government facebook for filing use posts form in the country. using its power its way. spain is rocked by a. rapper after he was handed a 9 month sentence for. fighting terrorism. and millions of protect. our rights he struggled to cope with a deadly winter storm sweeping the southern states of america.

this is a. clip . from moscow to the world this is r.t. international pleasure to have your company my names you know. the government accuse facebook often up use of power to the social media giant block people publishers in the country from sharing news posts my colleagues. are earlier talked through the story. rough start to the day if you are a news junkie or a millennial and facebook is the open in the morning because on thursday all of a stray a wake up to find that its go to news platform had pulled the plug on any and all

roekel and international stories not obviously sparked shock but also outrage well this is all because mogs are not a fan of proposed legislation in the country which would force attack and social media companies to pay news publishes to repos that content facebook says this is unfair i'm not willing to negotiate and so on this really bold blanket ban a move which has infuriated the australian government facebook sections were unnecessary that way. and they will damage its reputation here in australia their decision to block the strains access to government sites were completely unrelated to the media code which is yet to pass through the senate facebook's actions to unfriend australia today cutting off essential information services on health and emergency services. as they were disappointing i am in regular contact

with the leaders of other nations on these issues we will not be intimidated by seeking to pressure parliament as he votes on our important news media bargaining code so what we just heard that and this is what's really got people tugging on facebook now the proposed legislation is about news but facebook has gone beyond the meetest here and it's blocked pages that really can and do affect people's lives so the bureau of meteorology blocked fire and emergency services which post updates about deadly bushfires they've been taken down to charities including women's shelters or legal services for aboriginal people as well as very crucially state health departments which pay a really big role of course in the ongoing pot. demick now some of those pages have been restored but it's too little too late straight to like others is preparing its covert $900.00 francs in roll out and now hospitals are worried that they will not be able to get out information to the people extremely concerning to find this

morning that vincent's melbourne's facebook page has been blocked these during the pandemic and on the eve of crucial covert vaccine distribution we hope this situation can be rectified very shortly now a facebook spokesperson said that the banning of no news organizations was a mistake but some would argue that the reputational damage has been done already this is just one example we've seen recently over the past few months governments and big tech facing off again and again but is this just sort of adding fuel to the fire well absolutely particularly stateside how many times have we seen mark zuckerberg being pulled into those endless hearings and facing accusations that his platform doesn't tackle harmful content enough that it's engaged in censorship that it doesn't react quickly to allegations of abuse facebook in these circumstances often raises its hands and says you know what it's easier said than done it's a very difficult almost impossible task well the astray and situation now shows

that actually it is that easy whereas apparently removing the live stream of the christ church massacre in new zealand wasn't for many this was the icing on top of the cake for a long time big tech face says allegations that it wields too much power the banning of course of the democratically elected president of the united states donald trump being the latest case in point so this may to situation just another example of silicon valley overreach and these actions will only confirm the concerns that an increasing number of countries are expressing about the behavior of big tech companies who think they are bigger than governments and that the rules should not supplied them they may be changing the world but that doesn't mean they run it but what today's events do confirm for all the strains is the immense market now. of the media digital giants these digital giants lou very very large in our economy.

and on the digital landscape the hash tag delete facebook trending people are asking is it compatible with to not krissy some thought that facebook was too big to fail but looking at the anchor reactions it might well have triggered its own downfall here the. deadly winter storm sweeping across the southern united states has left millions of americans without electricity for days texas has seen a record seasonal freeze where temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees celsius for the 1st time in over 30 years it's led to rolling blackouts and extensive damage to homes this is this is ready to go through. very days where do you.

think it is the other imbra oh there again you 2 to wriggle appears to be here for birds. meanwhile photos circulating online claim to show texas senator ted cruz flying to the mexican resort city of cancun during the disaster crews hasn't commented on the pictures yet but they've caused the loss of backlash on social media he's not the only politician in hot water a local merrill was forced to step down after his response to pleas for help from residents. no one owes you or your family anything nor is it the local government's responsibility to support you trying times like this sink or swim it's your choice the city and county along with power providers or any other service owes you nothing it's pretty bad that texans just can't or hold every other part of the country this would have been a huge issue in the late weeks in march for this election. so i see. 2 fold

hope. you got all the blankets out would try to all sleep together to keep us warm and then today when we got up there was no water we have no real update of when it's going to come on our phones barely work. while authorities in texas struggle to keep power grids up and running some are blaming wind turbines for the disaster they're frozen on able to operate others however i'm laying the blame squarely on the local government's doorstep killam up and takes up the story. without electricity texas residents are resorting to some rather desperate measures in the hopes of staying warm they're firing up the grill and the generators and some of the even tried to use their cars to heat their homes resulting in several deaths and over 300 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning people are dying from carbon monoxide poisoning we have had so many calls in so many incidents that we can't even track them all the major oil refineries of the state has shut down due to

freezing weather that bright new future of green energy isn't working out so well in the present the wind turbines that accounted for almost a quarter of texas is energy last year have frozen to a standstill every source of power that the state of texas has has been compromised whether it be renewable power such as wind or solar but also as i mentioned today. access to coal generated power access to gas generator power also have been compromised alternative energy sources have been a key aspect of the democrats' push for ecofriendly policies a key plank of our bill back better recovery plan is building a modern resilient climate infrastructure and clean energy future that will create millions of good paid union jobs critics are blaming joe biden and the democrats saying that they pushed climate friendly policies a bit too hard and branding the outcome catastrophic shows how the green new deal

would be a deadly deal for the united states of america in the last few days if proven and the thing that we need oil and gas relying solely on renewable energy would be catastrophic many of these sources have proven to be unreliable the united states may be a global superpower but at home it's a lacking power quite literally all of this critics say are symptoms of america in decline caleb r.t. new york when another suggested indication of a decline. per truck did military presence on capitol hill now run 5 follows a national guard troops are expected to remain in washington d.c. all until the middle of next month the decision was reportedly made over lingering concerns of violence here starting america's foreign friends with more. one of the places that i actually lived in was a news anchor was an el paso texas where you had fort bliss that is the 2nd largest army post in the country when we pulled up to the gates here this morning it looks

like i was walking into fort bliss there is a there's a whole street that's blocked off here that goes right into a checkpoint you'll see that these cars they go in they get checked pointed by police by national guard and you see this is all happening literally just you know maybe 2 football fields away from our u.s. capitol you can also see to the left of the capitol here in our life we have almost like these little trailers that have been put on we have a lot of these members where they're actually staying there was 26000 troops here during the inauguration the numbers starting to go down but they want to have 5000 troops here scheduled again like you said till march 4th because you have a lot of cuban members talking underground and in sub read it's in you know you have a lot of these different you know social media other outlets and they're going to talking about possibly coming back again on march 4th believing that trump will be reinstated as the president again the fence looks like it goes down for miles now it goes all the way to the reflection pool in front of the capitol you know this is

the people's house kids come here on their snow days to slide down the hill and now it's completely occupied by the national guard here i want you to look at the fencing right now normally you'd have barbed wire fencing you have barbed wire fencing outside of federal prisons this is razor wire this will kill you if you try to breach this fence here ok that fence that goes all the way around the perimeter of the capital $50000000.00 now again there's talks of having the national guard stay here until the early fall it's it's going to cost american taxpayers $2650000.00 per day to have $5000.00 troops here. large protests have broken out in spain over the joining affect her cell was detained for a slum during the war of fighting terrorism hundreds of celebrities have spoken out in support of the artist or a miss the international described as a wrist and excessive restriction on the freedom of expression.

a. heavy clashes erupted in catalonia hersel was arrested in this home town of later on choose the around 2000 people rallied in barcelona where they were met with a strong police presence a handful of protesters bill doric aide said at bins on fire through projectiles at officers regional police said several people were arrested local journalist evelyn kaczynski spoke to me from the city people are starting to like they already upset yesterday going out on the streets of mar so long and they want. to be

released he basically was criticizing the spanish crowd and in his songs in his rap there are lots of teenagers a protest think and mostly young people and not just in barcelona but also in other sneaking in catalonia especially a lay down where. in the end we continue basically barricaded himself and now he said that she just wanted the truth to come out and he's very happy happy about it they just looked like the streets on fire and the plus a couple is the main square in the in barcelona and so the police are getting quite angry because it's like the 1st process since many months in the barcelona because of. course yesterday there was a woman who was injured who were there only 19 years old and she got basically like a bull let's bomb in. hair in her face and now it seems like there are 2 of us are

even. bigger than yesterday and they might continue for the next couple of things painless or something and demand a back there and there in the friend iris of well might have just been and that he was because it's been months since a couple lungs were protesting. among a whole brain like you said. and others other big. bank people are actually also tired of all the restrictions. so they are using you know different excuses such as the iris of pablo basically also they want who you know have a normal life again and go back to work back in 2018 pablo hersel was convicted by a spanish courts over tweets calling former king juan carlos the 1st

a mafia boss he also accused police of torturing and killing demonstrators and migrants also fell far of legislation covering sponsor its right to freedom of expression dubbed the gag rule all by critics the court ruled that smaller slower perhaps had such expressions of opinion well a member of the council on national assembly told us suppressing free speech is inexcusable. this bunny over many is sick with being the fundamental rights activist their right to free speech and free free creation croom government is they call themselves the most progressive government in the history of the spain on so for them the case of problem has been brought to them because is a clear sign that this is not true or not this is one of the reasons why we only need to end this not because we want to build a new a new contract with

a more open and free lowell's we want to know more open system no system which accept. the killed your creation like the one i sell or others like. so of course we need this this change so we are fighting for this for a more free. 3. the 1st batch of russia sputnik very cruel a virus vaccine has arrived in gals and israel earlier stopped the shipment from getting to medical facilities there but that blockade since being lifted the initial 2000 shots are intended for people in poor health medical personnel working in intensive care units and the emergency services the following is a translated report from r.t. or of a. after coming under international criticism israel has allowed the shipment of

the 1st batch of the russian vaccine sputnik v into the gaza strip through the qur'an border crossing. today but those badge of the russian maxine has arrived it will be great help for all citizens certainly all of us will take the shot we hope other badges will arrive in gaza as well otherwise the street will simply crack under the pressure of the granddad. according to the health ministry the 2000 doses which have been shipped are intended for individuals in poor health and medical personnel dealing with coronavirus infected patients in intensive care units and emergency services staff had a lot of i think program will get underway on sunday morning in 2 centers in order to cover all the provinces of gaza the vaccination campaign will go on until we run out of jobs the health ministry affirms that the russian vaccine is one of the best and most effective among international analogs the russian vaccine will help cope

with the consequences of the pandemic affecting medical facilities due to a lack of capacity. receive other batches of the vaccine in the near future which will allow us to inoculate the whole population express our deepest gratitude to russia to its president government and people what they did for palestine. the shipment comes after israel prohibited vaccine supplies to medical facilities in gaza the reversal of the ban opens up the prospect for future shipments of the facts into gaza yes the. people in gaza call israel's decision to hamper the delivery of sputnik vivax into gaza blackmail that's amid thousands of sick people including children who need to be vaccinated urgently. the coronavirus pandemic has pushed italy's most vulnerable to the brink many face a daily dilemma of whether to feed themselves or take care of their medical needs

and 2020 the number of people on the breadline grew 517-3000 while just under a 3rd of italians are now at risk of poverty according to the organization for economic cooperation and development we asked people there how they're coping with the pandemic. ensemble troll boy picture articles on the my situation has worsened due to the pandemic i'm a small cross man who worked in fairs and since everything is now closed due to the curb it i don't know how to go on i have to pay for some medicines but without anyone's help i often can't afford them between eating in treating myself i choose the former you don't know what you have to pay for 1st between pain the house bills and medicines you don't really know what to prioritize so i decide not to treat myself. i'm also finding it difficult to purchase drugs but always cost a lot i can't buy medicines the price of which is increasing more and more we're now talking about different covert variants they're saying that could be a new look down so we don't have

a better future to look forward so there is no hope for. the new they're telling government is facing growing calls to change its strategy for dealing with the leaving health experts insist the current teared system of regional restrictions is in effect the government scientific committee this week urged ministers to follow other european countries in implementing stricter measures here's what local pharmacist told us about the situation. if you go and it was done this year has definitely been a strange one the global pandemic has brought a number of sectors to their knees and among these is certainly the poorest people who are having the greatest difficulties finding drugs and buying medicine many people can't even afford to buy drugs at a reduced price donating medicines brings a smile to the faces of people who can be treated the crisis is devastating and there are people who even have to make a choice between eating and treating themselves and they're all up and they're going to the been damaged has increased poverty and palermo it's quite high in the

year before the been damaged were open 3 days a week but now due to come it we have to open 5 days a week people don't work and can't even pay for mad since we collect medicines and then we give them to people who can't afford them people can't pay for them so we do what we were. and we distribute food for children too we are missing many things and we're also struggling with. all being the defeat of nazi germany in 1905 it was hoped but deadly forms of nationalistic extremism would be consigned to the pages of history but with far right movements gaining ground inversely every european country in recent years there are fears that byock with a vengeance ortiz redfish project has been focusing on its rise in germany as hakim entry is now shown you and you can watch it throughout the day and r.t. international as well here's a preview. also

. from france i'm sure it's finished it. at. the. under for. the premier. avoided trying to come about. but of course there's an alternative view to all this we spoke to run a rough 1st chairman of the populist alternative for germany party in lindau he sees the f.t. has been demonized by political rivals and the media to. it has become quite common to misuse the term of not system to fight against political enemies

and it's not only the f.t. which has become the whip him of this we have a very long and complete list of all right extremist parties and also organizations n.g.o.s etc of which is you cannot come and enter the a.f.d. as a member as to now really concerted campaign of the political parties and the media is running to demonize the a.f. d. for things they are not really responsible for if you look at the programmatic. aims of the party it is the conservative party which even has a strong elements of a left wing party it is quite obvious that the other parties at tack at the a.f.d. as a real opposition and opposition which is feared by everyone because also the other

opposition parties of course see that the a.f.d. comes in with a totally new concept the democratic system it will only be complete if you allow also citizens to decide in. a referendum on basic issues concerning the government and the country and this was for many years the basic point in the programme off the green party for example which is to consider to be a left wing party. former goldman sachs bunker richard sharpe has officially been confirmed as the new chairman of the b.b.c. he's known as an ambitious enough with an impressive list of contacts sharpest. a background in finance and has worked for some notable institutions in the center he's also known for bucking the conservatives donating hefty sums to the ruling party besides that he's also been an unpaid adviser to the u.k.

finance minister chairing the pandemic on work for current prime minister boris johnson when he was mayor of london who the chairman of the b.b.c. he is appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the government mr sharp will take home a $160000.00 pounds a year that's around $220000.00 for 3 or 4 working days per week to get some more insight into this apartment we're joined live now from london on the program journalist francis back at francis good to have you on richard sharpe has close ties to the current government he's donated money to the tories how does that reflect on britain's national broadcaster feed. major problem in terms of the position of the b.b.c. is that it's one of if it tries to maintain its independence and planes and prizes its independence it has to animate so its relationship with governments

that continually counter mises independence and that it tries to pretend or not 1st the government effectively appoints the appointed chairman of the b.b.c. undercounts the school board that controls the b.b.c. you said the queen quits on the recommendation of the congress of course you understand the british fiction the queen actually doesn't want anybody in the government as the appointee and the 2nd is the matter of the license fee the size of the license fee that in charged to everybody in the television set in britain and that is in the control the gun salute quite frequently you were found in the past when the b.b.c. is news coverage does not create the government it takes its revenge by way of the license fee so the b.b.c.'s coverage of politics is tainted in that way now nobody knew former prime minister has used the power of control of

control of the equipment gentleman in quite the overtly political way that boris johnson has just used it but to appoint somebody who is a political approach a political supporter a financier of your own well i was going to say that as well because with some one of the helmet such strong links the government might there be changes to coverage ahead i'll just put it to you if so is it actually necessary critics say the b.b.c. is now is so woken areas that forgot its remit to be fair and impartial. there is something to be said for that view and i have to say that a lot of people in britain who used to go for impartial means to the b.b.c. 10 now troop one or 2 in the other major news group casting organizations for fall for that same coverage i think that the b.b.c. in the lead we see is ability to maintain its independence in coverage began

its slippery descent when sony acted for its coverage of the iraq war the story very briefly was that a b.b.c. journalist had said on a major program that tony blair probably knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction the government's only guess government was furious in cannes desson rage they forced the chairman to resign retire they forced the. the controller of b.b.c. greg to resign and the result of that was that from their long b.b.c. news organizations became rabbits in the headlights when faced with attacks from the government the the the revenge exactly on the b.b.c. for having offended the government in that instance by a piece of journalism which was ultimately vindicated because as you know the fact is that we now know senator graham program did not that will work comes of mass

destruction in iraq richard i wish i had a bit more time to delve into this but we're right out of it thank you very much for coming on the program the journalist and author francis back at life from london as our better till tonight ok time for another visit to be alex some unshown excuss the former 1st minister of scotland guests in a moment by for. welcome to the alex salmond show from scotland where today we look at the long term health impact of the pandemic the impact on individual patients and the health impact on society as a whole i guess today professor humans got money and they did make possession to

just of sas out of intensive care the university college.