goodall for one who's doing. a former u.s. intelligence analyst faces years in jail for exposing america's drone assassination program we speak to a whistleblower who's in close contact with him. he did it because he was exposing a war crime he's not allowed to see that and so he really doesn't have any chance of acquittal. germany struggles to suppress the 3rd wave of the coronavirus the christian democratic union party leader suggests a return to full lockdown something met with skepticism from german politicians. petrol bombs and bricks the price of posts brags that border checks we discussed

the background to the weekend's violent attacks on police in northern ireland. a very warm welcome you're watching r.t. international with me nicky aaron our top story this hour a former u.s. intelligence analyst faces up to 10 years in prison for blowing the whistle on washington's targeted drone assassination program daniel hale pleaded guilty to transmitting and retaining national defense information his case comes amid a mass disclosure of similar crimes allegedly perpetrated by the u.s. .

i have to tell you when he called me a few hours ago he was surprisingly upbeat and optimistic and he he remarked about how much press this issue has been getting since he decided to plead guilty so in the end i think that he thinks that this is been worth it that americans know more about the drone program now than 8 they did 6 months ago or a year ago and even though he's likely going to go to prison it was worth it the u.s. is flying these drones or at least it was until recently that were used ostensibly to kill terrorists or would be terrorists but in reality to kill anybody who might

resemble a terrorist and that included women children the elderly and anybody else who happened to be on the ground i believe that we're we're a nation of laws and we have to abide by those laws whether we like them or not if we don't like them we should change them go through the process and change them if congress has not declared war on a country we don't have a right to attack it we just can't decide that we don't like the politics of whoever happens to be in charge in a place like yemen or pakistan or afghanistan and then launch drone strikes against them it's a violation of international law. information about these and similar cases was given by hail to journalists from online news publication the intercept back in 24 was he later became available to the general public and the analyst was accused of disclosing classified intelligence information. for the defendant claims such exposes are necessary for a strong society. using the espionage act in this way to prosecute journalists

sources and spies chills newsgathering and discourages sources from coming forward with information in the public interest particularly when it relates to national security where government secrecy is at its height these documents detail the secret unaccountable process for targeting and killing people around the world including u.s. citizens through drone strikes there are vital public importance and the related to their disclosure is protected by the 1st amendment here it's the american government stuck to an alternative point of view and therefore 2 years ago heyl was arrested and charged with violating the espionage act and other related offenses as biden came to power the public anticipated changes in the drone assassination program but now media are reporting he aims to boost the armed drone exports to countries including those with poor human rights records john kiriakou

a former cia analyst and whistleblower told us the terms of the espionage act leave hale with little hope. this is really the worst part of the of the espionage act this is the reason why ed snowden can't come home this is the reason why i couldn't go to trial this is the reason why jeffrey sterling the other cia whistleblower was convicted because there is no for motive defense we are prohibited by law from going into court and saying i did it but i did it for this reason and in the case of daniel hill this was a war crime he did it because he was a. exposing a war crime he's not allowed to say that and so he really doesn't have any chance of acquittal the best thing to do for daniel as it was for me as it was for so many others here charged under the espionage act is to take a deal and to hope for the latest possible sentence the decision that was made early on even before joe biden was inaugurated to pursue the appeal against julian

his son it was that decision that made it clear that joe biden was going to pursue national security leaks just like barack obama did and just like donald trump did after him as you can see the full version of our interview with john kiriakou on watching the hawks throughout the day here on r.t. . now these are the german democratic party. that has called for stricter lockdown rules this monday as germany is struggling to contain the 3rd wave of the coronavirus the initiative was met with criticism among german nor make a case it would decide globally i think we need another transition or look we need to build the bridge again to the day when everyone is vaccinated i know that many of tired of the pandemic but many already to take another step now and then move to another phase from may or june. that's now of course life to peter oliver for the

details good morning to you peter bring us up to speed with the place. we as well. isn't going to have all of those local leaders of the 16 german states on side with him the leader of the state of today in jail the male of lynne of both said they're not sure this is the way to go forward and this is ultimately one of the big problems germany faces when it comes to tackling the coronavirus it's not like i'm bill america can say from the very top here's the plan this is what we're going to do now get on with it what happens here is. leaders of the 16 states they all come together they debate over what's going to happen and ultimately what you end up getting is some form of compromise and that's what we've seen in the past now speaking of the past previously arman lost it has been one of those voices saying things need to open up that we need to get rid of lockdowns he's changed his tune now and he's saying 2 to 3 weeks is needed in order to get on

top of covert cases here in germany the c.d.u. chairman the christian democratic union party chairman is still the bookies favorite old zong to be the candidate that will stand in the election in september hoping to become the successor to angle a miracle that's the spite him taking quite a pummeling in the polls of late particularly in relation to his plans for covert 19 and pandemic planning both it would seem that the idea of a short term stronger lockdown may go down well with the german people based on those i spoke to on the streets of. i am happy they're putting more regulations on place i think things are looking a bit grim and it seems like it's going back to you know christmas despite we had back in christmas so i'm happy if things go back to the way they work christmas just for lockdown i think that's something mark stream has to happen i don't know

if it's going to be a lockdown then they have to be more aggressive and say you can't. leave your house you can see people i think trusting people to do the right thing isn't working that's been the moment specifically the restrictions must be made stricter because the numbers are going on the restrictions that we have now and not enough to deal with it i think in 2 or 3 weeks or maybe a month we will have a problem there for us to do we need more to expand the restrictions and move explanations. germany's e.u. partners france and italy both put in place short term strict lockdowns before the easter break france has the highest number of covert cases in europe italy has seen twice as many cases in recent times than it saw this time last year in the pandemic germany of course thought about going into a strict lockdown over easter and find the angular medical and noun start at a press conference at the chancellery she then later held another press conference in which she said that wasn't going to happen it came in for

a lot of public criticism it does seem though certainly want to be in port forward by arm and we we may well end up going in to one of those short term lock downs it's not going to be particularly edifying when it comes to u.s. policy here in germany when it comes to vaccination though across the european union it's not been any good news really. the 1st goal that was set by the e.u. commission was to a vaccinated 80 percent of over eighty's by now well only 5 out of the $27.00 member states have reached that target malta island sweden finland and portugal at the top of the class getting over that 80 percent mark but right down the bottom bulgaria only 5 percent of it's over eighty's of hired one job of a covert 19 vaccine here in germany 56 percent of those over eighty's of. that 1st vaccination 2 thirds of germans though this is perhaps more worrying have

. no faith in the roadmap that's been set out for getting one job at least for everybody who wants one by the end of september not a lot of confidence in that actually happening right now we've also heard for yet inspiring the health minister here in germany just recently he's not painting a pretty picture of the state of affairs at all he was talking about the increase in the numbers of those people that have ended up in intensive care units $4000.00 over the weekend he also said that vaccination by itself isn't going to be able to stop the 3rd wave of covert 19 which currently has germany in its grip and he is also saying lockdown is the only way. peter thank you for those details that are tease that peter all of us speaking to us live from berlin while staying in the europe a scandal as erupted in france after it emerged ministers allegedly attended secret

elite cafes and restaurants in violation of covert restrictions and undercover reporters found luxury restaurants privately opening their doors to v.i.p. guests one interviewer even claimed he himself had illegally dined in restaurants quote with a certain number of ministers guests apparently did not wear masks then knocked back bottles of champagne but members of the french government have denied any knowledge of the gatherings if ministers have broken the rules they must be punished like anyone else if this was to return is so well informed let he name names. 2 types of citizens those who have the right to party and those who don't of restaurants are supposed to have been closed in france since october in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus we gauged reaction to the claims on the streets of paris. but it wasn't it was because of course we all need to relax but such a different attitude to people is simply shocking most french people like streamlet

attentive we are asked to be on our guard and so it is surprising that people are treated differently it seems that everything is allowed for them and they have the right to do what others do not have the right to do i think these ministers need to go to everyone to the restaurants because people have not been to restaurants for a long time they invited it would be nice. on the one hand they tell a stay at home do not go to restaurants close the restaurants and so on and they spend money they do not worry about the crown of ours and we the people have no right to go there it's not fair this is an injustice and for going to a restaurant these people men and women are not waiting for the same consequences that would await for those who were caught doing this it was not from us we're not going to if it's true then i think that they are the embodiment of the state the embodiment of decisions taken at the state level therefore they should be a role model and if they do not adhere to the rules that they demand from this it

isn't then their power loses its thorazine so i think it's very bad if it turns out to be true since their ministers watched their behavior. hostilities have fled in eastern ukraine with reports of daily exchanges of fire and shelling on the front lines rebels in the danielle screeching claimed ukrainian drone strike killed a 4 year old boy here denies the claims and is demanding evidence that the strike did take place so far it has not been possible to corroborate the claims but the team from artie's raptly video agency attended the boy's funeral and spoke to his grandmother about the incident. this is grief you have to go through it it's really hard his parents have beside themselves with grief especially his mother i don't care that the house was damaged but why did this child have to suffer does he shoot someone dad of something or did he say a bad thing to someone he was just

a child only who years old and mental in god's eyes. as tension saw in eastern ukraine officials and military staff in kiev have blamed russia our senior correspondent my gas stove reports this is far or what there was of it is crashing and burning under a sustained carriage from both sides the only see has the numbers more than a 1000 violations most of them artillery exchanges were detected on april 3rd ukraine's propaganda machine is also churning that is now officially calling thousands of its own citizens russian militias who are to blame the party line says for everything. ukraine and its partners are taking note of russia's systemic escalation of the security situation and the nats can lugansk regions and in the republic of crimea this is happening against the background of the russian federation and willingness to reaffirm its commitment to the ceasefire or the

current escalation by the russian federation the systemic and the largest in recent years a common goal is victory in the war against the aggressors and to ensure a stable peace to restore the territorial integrity of ukraine to the consolidated efforts of all the ukrainian people all ukrainian people apart from the ones they now call russian militias in a bid to discredit them their beliefs and their grievances probably not the best idea if you want stable peace but there are 2 major takeaways from the. recent statements 1st after years of stalling delaying and torpedoing negotiations here that seems to be entertaining the idea of a military solution to this civil war victory by brute force the other takeaway is that ukraine has virtually declared war on russia officially naming it the russian

ukrainian conflict russia isn't even a party in this civil war if its military was involved it would be over very very quickly that much is obvious to me if you did get the russian army is moving within russian territory in the directions it deems necessary in the shape and form it sees fit to ensure the security of our country this shouldn't concern anyone in the slightest russia poses no threat to any country in the world and that of course includes ukraine russia always pays very close attention to its own security clearance to ukrainian president probably not helped by dismal ratings his seemingly bet on calm for a day ship is military has issued a statement warning moscow that the us promised it won't leave ukraine alone and it won't let russia's aggressive plans materialize the state department has confirmed this ukraine's own aggressive plans it seems get a pass the americans should not be concerned by what russia is doing but rather

look at kiev's unacceptable behavior which not only fails to implement them and set of measures but even denies degree mous in a manner that is becoming ever more provocative if our u.s. colleagues were to focus and it would really facilitates to belittle a lot all hope is yet lost there is still a chance that cooler heads will speak out that they'll stop this escalation will cause countless lives and achieve nothing but that's going to take an international effort rather than egging ukraine on with promises of support and righteousness as has been washington's policy so far. from u.n. weapons inspectors call it rest has a nato backing for can have sanctions and. that the support comes and 3 things one is the ongoing material support the united states continues to provide big holes arms munitions another military equipment to the ukrainian military much of this is lethal in nature meaning used in combat then there's the the the training that's

taking place that the cross training between nato forces including americans and ukraine and ukraine believes that this training shows that they're somehow you know brothers in arms and then there's the political rhetoric of the phone call for instance from the secretary of defense to his ukrainian counterpart yes ukraine is being led to believe that there will be support and there will be but the support will be military the support will be diplomatic political you know they they support the right that the ukrainian objectives and they also view the ukrainian russian. tension as supporting an overall western strategy of containing and destabilizing a russia so everything bad that you have seen ukraine today you know. a an american and nato policy of containing and destabilizing russia. coming up coca-cola is damned if it doesn't damned if it doesn't as both sides of

the u.s. political divide threaten boycotts that story and small after the break. so

what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have it's crazy. let it be an arms race. very dramatic development only. exists i don't see how that strategy will be successful. if you sit. and talk. welcome back northern ireland has seen several nights of unrest with protesters hurling petrol bombs at police to voice the recent post brags that trade rules for more on this let's cross live to study edwards dusty shaadi i could morning to you how tense is the situation there. well violent clashes have erupted

over the weekend in northern ireland amid rising tensions it's historically a hugely sectarian violent area in northern ireland but more recently this is due to tensions as well so over the last 3 days we've seen protesters hurling bricks setting cars on fire and even blocking the roads we've seen numerous police officers injured in these violent clashes as well as dozens of people being arrested some as young as 13 and 14 years of age and so now police are really appealing to community leaders to try and stop this disorder and stop this on the breast as well but it all follows on friday a decision not to prosecute leaders of the irish nationalists the shin fein party for allegedly breaking coronavirus restrictions for attending a funeral of a former ira leader get out funeral was in june and allegedly around 2000

people attended so that is one part of the narrative but also we're seeing rising tensions due to post of breck's issues as well as a specific part of the brics that withdrawal agreement that's the northern ireland protocol is coming under fire today what we're seeing as it all boils down to the fact that these new trade barriers between northern ireland and the rest of the u.k. essentially creates a defacto border on the irish sea what buttressed was is that goods entering nor the night in from britain will have to go through specific e.u. checks essentially a treaty a completely different to the rest of the united kingdom it's always been a huge sticking point. both reserve males mase attempted bret's it deal but also boris johnson signed sealed and delivered bricks it deal that is a huge sticking point officials in brussels dublin and london just sore on technical terms but actually what we're seeing is a real a motive behind it it's an erosion of sovereignity for some it's a betrayal by the british government and all acutely rips up the good friday agreement all together and all the promises of peace within it as well it does seem

like both the shin fein for that matter nor the d p are in the mood for to taunt any time soon when it comes to these violent clashes all to do with that northern ireland protocol and it seems all of this stoked up tensions is accelerated by bracks it's seeing the appetite to unify northern ireland an island really increase in the last few weeks if not months to its highest level of around 42 percent not just confined to the wishful nationalists either but that appetite is also growing amongst the devolved nations to recently as we've seen the united kingdom leave the european union as we know that over in scotland that appetite has been growing for some years but nicholas sturgeons reenergized efforts are seeing that trajectory continue as well even though looking at wells which is the 2nd smallest nation of the 4 nations there jumping on the independence bond walk into with around 25 percent in the polls saying that they will vote for independence which is double what it was around 6

years ago so it seems like these recent clashes over the last few days in northern ireland really are just real reflect of real concerns when it comes to the disunited kingdom. shoddier thank you for that let's go live now to political commentator to discuss this further thank you for joining us on the program good morning to you. do 3 consecutive nights of violence tell us something about post sprigs that u.k. . is what it tells us is what has always happened here and. political response to the destabilization of the peace process here and continuing moves to creating a positive factor aren't. we needn't look we we what this does this is a well worn path that's taken by a lot of arm groups 1st you have the feeling of unions politicians in this instance

the. northern ireland. were removed from the r.e.c. and he has on the island of island made his calls it gets good friday agreement people they. are coming to say that they want a court order on the island of ireland because it will be. peaceful. when political unionism feels people look for. what we hope is a biology reaction from your list our liberties in recent weeks recent months we have hardly been worth senior members of the democratic unionist party the house of m.p.'s are with us from the street and people who represent the loyalist community it's all there representatives of us for defense situation. come on look these are prescribed illegal paramilitary groups that have used balance and from a cease fire actually come up recently involved and criminally so so that the peak

of the lower politically what they want which is the sea border move on to the island of ireland so what we have in response of the filter of the politicians is a combination of the politicians speaking of the violence followed bag or dear here's the reaction of people on the street against the political but it's very very limited people i mean most of all of. the reality. i was agreement was so meant to be both are 100 people on the strip who would only 40 mayhem with paramilitary criminal connections attacking the police saw as quite small or little with quota up so what you're saying is if trade barriers are lifted this this situation could to escalate quite significantly. no other think a thermal will harvest the dollars per month using violence to try and force the use you know to to renegotiate them more than

a group called well it's not going to happen anytime soon as a complete with the pain of the noise flexing their muscle trying to use violence at the negotiating table for their political result representatives in the people with boris johnson. and the e.u. in the background i did attentions make the prospect of a united northern republic of ireland more less likely. there will never be genuine consent from members of what i consider to be the colonial. population of the north of ireland who want to remember these circumstances under which a small percentage of the population you maybe 20 or 30 percent are ever going to want to join in peaceably and they're reunited i don't know just librax it's just like any referendum just like the saudis independence referendum once you get

a 50 plus one. if you're a democrat he must accept. for me the partition of ireland has has been as it has that was there will be a colony in harlem it was forced upon the ice people at the force of british films not on full for protests in the still of the now and just didn't you know wish itself a new existence and more of it was born from british violence on the threat of an all out war on how explainable by bruce cover so for me reunification is a central part of the healing process for everyone out of the world and so it's a protestant on the center and the say the room future together and a peaceful reunification. has political commentator thank you for joining us on r.t. today the. disagreements between the u.s. state of georgia and major corporations over disputed new voting laws escalated into a tit for tat series of threats and even boycotts artie's caleb maupin has the story

. coca-cola has long marketed itself around the world as uniquely american something that unites the entire united states but not any more this legislation is always. this legislation is wrong. and we were. given a choice to cave to the pressure of an out of control counsel culture we respectfully request issued an all coca-cola company products to be removed from office we immediately just because you run a soft drink company doesn't mean you get to control our democracy georgia has put forward a new voting law requiring photo id to vote utility bills and matching signature is no longer accepted the proposed voting legislation also would outlaw the giving out of drinking water to people waiting in line to vote and other regulations which democrats say are intended to stifle the voter turnout among african-americans and low income people.