the british prime minister. 3rd on business. people. necessary. day for wiki leaks founder julian assange british judge rules against extraditing him to the u.s. because of mental health concerns the current editor in chief he makes points

questions for press freedom still. with win. win for journalists in the u.s. . court decision we've been speaking throughout the day just supporters outside the london courthouse. whatever this fantastic. speech. is. he's just because he's a terrific guy. could potentially walk free after 9 years of near total isolation. and the chilling message. to the world. and to you.

chris. just a few minutes into a brand new day here in moscow the 1st tuesday of the year and the names you know neal you're welcome to art. boris johnson has imposed a fresh national lockdown in england the british prime minister said he hopes the fresh curbs will be enough to contain a highly contagious variant of covert currently spreading around the country as the u.k. is pushing towards nearly $60000.00 new cases every day we now have a new variant of the virus and it's been both frustrating and alarming to see the speed with which the new variant is spreading. scientists have confirmed this new

variant is between 50 and 70 percent more transmissible in england we was therefore going to a national lockdown which is tough enough to contain this variant. less for live now to u.k. based freelance reporter james bron james the move had been rumored all day just fill in some of the details for us. well in many ways we've come back full circle to to last march when we were told to stay home protect the n.h.s. and to save lives and that mantra was repeated by boris johnson again today and is in force once again it is primarily down to this new mutation covert variants that is significantly more transmissible and that is threatening to overwhelm britain's hospitals and the national health service what it means simply enough is that people in england are being told to stay home except for a number of reasons essential shopping work if that work can't be done from home

exercise urgent medical needs or in cases where someone is threatened with domestic violence and has to get out there's also significant pressure coming for parents and students as primary and secondary schools will move to remote learning from tomorrow except for those children of key workers and vulnerable children also national exams are not going to go ahead this summer which of course is a significant impact on the 16 and 18 year olds in england and the closure of schools is a major government u. turn as the pm had said that he was determined the primary schools at least in england would stay open he did so there is a rather downbeat meds message of course that the oxford astra zeneca vaccine means that the biggest max nation program in the u.k. history can now be effectively rolled out and that he hopes that the most vulnerable will all have been vaccinated by mid february for goes well but berman

says says that now more than ever we must pull together many people here are going to be extremely frustrated that the government has given them almost no notice again for yet another major life up evil and is once again being reactive rather than proactive with covert 19 by the way we're back in lockdown in england and the new rules are going to become law from wednesday freelance reporter james brown taking us through the thanks james. let's delve into this story now with simon clark simons a microbiologist from reading university good to have you on the program good evening can i just say maybe in the bigger picture here if this is the 3rd lockdowns i mean wouldn't science suggest they're not proving particularly effective well that's all dependent of course on what you want to do with them if you think the lockdowns are going to rid society of the virus no they won't do that all they will do is provide some breaks in the chains of transmission and reduce

the number of number of people that are infected move them out of the virus circulating in any given society but they will not kill it off entirely that's just not what lockdowns you know much of the country was ready in a high state of restrictions i think it's right in saying yet infections were going up and people said that's not just because of winter or why do you think or will this work now. well it's been part due to winter it's part due to a new strain if the numbers of the infections aren't going up by definition restrictions on all working because at the very minimum they should cause them to level off ideally you want to drive them down so if the numbers are going up then they're not working so really there are only a few leaves left to paul and there are. closing schools and universities and restricting the amount of people that go to work on

a daily basis that those who are really really have to do you think this should have been done before christmas not afterwards and have the holidays played a part in the the rising rates just to recap more than $50000.00 cases each day that's a whole week of that. yeah i think the big scene that that went on before and during christmas 6 for you know earlier december. on christmas day will are. added to the problem but the the basic. the basic problem is that we have in a new infectious a highly infectious strain which really does take advantage of any opportunity it seems to transmit between person the person and that's what any of these infectious agents not just this one need in order to survive but it wasn't all about time it wasn't months ago that's the report saying around september october that it 1st came on a do you think it should have been taken more seriously well if you wind back

through sort of september october i'm not entirely sure that we can say looking at the data but we knew that it was a strands miscible as it's proving to be it was just another strain and there are all the time they're entirely normal and not necessarily something to worry about and it's only so more recently really i think in november that of course when we were locked down for a month again we started to see that it might be a problem. seeing that this is the 3rd national lockdown does it suggest that the government is either by ideas of course they're not alone around the world but maybe that they're waiting for those vaccine rollouts and before that we're just going to see more and more locked on why i think the government has thrown its last 2 lever's that can significantly reduce interpersonal interactions there isn't much else to do so after that you've got to wait i think until you get the population

vaccinated sufficiently simon thanks as always for a well a serious view simon clark microbiologist at reading university. you know the big story of the day a british court has rejected a u.s. extradition request for joining us to 2 concerns about his mental health washington sees it will appeal the decision and still wants to try him on charges of espionage that's the president of mexico has offered political asylum to the wiki leaks founder well let's take a look now at the reaction of a son just supporters outside the courthouse just as the verdict filtered through. i know. that's true was you are you. are are you the. was of. 6

as long as julian has to endure suffering in isolation as an unconvicted prisoner in belmarsh prison and as long as our children continue to beat the wrath of their father's love and affection. we cannot celebrate. we will celebrate the day he comes home a glimpse of hope. the new year and hopefully a new era. it is a day. with when. we have. a window for journalists and writers to read was absent and that was was she having read eunice on just not getting her story a moment outside the for her was charged i was ready to actually date

you in the sun she united states it has been a decision based on was meant to house friends indeed it was just 6 a few words of the accident to the united states it is a very unexpected result because backed up until the last moment the judge had said the case was not politically motivated he said she said that he would not he would face in the united states under the u.s. constitution for that be a lesson that would judge actually said no to do so and would not be actually i said to the united states that it really is incredible scenes. just heard from star morris the partner of judy in the sun she says actually right now we cannot fully celebrate we can only fully celebrate when judas is fort hood but this is the 1st step to just as we've also heard from the wiki leaks editor and chief christian who roughed her up to and he said i can yet it's not over when i featured in just yet

nor win for jonas and just yet but there should be more pressure applied on to the united states for the u.s. government to finally say enough is enough because of course judas soldier has been wanted by the united states for his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the united states and if he were to be found guilty he would have been sentenced up to 175 years behind prison that's under the u.s. is indictments of 18 counts under the espionage act for spying and publishing tons of fire documents all related to the war in iraq and afghanistan plus one of conspiracy to hack a government computer to publish these documents as well though according to today's sun just defense the united states was trying to prosecute yunus on to political grounds it was a politically motivated case it said of course if it is politically motivated that would therefore mean that you know a soldier was exempt from actually titian under the u.k. you asked extradition treaty however the prosecutor said the absolute opposite that

it was not politically motivated and in fact you're a songe endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of people for publishing these classified documents so although today is a victory in essence for june a surge as the judge did of course say that it was not politically motivated enough a serious concern for journalism going forward on the future of journalism as well alya i spoke to rebecca vincent from reporters without borders and she says that journalists need to be protected so we read the very much and share the court's assessment of his serious mental health risk but we're concerned that the rest of the decision leaves the door open for possible other prosecutions on similar grounds because in. held up point until she came to that point the decision is seen very much that the case would have been in favor of the prosecution so without the mental health issues at play somebody else in that same situation could have indeed been extradited to the u.s. to face charges there so this pointed out broader systemic issues that need to be addressed the not the astronaut act must be reformed it locks the public interest

of fans if any publisher any journalist any source finds themselves subject to similar proceedings they cannot adequately defend themselves so the 3rd it hit today was one thing stored in medical grounds of course students are just defense team said that he was totally unfit to travel to the united states both in terms of his physical health auntie's mental health of course june a son has been holed up in london's ecuadorian embassy for a whopping 7 and a half it is then he was put into a belmarsh prison for almost 2 years so his mental and physical health has been seriously deteriorating but it wasn't just his mental and physical health here in the united kingdom but what could happen to him if he were to be sent to the united states he would have had to serve that sentence if found guilty and convicted in any text colorado jail that's one of america's most notorious jails in fact home to some of the world's worst criminal lost a large truck kills terrorists you name it there in that most notorious prison and that's exactly what you did a soldier was going to be had it so that huge sentence that prospect of the future

like that was something that really meant a judeans meant to house was really at breaking point i his lawyer says that he was having suicidal tendencies and those hundreds of times a day so that is pretty much the key reason why the judge today said that that is a future that's a fate that he was not going to be facing having said that as i do mention it's not in terms of journalistic freedoms we're still out a point where the buck is not over just yet we understand that it decision whether or not you're in a search will be granted bail or not will come on wednesday and of course the united states is appealing this verdict today. they still out on the hunt for judas anjan essence they still want to see judas so it's actually going to take the united states to go back to the greedy isn't a big yet but in time to support his campaign is that outside the criminal court had to take it wasn't just you know sounds that was in the top but actually the

fundamental tenets and principles of the rights and freedoms of expression not the press but also for the public to access information as well so it is a big day for tourists but there's still a long way to go when it comes to journalistic freedom. to lie to welcome onto the program non-live former cia analyst whistleblower john curry and as such it is very interesting to get your take on today's developments what was your overriding emotion when you heard this news what do you think about the court's decision i was i was shocked frankly and very pleasantly shocked it was a group day not just for julian a science but for freedom of speech i was i was very happily surprised that judge came to our senses and realized the damage that would get involved in extraditing to lead to the united states this is a very very welcome decision the decision was based solely on the wiki leaks

founder mental health do you think i'm just looking into it because there is a little bit of vagueness here that he could still be extradited if his mental health improves at some point or are we beyond that what's your what's your take. i think it all relies on on the appeal now there's a precedent quite a long precedent of british courts not extraditing people to the united states because of the u.s. use of solitary confinement and the fact that the way the united states uses solitary confinement has been deemed to be a form of torture by no smells or the special repertoire at the united nations for torture so there are there have been other british prisoners who have successfully argued in court that they should not be sent to the united states this should be a wake up call for the united states i am not convinced that it will be but it

should be because no other industrialized country no other western country certainly uses solitary confinement the way the united states does and when people are already emotionally or mentally fragile that's easily enough to put to push them over the edge and cause them to commit suicide there are suicides literally every single day in american prisons i and the u.s. government has already said it will appeal the decision you've been going through do you think it has any chance of succeeding i don't i think that the argument was was far stronger than that most people realized i think certainly julian's argument was far stronger than the american media had realized and i think that the judge this is this judge was no friend of julian assange just no friend of wiki leaks she was actively hostile through the entire process but then in the in the end made the right decision i think that that she left no room for the appeals for to overturn

what the luck of. talking about freedom of speech investigative journalism saying that thought was a reason in this decision would not give you pause for thought. you know if the fact that that julian is able to be recognized as a journalist played any role in this case that is a giant leap forward for constitutional protections in the united states this is one of the things that's bothered me from the very beginning of this case and that is the fact that major american media outlets the washington post the new york times the wall street journal c.n.n. etc have not rallied to his support and you know my plot from the very beginning was if julian assigned is extradited and he's convicted of espionage in the united states that opens the door through literally any american journalist working on

national security to be charged with espionage solely for doing his or her job and so if julian is finally being recognized as as a journalist providing a public service exposing evidence of waste fraud abuse or illegality then that's good for all of us the full it's a former cia analyst on whistleblower joel mccurry john thanks so much for your time on thoughts. or we also discuss the implications of the announcement with a number of a songes other prominent supporters now its side the court must. i wasn't sure what to expect but i'm so happy that it's. been discharged for whatever reason it's fantastic i mean there's so many people who've been campaigning for an awful long time against this injustice when he's gone through 1011 years of hell 1st under house arrest and in belmarsh prison for the simple crime of journalism which isn't

a crime he's standing up for freedom of speech he's done nothing but tell the truth he's been treated as a political prisoner object or the east mental health has suffered an unknown people opposed to him has said that that is the case this this is not just about him personally it's about journalism it's about freedom it's about freedom of speech it's about freedom of the press and all those things are being undermined both in this country are by the actions of the people in the united states they're trying to get him to be extradited in the pushing this action here was a really absolutely remarkable decision 95 percent of the judges remarks were in favor for us i mean favor of extradition she threw my political the penalty threw out public interest depends only in the last moment from a decision that she said the american prison system so brutal so pressing that julian would be at risk of suicide if i sent him to be america for america saw not

going to go this is the end of the story we will go to a higher court so this by all is just because it is a terrific day what she said about darkies much more worrying because she said there's no public interest there's no we there's no difference for journalists to compete like proper journalists or you like to do what most journalists to call very serious if there's no public interest but these are these were very very bad remarks and this is a victory and the chains you need to celebrate the potent thing is to find out a song julian room be extradited according to the decision of the judge i don't know is very who are saying that the only reason they own. the reason why this study sion has been stopped. his fragile health condition and the high risk of suicidal journalists around the world should be very very worried about today's outcome is very very warning dots jaja basically creamy not

lies journalistic activities these if political case. and. it's not over it's not over yet. has been looking at the offense that led to a songes long fight for freedom. jr and his son has come a long way from an obscure activist to freedom fighter or traitor depending on who you are squarely one thing you can deny him though is that he led the charge that we kill leaks to dig up the secrets that america's intelligence colossus spent billions of dollars burying and he succeeded.

field reports from iraq military logs from afghanistan sensitive documents from guantanamo bay none of which made the u.s. look particularly good i would argue that it's closer to being the high tech terrorist it is it i mean international community i'm not for the death penalty so if i'm not for the death i don't want to do it illegally shoot the son of a. great discredit to this nation should be assassinated he should be treated as an

enemy combatant it didn't take long for a son to experience firsthand what it means to be uncle sam's public enemy the us went after the whistleblower launching a probe into his actions at the same time a seemingly unrelated sexual assault investigation was opened. in sweden a son himself though claimed it was all part of america's poor to extradite him by all means possible the pressure mounted so when 2012 a son requested asylum from ecuador and holed up in the country's embassy in london this kicked off what would become a long 7 years of confinement with even the u.n. calling for an end to this suffering various forms of deprivation of liberty to which julian assange has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention the working group maintains that the arbitrary

detention of mr signage should be brought to an end instead the old things short from bad to even worse for a son ecuador's new president who is looking for warmer relations with the u.s. seem to take personal offense when we can leaks wrote about corruption allegations against him sanj was shown the door artie's video agency ruptly turned out to be the only outlet to catch the moment his son was literally carried out of the building some 7 years after he stepped in it. was. once u.k. law enforcement got their hands on a son they threw him in prison a proper one but the u.s. government is looking to try him under american law where the whistleblower faces more than 800 years behind bars now every cording that emerged in line has sparked

another wave of calls to pardon the whistleblower in the tape ironically julian a son she was trying to help u.s. authorities minimize the fallout of the 2011 leaks. which will have an. hour here is that it's more or. but we have been calling. me. every day trying to explain. the holdback don't trump since you're given pardons to people please consider putting those who at great personal sacrifice expose the deception and criminality of those in the deep state mr president if you grant only one act of clemency jury no time in office please free julian a'sssos you alone can save his life on hoping that he will pardon julian assange it's the right thing to do so far trump has remained deaf to the pleas the julian assange just saga has been going for so long it feels like it

could be over any minute but flashing back to how it's been going so far it seems like we've just turned the page on another chapter judy and i found for what i have known of him is a very resilient person but he has been brought to the breaking point to 10 years of persecution. joint persecution for political reasons by sweden by the united kingdom by the us by ecuador and none of this is being addressed he's not being compensated and not receiving justice for the ill treatment you know suffered he should not have been brought to a point where you are suicidal he has been prosecuted to a point where he has been broken and now they basically the system is getting him out and you know obviously that is a legal obligation but in the fence the system has succeeded in intimidating the

world and it happened the message that this is what's going to happen to you if ever you have the idea of publishing our dirty. secrets and making that known to the world. well let's just recap then monday's developments regarding julian assange a british judge has ruled against extraditing him to the u.s. concerns over his mental health the u.s. has said it will appeal to the courts this is a son who would remain in custody had all of the appeal there's a chance he could be released on bail before then a decision will be made this coming stateside the wiki leaks co-founder faces 17 counts of spying on one of conspiracy to government computer guilty he would face up to 175 years in prison and in another development of the day the president of mexico said he's prepared to give us political asylum.

and if you would like to have your say on that or indeed any of this our stories we do like to hear what you're thinking out there why not leave a comment or 2 on our facebook page can get pretty lively there but all wasn't retaining. geysers by the. well we do some of our. best undercutting but what's good for market is not good for the global economy. the way of life of reindeer leading a traditionally nomadic lifestyle. which contrasts with the realities of mega city while the main drive the women carry the weight of the household on their shoulders but no one would ever put housewife on this it's not

considered a profession.