we. ask. profiting from the pandemic to sitting a german politicians are quitting in a major scandal for allegedly earning hundreds of thousands of euros after brokering deals for face masks. meanwhile the u.k. government faces claims of financial mismanagement during the pandemic after offering frontline health workers a pay rise of just one percent one that spends millions on a new media briefing group we gauge reaction in london. interest to the story here is about these i mean 3 people favorite. for the public. hospital table. president biden's long awaited coded relief bill finally passes through the u.s. senate but people face getting less money than they did of the donald trump.

global stories and international analysis from moscow welcome to the program 1st for you german m.p.'s standing down over claims they've made hundreds of thousands of euros from brokering deals for face maoists with more on the scandal here's our europe correspondent peter all of us. make no bones about it this is a big scandal here in germany pandemic profiteering isn't a look any party wants to be tarnished with in this is part of the ruling coalition here including angela merkel's christian democratic union party the representative of that party nicolas lobel has said he's going to step down at the next election this is after his company allegedly made around a quarter of

a 1000000 euro from being the middleman in deals when it came to pee pee and masks during this pandemic may not be good enough for some sort of said he needs to go right now and not wait until the election in the autumn however he said he is sorry for what he's done so far but he isn't the only one that's been involved in this scandal we've also heard. from the very insistent party the c s u is facing a corruption probe after he's understood to have taken away a 6 figure sum for being the middle man again in deals involving masks he's already said he's not going to run in september he has stood down from his position as the deputy leader of the union parliamentary group but he's denied any wrongdoing what this is prompted is well senior figures including members of angela merkel's cabinet coming out and saying there's no way this can be tolerated in condemning

those 2 politicians to collect a commission that is to gain money through mediation in emergency situations is not possible that destroys trust in our democracy those who fill their own pockets with essential goods such as masks do not represent the people but the lowest interests it's understandable why the center right block is circling the wagons there's obviously a bundestag election coming up in september but before that just next sunday there's 2. regional elections as well and they want the candidates involved not to be as distant from this particular scandal as possible there's also a want to know more fuel to a fire a frustration that is seen people demonstrate against the way the government has handled the pandemic here in germany and it's not just a german issue we've also seen those protests taking place across europe.

with. a level of hope said it will surely only be added to when it starts coming out that m.p.'s that politicians were enriching themselves personally during this pandemic german journalist thomas fassbender says public anger over the issue will damage the ruling party. i think that definitely the christian democrats as a party at the forthcoming coming elections will take a hit there's no question there is anger about this the interesting thing here is that mr lube it just last year was the subject of a completely unrelated correctional misbehavior commercial misbehavior case within his own party the man has been known for

a sort of potentially shady behavior is there where allegations and nevertheless the party sort of shut their eyes and that is of course the dangerous thing it's not just a matter of the law as such of the letter of the law but also. 'd about the way it is applied. downing street being criticized for spending millions of pounds on refer bushman's to hold white house style media briefings and in another echo from across the pond british prime minister boris johnson is setting up a charity so the donors can fund renovations of the premier's official resident but for many in the u.k. all this money will be better spent on health care staff working on the covert frontline. should forces interest sort of curious about this i mean dress could be a pole for us will still be a pole looking after all nurses and doctors and everybody that works. people saving

lives that's the problem did. you answer peter spoke about not a problem. but it benefits health workers to distance you can often be preferrable. i'm not sure we do to be free to quote 6000000 people a lot of other food so i could remove all the local asians making sure the whole population is properly covered but what can you do if they say this is going to ask us of course but you know when you when i'm lying in a hospital table i think the nurse is an essay for me then you know that's what would be necessary for me to make sure you can have your pay and they've got enough motivation to work on lies are important decoration. the u.k. government insists difficult economic circumstances mean that it can only afford a one percent pay hike for national health service staff but with inflation predicted to reach $1.00 and a half percent this year that would likely mean a pay cut in real terms and nurses union says they deserve more preparing for

strikes political commentator anthony weber says the government's priorities are completely wrong. but the media companies don't actually need these. facilities when those assured of a fine or are witnesses shortage of crime money should go in with sue. the very. certain schools or actions of a corrupt she was like. giving an atheist start but it doesn't go out. rather a pool message that the government's prepared to spend money on promoting its own interests but not prepared to spend money on people who've been looking after people who. are paid in a hospital in unsuitable people who like the nature stop and respect the nurses and

so on that said the government has extended its furlough skaven till september which pays 80 percent of people the wages for hours that the comp work during the pandemic leaders predicting that the cash will get the economy back on track but talking to our teams going underground british economic historian robert skidelsky questions the numbers. they think there's a lot of pent up demand that there are a lot of savings that people haven't been able to spend and that as the shops and entertainment places reopened people will flock to these places with their extra spending power and that'll make the whole thing revived but if you look at it realistically i'm very skeptical about this because national income has fall it's fallen by 10 percent cent in 2020 that means savings of all there as you know some people will have extra savings but what about all those whose incomes have fall they're not going to have extra spending power we're talking about people who are

being made unemployed because small businesses are closing going bankrupt and or cutting down on their start and rather than keeping that population on 1st earlier that i would try and provide work for them and especially young people. had to leave last year a region which includes the capital rome is calling on the government to start producing the russian sputnik v vaccine that says the country's health minister says he's in favor of the russian job. in my opinion if the vaccine works in the safe i do not really care about the nationality of the scientists who developed it therefore i'm open to sputnik v. as well as to other vaccines should the european medicines agency in the italian medicines agency give their approval we are ready to cooperate with russia even very soon the sputnik visa ready been approved into the e.u.

countries hungary and slovakia it comes as the blocs criticized for the slow pace of coronavirus inoculation in member states palantir regions health chief told us about the approval process for sputnik vane. it's necessary to produce vaccines in house in order to be self-reliant and avoid the problems we've recently faced including the difficulties with job supplies and on time deliveries autonomy will benefit everyone in this case we've always treated the sputnik vaccine with great respect paying particular attention to the scientific evidence behind it therefore we had no reservations about it off we saw the in the explanations of its validity in the medical journal the lancet and by the laws there are a national institute for infectious diseases in row we've always said that the efficacy and safety of vaccines are the main thing whereas their origin doesn't matter to us. unfortunately we can't say decisions

absolutely independently and always have to wait for the approval by regulators will so hope for a fast track process so that it doesn't get bogged down in excessive red tape because we're in emergency and in great need of doses in italy we don't expect to see any disputes around the sputnik vaccine because we believe it will contribute to the common good and protect the health of our citizens. joe biden's coated relief bill has finally passed through the u.s. senate after last minute negotiations but while $1.00 trillion dollars sounds like a lot of money people may actually get less than they did under donald trump or we've been delving into why it may just be a drop in the ocean for american taxpayers. ungar in america especially for children has soared to historic levels unexpected medical bills have created a surge of families desperate for in america the richest country in all the world

we have incredible hunger what how is this possible as the u.s. continues its brutal battle with one invisible enemy an old one has of ram just poverty but for those one in 10 americans who lost their job and fame never recover all those 3 in 10 low income families who worry whether the next meal is coming from good news joe biden promised you a helping hand no one should work 40 hours a week you live in poverty and it wasn't just higher wages no biden was also going to rip open the government's wallet and hand out those support checks the american rescue plan is going to keep the commitment of $2000.60 already gone out for $200.00 checks to people who need it. this is money directly in people's pockets and with control of the house of representatives the senate and the white house the only trinity nothing could stop the democrats puffing that kind of bill

no out of touch little greeting republicans not even trump no it was a done deal right but we obviously are now ultimately send the. money to less people in the administration this is not the promise that we need. conservative democrats have fossil divides in the admin sends fewer and less generous relief checks than the transfer has been good so not a done deal biden promised one thing with his $1.00 trillion dollars aid package the house then took a stab at it and the senate's now taken a not the stab at it in its wounded form almost $12000000.00 fewer adults will get the relief biden pledged unemployment benefits are finishing a month earlier than planned and as for raising minimum wage to $15.00 well courtesy of some democrat senators who vetoed it that won't be happening and if

you're wondering what an elected official laughing in the face of the people they sell looks like well hey you go. to cinema cinema no i'm sure go it's a big thumbs up from have for $174000.00 annual salary but if you thought biden himself brainchild this bill was as devastated by this well think again he is comfortable with where the negotiations stand he is controversial and knows there will be tweaks at the margin so if these tweaks mean that american struggling to stay afloat amid the biggest recession in the u.s. in decades on getting the money who it is what national democrats particularly nancy pelosi and chuck schumer have chosen to do is crimes through a 1.9 trillion package that includes things like funding on the national endowment for the arts and national endowment of humanities and the subway in silicon valley

to help nancy pelosi constituents and while the washington elite did eventually realize that splashing $100000000.00 on a subway in the richest town in america wouldn't sit well with those people standing in line to food banks when will it realize that it works for we the people and not me myself and i. much of the mainstream media were delighted by the bill with the washington post initially branding it a defining move by biden versus the paper come in for quite a bit of mockery online it since changed the headline. shall raise money on americans could washington post exaggerate biden situations in the market desk way probably not shameful. who make it rain with a check that still doesn't cover a whole month's rent soak up all of the money shallots my fellow pulls the amounts are being paid are just a drop in the in the bucket the payments are proof that their faith and they buy to

ministries was well founded and the reality is of course that much more of the covert relief bill is going to other causes no other interest groups in the us you know we have a constitution and the government has grown by leaps and bounds beyond what the original intentions were at this point the number in the duties of the american federal government have. the number of duties it's arguments over laughable you know the last coded stimulus package had billions and billions being sent to foreign countries this one has everything from money for amtrak which is a perennial loser of public money. 3000000000 in aid to aircraft manufacturers almost 300000000 for the national government for the arts and all while people are suffering and i would add that while there are clear signs that the global appetite for u.s. treasuries which is u.s. debt seems to be waning this is a heck of a time to be incurring a lot more debt. without sale the way those personal reports disturb a new covert think as president tells the country to stop whining about the disease

is just one of our stories still ahead after this. join me every thursday on the alex simon show and i'll be speaking to guest on the world of politics small business i'm show business i'll see you then. is your media a reflection of reality. in a world transformed. what will make you feel safe. isolation community. are you going the right way or are you being

led. by. what is true what is faith. in the world corrupted you need to descend. to join us in the depths. or remain in the shallows. hello again face coverings in public are about to be banned in switzerland a referendum of the weekend promoted by the right wing swiss peoples party so voters now really support the initiative which will include the new cap worn by muslim women there are 7 exemptions to the new rule it allows for face covering it's for security climate or health reasons the proposal for the ban didn't mention

islam directly officially saying that it was aimed at stopping violent street protesters from wearing masks but the leading the swiss islamic group has already called the vote a dark day for muslims. this is my my my. so i would like to get someone to force me he guitar or i'll take it. this way that obviously i. know we have religious freedom we have freedom of expression you can say we have freedom and then not give it but it's being free he's been able to show our face respect in women's dignity heaven our own identity and therefore i do not understand the discourse of people who want to imprison women behind this veil of the north i said no to this initiative because feminist ideas are being used for something which on the contrary obstructs liberty of choice this is also borderline sinner for big so this goes against my will yes as well as that also i think of

switzerland or some other european countries already have full or partial bans on veils in public areas including belgium and austria the 1st to introduce the move 10 years ago was france which has since repeatedly fallen under a wave of criticism for violating personal liberties earlier on our table to discuss the potential impact for switzerland. i think that the majority of the of the swiss people who have voted for the ban of face coverings has decided so not specially trying to hurt muslim people living in their country but rather thinking of their own cultural identity and preserving it in the long run it is always the same it's always this threat of this extremist party you lost muslims and islam behind you know several laws that we we're not

at that it's very very bad for us why they are continuing to use this strategy to put us out of the society and to divide their citizens between those who believe want to believe if we imagine that we had a similar referendum in and i slam a country like in pakistan or like in saudi arabia the question would be would you allow would you like to allow people or women wearing a bikini in public beaches for example i'm pretty sure that 95 percent or even 1009 percent of the people would vote against it we know what is democracy and we're not using emotion on rhetoric no. a lot of people vote against but there is a lot of chits where people have never seen a woman. and not with. that don't exist.

dave all that for. people also in the villages of switzerland they are advocating they read the news and they know what is going on in other parts of the word and so they have just decided to set those limits to the cultural development off immigrants from muslim background and this is not hostile and also i think you should even consider it something which sets a useful limits to radical islamists and there are some who force their women behind veils we are always hearing this. very very close to rescue them and. it's not a low fuel used to get people to you lose their. country all of the and deal that you have and. they feel very

free but i don't like to be. close to each of the people who are extrem what it already could at least from predation already get it from. where you can live your religion freely and the question also is why have you chosen to come to switzerland knowing very well that it's a christian country which even wears the cross in this flag in its national flag so i think you were quite clear about that 3 when you came to switzerland. but i want to watch the forum more and more. it's good for diversity it's a richness you out. making middle of the mind at the moment but that is the of the race to be but. the brazilian president has called on people to quote stop whining about the country's covert catastrophe was to spy brazil registering its

highest daily covert death rate last week it also has the 2nd highest number of deaths in the world with more than 260000 victims sugared you for this quarter do you mean enough with the pretentiousness enough with the whining how long are people going to carry on crying for you we have to confront the problems obviously we need to respect the elderly those with conditions but where is brazil heading to if we live in fear. meanwhile health authorities say that just over 7000000 have so far received at least one vaccine doses since presently in hospital struggle to find room for the 2nd the health systems overloaded to highlight the points this is a container that's been placed outside a clinic in the north of the country to store victims' bodies here's what they have why residents think of the move. but i think people are panicking and this container shouldn't be out in the open this doesn't help. that it has a huge impact i think it makes you more careful and more inclined to protect

yourself it's only when you actually see it that it has any impact when you realize that our people in their lost loved ones where all to blame the people but also the government because they should set the example. the editor of a brazilian news site told us the president must take the blame for the worsening situation. i think it's political strategy. all the time trying to prove to brazilian book relations that he has this situation under control over the situation he's completely out of control i don't presume he's going to have back the situation before may or june because we have a very. delay a. nation we don't have anymore. to protect people and to unload them to stay and i think the next

30 and see all 600 days i going to be even worse than the situation levy through at this moment. and that's the way it looks from moscow so far this sad thank you for watching him call him right back the next up they say 24 minutes and see that. the binding ministration is still young but its foreign policy particularly in the middle east is an echo of past failures this ministration simply just not

a learning curve small so does washington really support democracy in the world ukraine's crept down an independent media to cuba. this is crude oil. so they need to actually physically pump it out of the ground you would have well well well. there's a lot of money with joy and with that comes. a lot of a lot of people from all over the country. if you don't make a $100000.00 a year. as i'm. pretty sure. you're a newbie and. they work all 16 hours a day hard work will work that's not easy work and so they want to relieve their

stress and how do they relieve their stress these men moved back out he's a man that comfort many. people have been murdered up here people been raped they're massive drug issues up here you have a boom you have everything else that comes along with money. i was. curious least. with you all so i can tell you talking about her because you're really into it. you leave that up. i just sat there watching 5 minutes. you're not going home tonight i can guarantee they. won't come back to wrongful conviction what you say today we're going to be doing

a deep dive into an issue that is fascinating exhibits to our founding which is the phenomenon of false confessions and my guest today is going to be jane fisher already also was currently working on 4 cases involving false confessions and each is fascinating its own way so jane while some confession and jane is an attorney who is an expert on false confessions and so jane how did you get into this work i was a public defender in manhattan here in new york city for about 3 years and we saw a lot of police misconduct you know we were doing arraignments up until 1 am in the morning and you see people beat up or you know people whose cases get dismissed who get no compensation so my husband and i left the legal aid society with the hopes of doing civil rights work. my name so castro in the distinguished professor of

psychology at john jay college of criminal justice once a false confession is taken the case was closed nobody really can tell the difference between a good confession and one that is a problem with all of this is that you know or tactics that can be used to get innocent people and i don't just mean vulnerable innocent people i mean people who are sitting around in this room to confess to crimes they didn't commit. so it's in the. center of me anytime you do an exaggeration case where there's been a false confession it's like trying to write a tries to. everybody's already against you the person's been convict.