there is people violence and even separation. the idea of succession today is not far fetch. we are witnessing a cultural session and separation couldn't go even further. the sub stories here when i see the death and coal of today's explosion that a chemical factory in germany is expected to rise to the official saying that little hope the missing will be found alive. equitable revokes julian, a solid usage citizenship over 2 years after he was forcibly removed by british police from the country's embassy in london. on the program, we speak to his lawyer to get a quote for this was deliberately wrong, illegal, unjust, and contrary to the constitution and human rights, the trot against the phones is a political one and things are getting heated at the olympics as a russian tennis thoughts o'neill meant the challenge during

a press conference with a question more about politics than sport ah, moments after midnight here at moscow, this is auntie international from the entire news team here, a very warm welcome to you. well, there is a sadly little hope that the 5 people still missing after an explosion that a chemical plant in germany on tuesday will be found to live according to the company that runs the plant. a 2 people confirmed dead, 30 injured, a peter, all of a fall. this report from the side crenza, the company that operates the chemical park just behind me where the explosion and subsequent fire took place on tuesday. say that it started in amongst tanks, containing between 60900000 liters of industrial solvents. the investigation is underway to try and find out how this was able to happen. a

blessed, which is claimed, a number of lives and left dozens injured. the colossal smoke cloud towering hundreds of meters into the sky. the waste incineration facilities right next to downtown lay the truth and over 160000 people live in the city. i spoke to some who told me they were genuinely frightened by this explosion. and the potential for what the aftermath could have brought seconds. it was terrible. i was very scared. i live nearby and i could see everything from my balcony. my windows were rattling from the bluff at the start. that was incredibly frightened. then i saw the white glove at 1st i thought it was a tornado. i was worried, we'll leave here. we know what they make in store here. and there are dangerous chemicals inside. and it was about $945.00. we were in our apartment when we heard a lot extremely loud bang, which it was a container being dropped from

a nearby construction side and people came out of the store here. everyone was very concerned. yeah. so 1st we didn't see anything, but just 10 minutes later there was a huge cloud towering over the town. i saw the cloud moving away from the city, so that made me less worry and less. we took precautions, shut our windows and doors, and all other common sense measures. while initial testing is showing no elevated levels of pollution in the air, checks will continue on samples from air lands and even rain water falling from clouds in contact with the smoke. according to the state environmental agency, there is no longer any pollution of the year. we have sued, precipitate in different parts of the city. the said environmental agency took samples on our behalf, took samples there to be evaluated. the results are not yet available until then we have already set applies. do not eat anything that is covered in sue and ensure that what is already on the floor is not moved. then we are relatively safe. as

a precaution, we have closed the playground and the effected part of the city holy particles about the size of the euro, coin being deposited on some near by neighborhoods. there strict rules remain in place on what you must not do until samples can be thoroughly examined and tested to see if that dangerous leader of the state of nor throwing west folly and man in the running to be next chancellor of germany, arm and lush. it has expressed his condolences to the families of the killed and praise the heroism of rescue workers. it's just a couple of weeks since the state and the west of germany was among the areas battered by lisa flooding. one of the big tufts now is to make sure that there is no long lasting effect from this tragic disaster post here in the immediate area. further afield, feature all of our r t in lay the crews in western germany. ecuador has

revoked julian s. ologist citizenship saying his original application contained mistakes and that he never actually paid the fee. so i'm just currently in a u. k. jail awaiting a decision, excuse me, on that of a u. s. extradition request. of course, it was in 2019 that police extricated him from the ecuador and embassy in london way. of course he claimed asylum. we spoke to his lawyer who says ecuador decision to strip him off. his citizenship is actually illegal. this was developing according to a pre plan scenario. after astonished, lost his diplomatic asylum from ecuador imprison lenny moreno needed to somehow justify the invasion of british police at the embassy. and the only possibility was just to deprive julian, his orange of ecuador in citizenship, which is again, it's that door in legislation. so it would be good or in foreign ministry council, the soldiers naturalization, so that the bridge is police could enter the embassy. they needed to show that he

was not in ecuador incentives, and at the time since the echo during constitution prohibits the extradition of its citizens to a 3rd country. this was deliberately wrong, a legal, unjust, and contrary to the constitution and human rights, they simply followed this unworthy scenario they, by exposing ecuador in the extremely unfavourable light. the trial against the thorns is a political one. not only that in the decision to revoke sanchez citizenship, they rely solely on report verified by a former state official who's currently accused of corruption and atrocities underway against it. it is a day 6 of the tokyo olympics and the pressure is rising. rushing that tennis star denila mate, we're that lashed out that a question during a press conference he feels was inappropriate. came right after his latest when alex yet a chef ski has this story. you would think that the olympic games to something only about sports where the athletes have been preparing for all their lives to take

part in this ultimate event for many athletes across the world. but this time it started very political. every time an athlete from russia is appearing at a press conference or after winning a medal a he or she is being tested with questions about the doping scandals of the past and about why russia is allowed to participate in the olympics at all. so was the case of worlds. number 2 in tennessee, then you'll meet the idea who just won his game and unbearably hot conditions. it was very humid and very, very hot on the court. he almost collapse at one point even, and the questions were directed to him were not about the situation. he faced all that court. but one journalist came over and asked whether you felt that russia's participation in the olympics was cheating itself. with radio came up with a very sharp response. first time in my life, i'm not going to answer a question. you should be embarrassed if itself,

i think you should wire him from the olympics. i don't want to see him again. the international tennis federation responded. it will lot, ban this journalist up a journalists have the right to off questions. but speaking of the question, this is not the 1st time this is happening. as i've said to athletes representing russia, media just called the catch on us also said the same that he's been tested with questions about the doping scandals of the past. and i'd like to remind you was that russia's participation in the tokyo olympics. this time is very much limited because of the doping scandals of the past because the world anti doping agency effectively banned russia and it's symbolic. strom taking part in major competitions across the planet for 4 years. russia won the appeal in the cost in the court for arbitration of sports, and thus the country was allowed to take part in the olympics under the name r o c. this is an acronym for the russian olympic committee, but even that name and full cannot be used. it's just r o c. and this is something that russian athletes and the russian and limpid

committee have been observing since day one of the olympic games. even the opening rest conference at. busy the tokyo olympics, it last about an hour 20 minutes long, 45 minutes of which were dedicated to russia's participation on the a different name in the olympic games this time. and despite all that, despite all this pressure coming from all side, because not only kind of plant, but obviously the athletes and all other disciplines are being asked questions like that, trying to ignore them all the time. despite all that, russia or the r o c. if you may, is performing very well right now. it stands for, and the overall metal stable nearing on its 20 a metal in the olympics and day 6. and that is something that many journalists, particularly those sports related, not politics related, cannot avoid. and they know to that russia is performing, or the r o c is performing very well at the olympics. well, that wasn't the only reason some people's focus has been shifting away from the

actual sport at these games. a tv usa is most decorated, gymnast simone biles hit the headlines by withdrawing from the competition ahead of the final round. she said, are due to mental health issues. yeah, i say put mental health 1st, because if you don't then you're not going to enjoy your sport and you're not going to succeed as much as you want to. so it's okay. sometimes they even set out the big competition to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person that you really are rather than just battle through it. bio says she started shaking hours before the competition competing her to say she couldn't go on. the final resulted in the u. s. team taking home silva, teammates, and other us sports figures have praised vials for her bravery. now, besides mental health issues of the games have also throw in a spotlight on sexism, the german female gymnastic team chose full body unit hards. instead of the more traditional bikini cut leotard,

the decision was made to protest the sexualization of athletes. well, i discussed the increasing attention being paid at the tokyo olympics to non sporting issues with a panel of guests. whole issue of uniform. and the sexualization of women has to go quite soon and it can be so very simply, he just say, here are the uniformed men and women, no different, obviously, to preserve modesty in swim web. we have to little bit different here and there. but in the main women cricketers play in the same uniforms as mel cricketers as i do the same in football and all of the sports. exactly the same are quite agree that the germans have made a legitimate protest here. if they want to play performing unit todd's, that's perfectly or i by may certainly some culture don't feel very comfortable wearing the kind of clothes that we consider normal. so we do a bit of

a problem be on the one hand the olympics is designed to extol, abuse in the perfection of the human body operating at peak efficiency. so it's there to be admired. all the other hand, we have contributed lympics, who may feel uncomfortable with that being a limb. in particular, maybe there's a case for some element of choice, but at the same time we don't want to lose the essence of what they're lympics is one of the biggest things about the tenant and your skills isn't actually, and that's what you're judging. not charging the uniform and what, what people don't realize the sexualization of women. we may be very self conscious when wearing we're beating clothing, which might actually performance. so really, if you really care about the school and the needs and then we should allow them to feel confident and what they're wearing. are you afraid perhaps that non sport issues or political ones in particular for example, that could become main talking points in the future olympics? no, i'm not worried. i think it's, like i said, i think is a great opportunity. we've seen so many changes already, and i'm not worried,

i still feel like eventually it will kind of not slide down, but we will respect respect. and i'm happy to different lympics. let's put it that way. it's an a everyone watching on tv and watching, you know, 68000 seat a stadium with every seat vacant. com. pretend i'm enjoying it as much as i do. other olympics i have to say, but you know, sport is to be enjoyed by everyone. and i suppose we have to content cells with millions of viewers watching tv all over the world. do you think political connotations and virtual signaling? perhaps, according to some might, might take center stage and future olympics. and should that be a concern? well, it should be concerned because we don't want to be just a vehicle for the latest. 5 that comes along. lympics should represent social roles as they change, but in eastern prevent its own century old brand. it needs to keep the continue to keep that wow fight so that we have when we see the olympics of it with their own

specific procedures and, and, and habits and ways. and that's the beauty olympics, that's what we want to save. we don't want to make it too temporary to trans. yeah . and just this waveform insane. the mental health issue of simone biles. so she withdrew. i mean, does not mean a very, very difficult decision for gigi think perhaps she's set an example. i'm guessing the boss is cognizant of a saw experience and felt that her, her game wasn't exactly right to me. clearly she was way, way off her peak in the 1st couple of days of competition. and so she decided to pull out. i think there's a bit of an irony, though, you know, rory here, the fact that she has withdrawn as bull further attention to her. i mean, if she sort of quietly underperformed and, and perhaps explained to the media that she does, this is just one of those events. she can't be at her peak all the time and then

quietly slipped away fine. but she really has made an announcement him put mental health health back on the map. again. i think it's an important one that don't run away with the idea that i don't think this, but young people in sport today are subjected to the most intense pressure to perform at that time to speak about the topic, especially with that with, with the whole thing about the mental issue is a topic that has had such as the years and only recent needs that people have mental health. and i think they lympics of the past examples. why not expect i really feel like you said 8, especially in, in can say they think they really try to years and years and they carry the contra, national is okay. has to be okay. i have mental health, i'm not going to be or if she can't do it now and pay for the young people that might pressure. and when, when else would be able to do it. the wide range of issues that are being now

thrown up at these games. does it suggest perhaps that athletes concerns are only being taken seriously when it's too late? they're raising a concern at a grand event like this. well, that's the way it gets more attention than anywhere else. i mean the, i think we need to keep our eye on what the lympics is about. it's supposed to be an event which comes along every 4 years where the people who participate in an offer paid both mentally and physically. i mean, the whole word olympians implies a level of a peak performance mentally and physically which is beyond most of the rest of us. so i think that if, if there are these issues we've been, if they were like early though the importance of mental health issue obviously shouldn't be underestimated about perhaps putting that on to lympics as well as press too much is a sporting event. it should be kept as a sporting events. if one is not ready for one really shouldn't be there. you can only find out sometimes, but you're not ready for it when you're there already,

in which case we have to respect as him, because we've been biles, she don't deserve it because it can be an easy decision for her. find him also come here on the program on our tea, including president biden accusing rusher or planning to interfere in the 2022 congressional elections. just a moment correspondent will lift the lid on this story. the much of history is about patterns that are ebbs and flows of political passions. most of the time these passions are negotiated through compromise. other times there is people violence and even separation. the idea of succession today is not far fetch. we are witnessing of cultural possession and separation couldn't go even further the

ah the ah ah good to have you with us for this program here on our. well, the chicago mayor laurie lightfoot says she isn't sorry for her decision to give interviews only to non white reporters, adding that it is now triggered

a much needed debate. i would absolutely do it again. i'm an apologetic about it because it's per to very important conversation, a conversation that needed to happen that should have happened a long time ago. the mail so no to the media conferences are dominated by white reporters and says it's high time outlets that reflect the makeup of american society. while she is being sued by a reporter for the daily caller. it's almost a cut and not she argues that she's violating basic principles of freedom of the press. great concerns. well, it's not the 1st time chicago's mia has come under fire for her racial policies. last month, life declared racism a public health crisis. and then val to allocate nearly $10000000.00 of coven relief money to improve the wellness of non white communities in chicago, the executive director of an hyphenated america. christopher harris says, democrats love playing the racial card and helps to distract people from failures.

woke agenda is nothing more than smoke and mirrors is a smoke screen just to distract people from all the other things that are taking place. it's apostrophe. we can just run on down the line and all the people out there, whether it's the elected officials like laurie lightfoot, or other people in the media who are out there trying to gin up race wars. and all that is a slight of hand to try to, to just to distract you from the things that are not working with their public policies. and look at the results. the black community or somebody say the african american community is one of the ones that suffers the most by continuing to vote for people like laurie lightfoot in for the party that she represents. because it just leads to more swirling around the toilet. that's essentially what ends up happening in the black community. while picture to say right now, we show you some new news, stop shots from all around the world. in brief, this is turkey right here, tourist we're able to witness a giant smoke cloud rising over one of the very well known features in italia. the

wildfires causing all this to lead to at least 4 neighborhoods being evacuated. just turkey. it's russia as well. rushes battling forest fires are these scenes right here from the northern region of carmelia and see it's blanketed with small g and has been, has been like this not over a week. an area of over 150 square kilometers is affected. a state of emergency has been declared the criminal has strongly refuted claims by us president joe biden, that russia intends to interfere in the 2022 congressional elections. the russian president spokesman also said that moscow in washington can hardly be called partners these days. russia has never interfered in us electrical processes. the results of many investigations conducted in the u. s. confirm that russia certainly

does not, and has no intention of meddling in any electoral processes in foreign states. if you haven't noticed, it's hardly possible to cold russia and the u. s. partners now rather there are opponents with whom we negotiate. i mean, it seems like never ending deja vu. to be honest, we have another us election here and more baseless accusations of russian meddling . i mean, we heard from moscow, they outright rejected those claims because the only thing we have to go by with them is basically biden's word. i think we also need to take on the rapid disinformation look at russia is doing already about the 2022 elections and miss information to pure a violation of our sovereignty. barton was apparently given this information by the us intelligence community, as at his daily meeting. again, without any evidence that we know of at least it's being claimed that russia is intent on meddling. and in the u. s. mid term elections that are going to take place next year. now at that time, the entire house of representatives and a 3rd of the senate are going to be up for grabs. so that really makes you think,

you know, it's going to take a lot for someone to see how radically rig elections on a scale like that, you know, but anyway, by an also specifically called our president russian president vladimir prudence. so let's take a listen to what he said. when i was with mister prudent, who has a real problem, he is sitting on top of an economy that has nuclear weapons and oils and nothing else. he knows, he knows he's in real trouble, which makes me more dangerous. and my view is pretty weird. biden would say that though, because washington, i mean, has nearly the same amount of nuclear weapons as russia does, making it just as dangerous as moscow in that department. so why is russia in trouble? i mean, the, the entire situation really just seems like hostile rhetoric coming from across the atlantic, and it's very timely as well. because remember, just last month there was a summit between joe biden and vladimir putin. earlier. we'd discussed biden's

continuations with karen joe to know who was a senior advisor for the 2016 trump campaign and journalist and commentator chad with more a try to get attention away from what crumbly. things happen in this country. if you want to talk about geopolitical adversaries, whereas china and i don't think many americans see russia as a threat, nor would they like to see russia as a threat. but of course, when, when is approval lighting new hawking out today, it's the lowest approval ratings of his presidency. so of course, he's deflecting and why not be reliable boogeyman from a cold war era and go back to russia. what's really interesting is, we don't know what is russian medley or interfering, what is this misinformation campaign? and who decides what is real information and what is false information? anything that already does it like misinformation. and so if the, whether you're trying to rather just confused whether you're trying to, to join up the base, whether he's trying to prepare for massive loss in 2022 and something to blame it

on is unclear. it's bizarre rhetoric, there's no evidence, no one buying the rush or hopes anymore. i think this is coming from the fact that the democrats know that they are going to lose lose badly in the 2022 elections were here because they don't have the right policies. so in order to win election, they either have to cheat the all lie or blame a foreign nation for whatever defeats they know they're that are coming their way in 2022. i think this is a precursor to try to do damage control. you have to remember in 2016, the democrats cried foul with regard to donald trump hurrying his place at the white house. whenever they lose election, it's throwing out these, these curve balls as to foreign intervention. the west efforts in afghanistan were a failure. that's according to russia, defense minister, who was speaking at

a meeting of the shanghai cooperation organization, which brings together top military officials from your asian countries, including china and india. if a trunk of reports where in the capital of ticket stand, just to the north of of ganeth stand where as a result of a swift pull out by the us led coalition, the crisis is deteriorating. day by day, the taliban is pretty much in control of the entire country apart from the couple region and this could easily spill over the border. now, as the russian minister of defense was meeting his counterparts from the neighboring countries here induce on bear, he blamed the us for the situation that's getting increasingly dangerous for the hasty withdrawal of us and nato troops create lots of problems. we're aware of the ongoing robust work aimed at providing security on the border, which is currently a hot bed for many risks,

threats and challenges. if you look at the map of again, it's then you will see that it is surrounded by countries that are russian allies from 2 different blocks. one is made out of post, so be countries. and the other one is rushes alliance with trying together with some of the different neighbors. now, what moscow wants to do is to reassure its neighbors that it is ready to help at any time if the situation gets worse. moscow has a military base here and to jake has done near to somebody that is ready for action at any time. the other thing that russia wants to do is to cement it's key role in the region, which doesn't make the us happy. as i've heard when i spoke exclusively to the head of the russian army here induced on back ship, plenty of mr. corby of housman to the us withdrawal is kind of where everyone is taking place. indeed, simultaneously the u. s. is holding talks with all the countries adjacent to afghanistan on establishing certain logistical hubs on the territories,

and begs the question, what's the point of putting out well remaining on the border? the answer is obvious. it's an attempt to retain its position in the central asian region, are to failing absolutely everything in afghanistan when it comes to instability. after the u. s. give me at least one example where the situation has been improved after a long running us presence. now here's a fact for you when more than 25 years ago, circ a showing was the head of rushes, emergencies, ministry. he was in charge of an entire operation of rescuing refugees that were flowing out of gas stand beyond the soviet pull out. and also when the soviet union collapsed and the situation in afghanistan was deteriorating because of the stronger islamist groups in the country. now this is why the local ministers of defense and leaders praised survey shows whose role in sorting up the current

situation. one of the proposals that came from the russian ministers of defense was to intensify the drills between russia and its allies here. and the 1st part of these drills called peace mission will happen in september. and china is also going to take part in those more details on that story available for you right now. if you clicks away at r t dot com for the meantime, of your program returns at the top of the hour. i use the the join me every thursday on the alex simon show, and i'll be speaking to guess in the world, the politics sport. business. i'm show business, i'll see you then,

me the with with the hello and welcome to cross talk where all things are considered. i'm peter lavelle . much of history is about patterns that are ebbs and flows of political passions. most of the time these passions are negotiated through compromise. other times there is people violence and even separation. the idea of succession today is not far fetched. we are witnessing a cultural possession and separation could go even further. the, the.