ah, ah ah, it's breaking news at this hour here when off international natural gas prices in europe, leap to a record high, sending household bills, skyrocketing and piling, pressure on government to green light and you, russian pipeline. facebook denies are whistleblowers claim that its spreading hate and weakening democracy while us senators cool for tougher controls on big tech. it is the latest sign of the tide, toning on social media giants a decade off, if they were hailed for helping to bring about the arab spring. also in the program, us republicans cried double standards as a marine is court martialed, but slamming the by the administration handling of the afghan pull out 2 years off

to another officer was great standing up for the trumpet administration. and finally, in the program of france is threatening to cut power supplies to the u. k. it's admitted post wretched route, over fishing, running ah, all right, just after 1 pm on wednesday, here in the russian capital, this is our t international. some big stories for you today. let's get straight into them and we do begin the program with breaking news for you. this hour of natural gas price in europe has surged to an all time record. it's now several times higher than it was in the spring. and it took me, put the continent on course for a major energy crisis ahead of the winter heating season, straight to berlin. now with all he's peter, all of a joining us here on the program. peter, so just before christmas and the new year,

europeans have been squeezed by brutal gas prices. i mean, is there a straight on so or explanation to this, or is it just politicians and big business playing shenanigans? well, what it is is huge rises on the commodity markets in that's where we've seen these colossal increases in the cost of a natural gas rising to levels that have not been seen previously. and certainly not as in the, in this the scale of the type of rise that we've seen. in fact, the european commission is talking about at a 25 year, a high demand for gas at the moment. and it's being discussed at the highest levels of, of just how loud these alarm bells should be ringing. and we heard from cadre simmons, who's the, the e, the, a u commissioner for energy. she said that, well, as far as they're concerned, they expect these prices to continue to rise throughout the winter just how much they do right by. well,

that could be dependent on something as fickle as the weather just how bad this winter is. could depend on how high prices get and what we have seen is a joint statement come out from the air from e, u. member states, france, greece, and check republic and m, spain as well as romania, their finance ministers. putting out a statement essentially saying that there needs to be a complete overhaul of the way you member states purchase their gas. they're talking about as the e u as a block purchasing gas together using and they're combined purchasing power in order to do that. that isn't going to solve things in the short term though. what that is is a potentially very complicated long term, as they said, total overhaul of the way energy is purchased in europe. in the short term, these high rise is on the commodity markets. they're not so much trickling down to consumers as they are falling on consumers from a great. hi, anita frost desantos. this is the 2nd increase this year,

and this one is worse than the last one. we have a gas boiler and our heat in the will go up from january. the 1st. i've heard it could rise by $150.00 to full 100 percent. i feel angry about this, especially we're told, is just the beginning. and bills could shoot even high in spring. people who already struggling are going to suffer the most for an average pensioner. it's going to be very significant calling from the wrong law. or the european union is also said that it will be investigating claims that russia is behind the manipulation of these markets, holding back supplies to drive up costs. the russian government have denied that absolutely saying that russian gas suppliers are living up to the very letter of all of the contracts that have been signed and delivering what they're supposed to deliver. there is potential for more gas coming from russia to europe. there is of course, the north stream to gas pipeline, that construction was finished on just

a summer. it still is an operational yet because there is the to vacation. it's used to be carried out with processes that are currently undergoing. in fact, the danish energy agency approved part of the project just this week there is more and there are big upon more hoops for the the project to jump through though before it would be able to be operational. when it is operational, it could provide 55000000 cubic meters of russian gas to europe. that's enough to power 27000000 euro p in homes. and as we're hearing there is certainly the demand for that gas right now. oh i peter. thank you. so facebook is in damage control mode over claims of spreading hate and division. an employee turned whistleblower has testified before the u. s. senate after leaking a trove of company documents and then a rather lengthy response on his page c. e o. mazacco bug denied. prioritizing money over the platforms uses we care deeply about issues like safety,

well being and mental health. it's difficult to see covers that miss represents our work and our motives. i don't know any tech company that sets out to build products that make people angry or depressed. the moral business and product incentives all point in the opposite direction. facebook exported teens. do you think that teams are profitable for their company? i would assume so those dangerous algorithms that they admit are picking up good that they stream sentence that vision their product. it is often destructive facebook's products harm children, stoked to vision, and we can our democracy. the damage to self interest and self worth of inflicted by facebook to day will haunt a generation. it is pulling families apart. and in places like ethiopia is literally fanning ethnic violence. well, it's a very different picture from

a decade ago when platforms like facebook and twitter were being lauded by liberal commentators for helping to bring democracy to them. at least that was during the arab spring social media play a role. social media is much broader than sending a $144.00 characters or twitter, or updating your status post on facebook. those are use your giving facebook a lot of credit for this or yeah, for sure. i want to be like, look at that one day and thank him. actually indeed, social media did have some very pronounced impacts on the arab spring. earlier, my colleague neal harvey discussed the shifting opinions on facebook without a contributor nico house. it does seem a little bit peculiar that in 2011 with countries like tenicia libby, an egypt facebook was not only celebrated for put like for helping spread the news about the protest. but the algorithm seemed to be for perpetuating the protests and propelling them for that millions of people are able to react and noticed what was going on. now, interestingly enough,

about 3 of those countries to protest there actually benefited united states interests. so what it seems like is on the like, now that the script has been flipped 10 years later. censorship actually benefits the united states. so i guess you could say it's pro democracy, i guess if you want to call facebook, you know, a democratic institution, i guess you could call it that because the government seems to be on the side of censorship. facebook as readily pushes the ship, isn't it very different based these days? so what it was years ago does less freedom of conversation, freedom of exchange, freedom of discourse. ah, there seems to be no consistent application of rules or principles or guidelines on any of these platforms. and i would say that at least on the surface now, it looks like the government, at least their opinions have much more influence. i mean, just a couple of weeks ago, just the sac. he was actually saying that it was time to come down harder on facebook and regulate them more fast for this whistleblower who's actually represented by a firm that the sac he actually worked for. r as

a senior adviser. not even, not even a year ago is now sitting in front of the senate. after going on 60 minutes, i'm getting a lot of air time. so i would say at the bare minimum, what it looks like is there is a lot of coordination going on behind the scenes in one way or another that everybody seems to be involved in, except for the people who are most afflicted by which i would say is the average working class individual and maybe potentially activists organizes and protesters a do you think you ask of an festival? has it, has it the powers at its disposal to, to limit to rain in facebook? i think the thing that they need to do the rain facebook in is to hold them to the standards of a publisher. ah. whereas enabling escaping a lot of accountability for the for the how they selectively apply their rules. i like their editorial list, but date, but the federal government hadn't done anything about it. now on the other side of that fence, they do have the capability, the force in the sensor more to. but it does seem like they've had to. they fit

every time. one of these is, this is happen. facebook seems to sensor more on their own. so even though they have the power, they have an exercise it. and they've been able to get face with the kind of do what they want more and more without ever having to hold them accountable. and in legal matter. less route to choose their hearing. us senators, cold for tougher controls on facebook and other social media. johns too. there are plenty of questions about how the government might use or how the government might abuse that control center with aussie host, been sworn has more on the congressional hearing. what they're essentially saying is government needs to get involved and government needs to decide what content is allowed and not allowed on social media in order to make it the word they like to use. safe problem is, is that there are so many tens of millions of americans who do not believe that government is trying to keep them safe, but is instead trying to manipulate them and put political messages on to them. should social media b, a public square where people are allowed to get up and speak and into voice their

opinions and their worldviews and where rigorous debate can take place as you would have in the public square or his social media supposed to be contrived and controlled to the point where a few government entities and bureaucrats decide what is acceptable thought and acceptable belief. and i think that's the real core problem here. when government bureaucracy decides what is dangerous and what is not in the public interest, it breeds all kinds of corruption. and it reads a situation where the average person doesn't have a right to speak or to think in any kind of public spirit. i think that's hugely problematic. you, as republicans, are accusing the military of double standards over a marine facing a court martial for criticizing the biden administration, pulled out from afghanistan. it is in stark contrast to another officer who was hailed as a hero for standing up to the trump administration. and taking a closer look at both of those cases, auntie correspondent in new york. caleb martin. $2000000.00 from over

$27000.00 different donors. that's how strongly people are feeling. the case of lieutenant colonel sheller. these facing potential criminal charges over criticizing commanders over the withdrawal from afghanistan. now, his hearing has been delayed until next week, but his family is not very optimistic or we have been told to prepare that it could be a long prison term. sheller was an active duty u. s. marine, who's frustration over the bungled retreat from cobble lead to making videos, bashing biden. and the pentagon brass that quickly went viral. people are upset because their senior leaders let them down and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability are saying we messed this up. i'm not saying we've got to be in the in afghanistan forever, but i am saying, did any of you throw your rank on the table to say, hey, it's a bad idea to evacuate bob graham airfield strategic air berries before we evacuate everyone,

i am submitting charges against general mckenzie for his bad assumptions. not because i'm been did, but because the senior leaders need to be held accountable to the same standard as us. he's now accused of breaking for laws, though there are not formal charges yet. now sheller is not the 1st military man to raise a voice about issues. lieutenant colonel alexander vin daemon was on active duty when he 1st spoke up against the pentagon. brass, he testified at trumps impeachment proceedings as a pentagon whistleblower, he claim the donald trump had made a quid pro quo with the president of ukraine. he was anointed by mainstream media and the democrats as a st. this guy's a hero. this guy is the patriot. one of these 2 men, the president and lieutenant colonel whitman devoted his life to duty and honor. right matters what an extraordinary statement from an immigrant who served this country proudly his entire life. now the answers from the white house quickly

turned to evasive when they faced some tough questions about parallels prison vancover tenant colonel alexander vin minute hero. for speaking out against his commander, she even has to try to capitol hill in uniform. so how is this different, especially since you just said the president welcomes the candor? and the advice of his military advisors, does the president also see with sheller hero? i don't have all the details on these circumstances. i understand that can be frustrating to you. um, but we will work to get you an answer on it. republicans are speaking up saying that they see a double standard if you speak out against the democratic president who get thrown in the brig. but if you're doing something against a republican president, your lot, the hero, this is double standard. lieutenant colonel vinland was celebrated by media while of tenant girls sheller is in prison for demanding accountability on the disastrous withdrawal. both challenged leadership, one was treated as

a hero and the other punished. i remember when military leadership wasn't an oxymoron, it's no wonder they can see the obvious coming any more. the best bureau cuts on the absolute worst wolf. i says, of the ones that get promoted and make the decisions. military leaders who criticize donald trump got talk, show appearances and book deals treated almost like heroes. while one who just criticized biden is facing a hearing and a potentially long term spell behind bars. the dental season that we see be an exercise here today. it's a very dangerous precedent. that's concord gets the dull standard by democrats, 1st of all it, but also manifested tremendously by the mass media there tends to be predominantly left leaning in. yeah, very much in the pocket. oh, the democrat card or anything that was an antique trump was hailed. and so it's not

surprising that anything republican, as the chase has been him and was, was treated with kid gloves now. and this consequence, or he gets off scott free, having no leak classified information. the political landscape has certainly evolved from what it was a year ago. democrats are no longer celebrating those with the courage to speak up against those in power. being a hero isn't so much about what you do, but who you do it against. caleb mauppin, r t new york. france is threatening to cut cross channel electricity supply to the u. k. it's a over a post bricks. it fishing dispute ortiz. it shall do once he reports from paris when a fight that threatens to offend a series of crucial agreements between those 2 neighbors. france could be about to slam the brakes on the relationship with the u. k. as this right over fishing

rights is pretty much imploding. last week, the u. k. refused the majority of licenses that came from french, smaller fishing vessels to fish in it's would it only approved 12 out of $47.00. and as a result of that, iris is furious. it's now saying the bilateral agreements that cover everything from security, border control to trade in energy on now and the threat because paris says that london simply cannot keep its commitments under the brakes. it deal. bruton does not respect it some signature month after month. the u. k presents new conditions and delays given definite if licenses this cannot be tolerated. we know the u. k is facing this unprecedented energy crisis, just like pretty much all of the countries across continental europe. and it could be a back to get even worse because francis said that it could in the next few days decide to turn off electricity supplies to the u. k. well,

how significant is that pretty darn significant. according to you, k governments own papers in july of this year, france supplies almost half of the energy for electricity for the u. k. to this really could see the lights being turned out. while you mean it both view k depends on our energy exports, they think they can live alone while also beating up on your own. and given that it doesn't work, they engage an aggressive one. upmanship. we negotiate a commie nicely, you know, 9 months in our dots are not littleton and add to this pretty much perfect storm, a threats that are coming directly from the french fishermen themselves. now we know that boss johnson has already wound the u. k. to put the supply issues in the lead up to christmas, that with energy, that's with petro, that's also with products in stores. and now french fishermen the same. you know, what, if you do not a move or fishing licenses, we are going to block the ports. we'll make sure that there'll be no imports and no

exports between europe and the u. k, which really could add to, boris johnson was and those are threats that the u. k. should also take pretty seriously, given that we know that the french one, they like to protest and 2, that have already been tense stand offs in the last year over this issue over fishing licenses. now the u. k, for its part says look, we've done nothing wrong. in fact, we're keeping to our commitments and we're keeping the agreement over fishing licenses. we have granted 98 percent of the license applications from the u boats to fish in our waters. so we do not accept the we are not abided by traded cooperation agreement. we have been extremely generous and the french folks in, in, on a small category of boats and claim. and we have behaved, unreasonably, i think is not really a fair reflection of the efforts we have made. france as well as pulling out the big guns with those threats over energy. and bilateral trades has also asked for the european commission to take a much tougher stance when it comes to the u. k. over this and other issues. the u

commission though, isn't sort of really wanting to get into the murky waters over at this particular spot. it's saying what it's going to do is to ask the u. k. can explain its methodology and it will sort of go from that or limp from that. the reality is though, in this pros, bags it will as the issue surrounding that are beginning to bite. there is a real threat coming from france at the moment, and it does seem as if boris johnson has a really tough decisions to make. he is essentially caught between the devil and the deeply se i just moving into the 2nd half of the program here, one or 2 years is now 20 minutes past the hour. here at moscow still become a dis, bought american lawyer gets a prison sentenced for criminal contempt. it's years after winning a case for ecuador and villagers against the oil giant chevron will lift the lid on that and a few other of your top stories for this wednesday live from moscow way back in

a one minute. ah. oh is your media a reflection of reality in the world transformed what will make you feel safer? isolation, whole community? are you going the right way? where are you being led to somewhere? which direction? what is true? what is great? in the world corrupted, you need to descend a join us in the depths or remain in the

shallows. join me every thursday on the alex silent. sure. but i'll be speaking to guess when the world of politics, sport, business, i'm show business. i'll see you then. oh you went ahead lined 0 nazi welcome to the 2nd block of this program, american human rights activist and former lawyer steven dons ago has been sentenced to 6 months in prison on charges of criminal contempt. it's after he waged a decades long crusade on behalf of ecuador and farmers and indigenous people against chevron. earlier, he even $1.00 and $9500000000.00 judgment against the oil joined and equitable of a pollution in the countries rain forest. the reason i marked up is because we were successful. okay. i,

along with other lawyers helped indigenous peoples america or when a historic 9500000000 dollar pollution george, when a good chevron for the deliberate dumping of billions or goals or cancer causing waste into the amazon. don't think i was charged in 2019 placed under house arrest . uneven dis bod. last year he previously represented the villagers in ecuador, amazon region, who acute chevron of knowingly dumping toxic waste into lakes and rivers between 19641992. aside from the environmental devastation, the pollution is believed to of course serious health problems among the locals, including cancer. as for schafer on it refused to pay their multi $1000000000.00 fine claiming misconduct by don's ago and the ecuadorian judiciary. a u. s. court blocked enforcement of the fine in 2014, saying the 2011 ruling in ecuador was one through bribery. danziger has plenty of outspoken supporters, including his friend, pink floyd, co founder roger waters. he thinks the lake is rolling against the lawyer, sets

a very worrying president. the questioned arises for his soul is, what is the law for? and is it available to all of us, all members of society, irrespective of the depths of our pockets or up or our connections politically, he spent 7791 days now under house arrest. and it's way too much punishment because all he did was deny judge louis a kaplan access to his computer and his cell phone to give those 2 pieces of equipment to chevron corporation, who are the people who we are fighting this battle against. on behalf of his clients, it would completely contravene all the rules of client privilege. if he had done that. the initial pollution case was, was brought against are texaco petroleum or tex pet,

which chevron bought in 2001. chevron has denied any wrong doing, saying, tax pet did it share of the clean up or remediation. and the rest was the responsibility of state oil farm, petro ecuador, the government that could go over, saw, and certified the successful completion of tax, pets, remediation, and fully released tax pets from further environmental liability. petro ecuador, however, failed to conduct the clean up. it promised and has continued to operate and expand all operations in the former concession over the past 20 years. but mr. danziger support is not entirely persuaded. a roger waters again things the oil giant should still be held to account. stephen and i have become friends through all of this. i met him back then and and immediately it smells fishy. the whole things melt wrong to me and it israel and it is wrong and it will be go on. it'll go on being

wrong and tell chevron pay those $30000.00 ecuadorian people there. it's now about $12000000.00 with interest with interest and damages. it's gone up to about $12000000.00 that eroded reparation and they needed a die. you know, paul passed the nino who represents the amazon watch said that he said, what was the quote. he said this is like very very slow motion. mass murder is what chevron oak or are guilty of and it is the u. k. home secretary has announced an inquiry into systematic failures within the police force that led to a woman being murdered back in march. recent tragic events have exposed unimaginable fate. he is in placing. there will be an inquiry to give the independent out of us . i needed to ensure that something like this can never happen again. pretty patel

was referring to the case of sarah everett who was kidnapped in south london 7 months ago and murdered by a policeman. a remains were discovered in a woodland outside the city in june, constable when cousins pleaded guilty to raping and killing of rod and was sentenced to life in prison. and we spoke with a former superintendent for london's metropolitan police. she thinks senior officers should have easily picked up on the alarm bells long before this crime happened. if you look at wine cousins, he was labeled, his nickname was the re paste. he took prostitutes to a wedding of her colleague and a prostitute actually came to his work place to collect some money. how is it that none of that was reported? how is it that supervisors didn't know? so there's an environment where people are allowed to perpetuate is behavior. and that is the problem. you could increase more women, but you have to deal with the culture. and the culture is very talk, say, earlier

a prob, revealed that 27 officers in london, metropolitan police force have committed sex crimes since 2016. the offences include rape and the possession of indecent images of children are 2 officers were jailed in april a month off the cousins crime, and called a mounting for deep changes in the way the force operates. the last 5 years. so its hunters allegations of domestic abuse against offices and 52 percent found guilt of sexual misconduct cab their jobs. this isn't one bad apple. when it justice, accountability and culture change. this is not just, you know, that term, which i absolutely hate one bad apple. this it the whole barrel. if not the trees rotten it's been going on for too long enough is enough. and the commissioner really has had 5 years in office. it under her watch, the organization has been labeled, institutionally corrupt,

because it daniel morgan case institutionally fixes misogynist and he already had the label of institutional racism. so the commission and now needs to move over. she's not the right person. we need somebody who can re focus and bring new energy to leading the metropolitan police service in the reforms that it needs. but i just wrap wraps up our this ours program of your latest news stories live from moscow for this wednesday. now it's wednesday afternoon, half past 1 now in the afternoon. so my colleague, you know, the meal is here and half an hour's time with more of your stories. i do hope you can join him the top of the movie when else. so thing wrong when i just don't know any rules yet to see how does the because the advocate

and engagement equals the trail. when so many find themselves worlds apart, we choose to look for common ground. i'm in the see. on the internet, the allows old boons problems and much was going to invite everybody's lloyd. that wasn't the glitch. that was the feature that the people who designing themes and that is only by the way of life of reindeer herders leading a traditionally nomadic lifestyle. and the tundra is similar to a parallel reality which sharply contrast with the usual realities of megacity. while the men drive the herds, women carry the weight of the household.