male sexual predators for the large part of target whoever is there to prey upon whether that's a man or woman. this

sort of life of billionaire pedophile and sex trafficker jeffrey epstein finally came to its conclusion in 2019 when upstream was found dead in his jail cell of an apparent suicide but that hasn't stopped the diabolical tale of mr epstein in the damage he wrought from disappearing into the dustbin of better news stories as many powerful circles families and governments had hoped it would you see while the mainstream news media moved into the alleyways of russia gay didn't peach mint and the celebration of mediocrity that was the joker movie many of diligent journalists and television and print still followed the story long after his death including

our own john hardy who filed this report on mr epstein as mysterious island off the florida coast. we flew into st thomas like jeffrey epstein had for many years only we were in a small commercial plane and that scene would arrive in his private jet after a night on st thomas we woke up early the next morning and chartered a boat to take us to epstein's little st james and great st james islands of the southeastern coast of st thomas. the trip across the turquoise water from the marina didn't take long only about 15 minutes and then there they were in a tory of silence in a tropical paradise with a sordid story the building on top of the island there that's abstains main residence there's a stone wall there's a lawn there's a couple of other buildings here and we're not sure what they are maybe their guest quarters maybe employee quarters we're not exactly sure frances seeing palm trees

lining the island every single palm tree was imported we're told at a cost of $20000.00 each on the opposite end of the $72.00 acre island from epstein's mansion is the temple looking. sure that once had a golden dome ripped off during hurricane earl according to the locals we talked to many were reluctant to go on camera to talk about it stane saying they didn't want to be connected to his story but as one boat captain told us off camera that people here are relieved he's in jail saying that a dark cloud has been lifted on st john where you can see both of epstein's islands we met one family visiting from texas who had also heard about the so-called pedophile island we come from houston where they've got a lot of issues with trafficking in you know to come here where you know everybody is very comfortable it's very peaceful there's not much crime here and then not very far away to have you know all that going on that island to see it literally are sure to pass by it is it's striking and how lavish it is as you see that

absolutely and then you know how he's got away with this for decades and i guess the truth will now come out the truth in st thomas and st john is that epstein is not well liked with many we talked to saying they were uncomfortable with how he flaunted his wealth reportedly paid employees to stay silent and seemingly scoffed at the law that steen apparently had plans to expand his home on little st james and construct employee buildings on great st james which would also be used for equipment storage we were told that epstein was possibly being fined upwards of $15000.00 a day for building without permits on great st james there is a noticeable difference between the island's great st james which is mostly on developed and little st james with its roads hell it had buildings statues even if a cow grazing on the manicured grass i didn't see any no trespassing signs on little st james but i was hesitant to go on the island nonetheless to try to talk

to employees so i took a swim to get a closer look of the island and then decided to walk up the dock without going any further hoping someone would hear me as i announced my presence as i started walking back to the. bowed a man in a motorized car came down the hill but i explained who i was and why we were there he refused to speak to me and asked us to leave i agreed and we left without argument he would watch us from the island camouflaging himself amongst the trees and a few minutes later this bloke came up alongside with someone else taking our picture well it sped away quickly once we turned the camera on later back on st thomas we went to the american yacht harbor where epstein's ls j barges docked used to transport equipment and workers to his islands we were told he owned 6 boat slips and rents more than 2000 square feet of property the office was closed the shutters locked really can airport there were no signs of epstein's private jet or the helicopter that locals like my son mohamed a driver on st thomas would see flying overhead with epstein and the young women

mason and other islander said epstein often had in tow. but is the people of friend or the locals a friendly we don't really have the. it was really something we don't agree on. that's something nobody should agree on dissolve all the time he should get it could end up being the rest of his life in prison if convicted at sea now also faces an allegation of raping a 15 year old girl in 2002 yet another accusation involving the powerful man wealthy enough to buy 2 islands in a sunny paradise with a dark and disturbing story for our t.v. john hardy. 2019 was definitely the season of the protester or watchers from the yellow vests in paris to the thousands upon thousands in the streets of hong kong protesters rose up in all corners of the world and whether you thought those causes were drug store thought they were nothing more than

a manufactured political pawns of the protesters marched forward here we present to you our coverage of 2 such protests the 1st is r t correspondents are among the oca's on the ground reporting in hong kong when activists disrupted travel at the city's international airport and then we move on to discuss the back story behind this year's massive protests on the island nation of haiti with brian concannon from the institute for justice and democracy in haiti . you can see the protesters have flooded that the departure area if you can see they are all standing in front of the ticket counter right there would never see anything like this hundreds of protesters now we arrived a little over an hour ago and we were actually detained by police after the customs we were not able to get out of through customs and come to ground transportation now there were hundreds more protesters who were being copper sprayed by police and that made the protesters disperse so now they're gathered

here again at the ticket counters you could see the american flag the u.s. flag right over there these protesters are protesting wanting a voice for democracy which is interestingly. enough because chinese officials have said that the u.s. is behind these protests saying that they are seller of a color revolutions or to speak like we've seen in the past but these protesters that doesn't look like they're going away any time soon this is day 2 of cancellations of incoming or departing flights excuse me the incoming flights have not been affected at least not today but we'll keep an eye on it as this story i'm sure will continue to develop reporting in hong kong pheromone to say ok r.t. . it's important to look at both the long term medium term and short term causes the long term causes as you mentioned you have a history of foreign intervention in haiti supporting brutal and undemocratic and predatory regimes and also some of the blame has to be put on the on the haitian

leaders who have been brutal and corrupt and you so you have a government that is not able to provide basic government services including policing including education health care clean water things like that in the medium term you had of the election cycle in 2015 and 16 that was largely supported by the international community but was violent and corrupt and only about 20 percent of patients participated in those elections because they are either scared or disillusioned and you end up filled all the you filled all the constitutional offices including the president including parliament but there were people who had a tiny percentage of the vote and so you ended up you have a government that does not have much popular popular legitimacy instead what the government has been doing since it can govern with the support of the people it's developed a patronage network that keeps it going and it's very expensive patronage network and the government has had to divert money from the treasury from social programs

in order to pay its friends and its supporters the short term causes it started in july the government needed an international monetary fund bailout in order and in order to get it it agreed to raise. gas prices that that. kicked off a series of protests in july and then over the fall there were continued to be protests mostly over or they were they centered around corruption especially around the petro can rebuild a loyal program from venezuela where at least $2000000000.00 was was misspent and also the fact that the government fails to take any measures to to to enforce the laws and to fight corruption and so you have the people who really have their backs against the wall socially and economically and have no faith in their government in a government that can only exist by diverting money from the people to its patronage network. and finally today while there was

a lot of bad in this world it's important to remember the good this year both tab of the wallace and myself took a few breaks from covering all of the controversy conspiracy and war mongering out there in order to bring you some stories and interviews that that we hope to help inspire and motivate you to be the best person that you can be you see these are the news stories that highlighted why we are still worth fighting for all of us stories like the great green wall being built by over 20 countries in africa a wall not made of steel or barbed wire but of millions of trees to help combat the devastating effects of climate change stories like the work being done by the canadian government to help provide homes even small ones to homeless veterans or the news that farmers in wisconsin started a caravan of help for farmers in the brosco were devastated by flooding. you see these are the stories that get knocked down to the bottom of the new speed when us president trump mouths off on twitter when congressman adam schiff rants and raves

about conspiracy theories and those evil russians out to get us when war criminals get lucrative t.v. contracts and get to go to football games with comedians. see those stories are all done for clicks and ratings but all to mentally their purpose is to keep us from realizing a very basic truth that we don't need to be afraid we don't need them to keep us safe that we we are capable of changing things for the better and that there are many many good people in this world in our nations in our cities and our communities who are working every day to make that change happen. so 'd as i leave you today to your holiday feasts and to the year countdowns i have but one simple request in this new year i don't want you to think those hard working people who are doing so much good in this world. i want you to become one of them.

and that ladies and gentlemen is our show for you today remember in this world we are definitely not told real love develops like tell you all i love you i am tyrone been turfed keep on watching all those hawks out there and have a great day and night. leaks.

when you. look at the distance was most of. the back. to school students at the scene. there's. just too little. on this edition of crossfire we answer questions center was for you with the viewers we received quite a few questions here we do our best they can answer some of them.

but if she warned you posted by you can i do the dishes at the baltimore those jeans new speech and see me we need to you blue true she. has handled by their number one when you guys yuki s.o.b home on the news i mean that is or that in fact involved. a lot of you will see sawing during fuzzy fights about to kids out to both sides. most school. doesn't need a list of. these. 5 days in doing so. she would include in.

beijing. a huge protest in hong kong on new year's day. marred by clashes with riot police. also ahead on the program u.s. forces reportedly use tear gas to disperse protesters outside b.m. american embassy in prague a day after a crowd tried to storm torch it it comes as washington sends more troops to iraq in response to choose there's a time on the compound. a new decade is upon.