ah, ah, a police and baton de deployed against anti lockdown protesters in amsterdam. the city's mayor gave the order to break up the 1000 strong. a legal rallied with covert cases on the rights. we look at how big pharma cashed in big time all throughout 2021 or so 800 people were slain in chicago last year. the highest number for a quarter century. we look at this and other crucial issues the us had to cope with in the past year. also 19 years. 10 months said $25.00 days on. this is america's legacy here on the program. but back is one of the defining moments of last year that hopefully us withdrawal from afghanistan, for example,

which did ultimately bring the country to the brink of collapse with lots of hot topics for you on today's program will also highlight some of the biggest stories of 2021. it's our to international. welcome to the program, by the way or covert cases are on the rise across europe with infections breaking all time records a france last week. it reported more than a 200000 new cases, 4 days in a row. meanwhile, governments are again imposing harsh restrictions, especially on those who are not vaccinated. not continue to spark a lot of anger in amsterdam, for example, people hit the streets to protest against the lock down that they clashed with police, who responded with dogs and battles. ah

ah ah thousands of people, as you saw their rallying in the dutch capital on sunday, defying upon amidst the corona virus lockdown measures that have been in place in the netherlands for the last few weeks. now the right places you saw there with their battens and their shields were trying to break up, the crowds who had gathered in amsterdam to show their continued anger against the restrictions that are in place and also against vaccines that the local government, which had allured this particular gathering had also issued an emergency ordinance which gave the police the right to head into the central museum square. and to clear those protest is from that. but to despite that protest is turned out

regardless. now the netherlands has been doing this extended lock down our since december 19th. and as a result of that, restaurants a shot and all known a central shops are also shut. and that's going to take place and continue going on until at least the middle of the month of january, public gatherings. as part of these restrictions means that no more than 2 individuals can gather at the same time together. so this protest was clearly outside of the, the block. it's absolutely against those cart measures. but despite that, we saw this chaotic scenes in amsterdam as the police and those protest as were clashing something we have seen elsewhere to know across europe. there is, is concerned that yes, we're heading into 2022. it's yes. many people who only think this is the time for fresh opportunities of fresh chance. but there are many people who really fear that the fresh restrictions that are coming in to force mean this will be essentially

another groundhog here. as the authorities continue to try and grapple with the virus. just to give you an example here in france, there are new restrictions coming in to force. it includes a ban on eating and drinking on long distance trains and also a requirement now for children as young as 6 to where a mosque was about proper. it was very sad that we have to resort to such measures . to protect the population adults should be vaccinated. now children, this is a very good solution. this will protect both children and adults that at risk report, if this measure protects us or especially children, why not those who remain unvaccinated? there is some really bad news. the national assembly is going to continue debating this week a new law that would essentially at curb the liberties of those who remain and vaccinated further antigen or p c r. u will not be allowed into bars, restaurants,

et cetera. and you can imagine that that is going to cause a lot of consternation here in france, where around 10 percent of the population remains unvaccinated. there is anger here to resort with the new year's eve where they should have been celebrations. they were bound on fireworks on the shells, alisa, and calls the muted festivities. but in, despite that they were crowds, the fewest on to the shoals, elisa, causing problems for the police there. and across the country, we saw a much lamented new year's tradition making a big comeback. this is the burning and torching of cars. almost $900.00 vehicles were burned on new year's eve is part of that. now there was also, i'm good that's been felt in germany. to with violent riots in some cities, including in one where they were clashes between the police and protest. is there something we seem to be seen quite a lot of in europe at the moment?

the protest is setting up barricades, but then even set, lose a light. now all of this comes a mixed. another milestone. the pandemic shows that there has been a 100000000 cases of covert a positive cases that have been quoted across the european region. however, did give you some light to this. this does come at a time when studies suggesting that only chrome is less likely to damage to lungs than previous variance. such is the delta variant or even the l for b to variance. and that it also provokes a less severe type disease. so good news, but at the same time with restrictions in place and the continued fee that we are seeing from authorities, many people will be questioning if this ongoing tightening of restrictions is in fact the right path to tried. and in germany,

people protested that governments compound by vandalizing officers of to m p 's using well fireworks. one of them belong to the countries health minister and no one was hurt and it's a tiny bit of damage that the property, the authority said an investigation has been launched. well meanwhile, across the atlantic, or the number of covert cases has served in america, the weekly average now surpassing 360000. throughout all of this, the world health organization has stretched the only way forward is through mass back selection. while americans have been suffering, one sector remains in rude health that have big pharma is or portly been raking in over $90000000.00 every single day. here's our correspondence, saskia. china, 2021 beer we discover does really no cure for greed. just off, big pharma, pfizer is forecasting $15000000000.00 in revenue from its covert vaccine this year, and it is our 1st profitable quarter hitting that $1900000000.00 mark

a majority of which is their cobra. 1900 vaccine of course, $1000.00 every 2nd, pfizer by on tech and modo now made $1000.00 every 2nd. but it turns out that drug companies like to pop to pills at once, money and power, and were better to wield one's power than in washington dc. introducing congress says biggest lobbyist, big pharma, which last year dropped a cool $266000000.00 to sway america. lawmakers though, given how the holy trinity of fire, madonna biotech was averaging over 900000000 a day last yet. it's really just loose change less than 3 days. walk in fact for the rest of us. so it's an awful lot. you know what? there's also an awful lot of in the u. s. capital big pharma lope. yes. then brought so many, but they are number congressmen, 3 to one. so what does all that cash exposure get them? well, pretty much anything that they want. this is

a very powerful industry with significant lobbying clout, is very good at knowing exactly how many votes they need to kill pieces of legislation and figuring out a way to get those votes. it's funny though, because you'd think that with a democrat run house and senate pharmaceutical johns would've had a tough year after all thing years, the party's been promising to fight the greed. first, we'll take on the drug and insurance companies and hold them accountable for the prices they charge and the harm they cause it's. it's called valiant pharmaceuticals. i'm going after them. we're gonna stop this. this is predatory pricing, and then we'll tell the pharmaceutical companies thanks, but no thanks for overpriced drugs pay the highest prescription drug prices of any developed nation in the world. enough is enough. the greed of the pharmaceutical industry is killing americans and making many of them much sicker than they otherwise would have been. it has got to stop. so we need congress to finish the

job, to come together and make a difference in people's lives. turns out though, making money is so much more fun than making a difference in people's lives. in fact, 60 percent of big farmers, you know, be money goes to democrats. so when in april upon was proposed to knock down truck prices, surprise it got voted down one of the people against it, new jersey, senator bald mendez. you know how much menendez is pocketed from the drug, sloppy this year? $80000.00. then along came the build back bat act, which among other things wanted to make medication actually affordable a ridiculous idea. so what did big pharma do? it splash some serious cash to block the bell? big farmer will spend, do, and say whatever it takes to defeat any legislation that it will curb its unilateral power to dictate prices of prescription drugs. apparently the big pharma rules that leave almost one in for americans unable to afford that regular

medication is necessary. because while reef touch, we have an obligation to ensure that the sale of our medicines provide us with the resources necessary to invest in future research and development. and while the lobby of $1000000.00 ad failed billboard bachelor's bond rocks anyway. so fingers crossed, we know what came as a real shock. other than politicians, putting money for people and pharmaceutical joints. not caring about public health . the fact the big pharma plays dottie, 1st drug companies have raised prices with abandon, especially when they succeed in delaying or blocking competition. in some cases, tied to higher pay for executives. second, companies have manipulated the patent system and marketing exclusive. it's use to extend the monopolies. 3rd, all the companies, the commission investigated, have employed anti competitive strategies to suppress generic competition. really does no one i'd rather have in control of like saving medication. oh,

so it wouldn't be mad at the pont anacostia just a little while longer. they got on a path it and they want to keep this path there. and these other therapeutics aren't really going to make them a lot of money. politicians and big pharma, hard at walk in dc, saving lives, serving the people, and showing each and every day that there's no drug, more addictive than money, power and everything in between. i dropped it off with the program here when i was he plenty more still to come, including as chicago faces it's worst homicide rate. in 25 years. we looked at some of the other problems america had had to face. now in that past year 2021 was not an easy one. more on this after the break.

ah join me every thursday on the alex salmon? sure. i'll be speaking to guess in the world of politics, sport, business, i'm sure business. i'll see you then.

ah, what about the are here on the russian capital? so wasn't just cobra that was giving america a bit of a headache and 2021. the migrant crisis, long at southern border and record homicide rates in certain major cities mean. for example, chicago in 2021. chicago was his deadliest year and 25 years coming as it did him at the whole do fun. the police movement taken us through some of last year in new york. caleb martin, 2021 is going to be a hard year to forget. americans have been through a lot in the last 12 months. the year began with a tough challenge for green energy, low temperature is hit. the united states by surprise,

texas was the worst here because 25 percent of its electricity comes from wind turbines. they stopped spinning and froze. the texas governor blamed joe biden and his new environmental regulation for the disaster that ensued. texas is going to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack launched from washington d. c. president obama, post wind turbines pretty hard and despite last winter is disaster. biden is still giving them a big role. a key plank of our build back better recovery plan is building a modern, resilient climate infrastructure and clean energy future that will create millions of good pain, union jobs. all that can go friendly. energy was not prepared for some cold weather . energy providers could not manage utility bills were through the roof. i'm pretty much paid $9.00, a kilowatt, like tricity, but i was very conservative with my electricity,

so i have no idea exactly why this bill is so much. steadily going up. i absolutely cannot afford it. i'm not exactly sure, you know, who can it's gotten to the point where some people have totally turned off their power because they can't afford methods enough. they, they just can't afford it. it's a basic necessity for living. basic utilities should not call a spouse. and then there was coven, the total death toll in america rose to about $800000.00. jo biden's coven mandate, requiring people to get the job in order to keep their jobs resulted in employee shortages protests and even rioting. many different reasons were cited my people for opposing it. oh lord ah, i important public services like

firefighters, police and even airlines were a hard hit, despite government attempts to convince people that vaccination against co, that is vital. a lot of people fear. and i think rightly so, they could end up on the street with no paycheck in the united states. we're already under a very ste. i would call a severe shortage of qualified individuals to be mechanics, to be find a tennis to be pilots, specifically, half of the industry could potentially be gone to lunch. is coven, it's killing people. st. crime is getting worse. many cities had the highest crime rates they've ever had since the ninety's with

last year the rallying cry was defined the police, but many are starting to back track on that, saying they don't feel safe and they need protection diesel in the police just as a regular rule has been a colossal failure and he, placing tried to implement de from the police crime has gone up. what has been new york chicago in minneapolis in the late it's, it's been a colossal failure because what stops crime? what brings crime down, especially violent crime or more police on the street? you have to have police on the street in order for your street be safe. now things have also been heating up on the border. 1000000 migrant had been arrested illegally crossing the border. that's the highest rate in 20 years. now many thought that joe biden's election on promises softer immigration policies was a signal that opened up the floodgates. but in reality, biden did not end up changing many of trumps immigration policies. asylum seekers

still have to wait in mexico and the detention facilities along the us. mexico border are still just as ugly. how many children have been in the biden cages and calendar year 20? $21.00. senator. i respectfully disagree with your use of the term cages. by the way, here's a photograph of the biden cages that the senator that is precisely why i articulated children on floors crashed in upon each other. when i took this photograph, the covert rate of covert positivity was over 10 percent. all of this while prices are rising, inflation is the name of the game. the usa is facing the highest rate of inflation in 40 years with more than half of americans saying that they think the biden administration is only making things worse. it's been a terrible year for inflation. it's up around 8 percent or higher. this is the levels that we haven't seen since back in the jimmy carter years in the seventy's

when the government just prints money out of thin air and spends it on things and gives it to people. it causes the value of your money to go down. that's what's happening in america. the government is printing money, spending more than it brings in, and actually the proposals to deal with it mostly are going to make things worse. the u. s. a leaving afghanistan after 20 years, a military presence forced washington to answer some questions about whether hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars were basically left to waste. not forgetting the countless lives lost on both the american and afghan side. i the in

the the extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravely and selfless courage of united states, military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals. it was designed to save american lives. this left the majority of americans blaming joe biden, for the afghan, pull out with politicians from all across the political spectrum, joining the chorus, the most illegal migrant crossings in 20 years. the highest crime rates in 30 years, and a 40 year high and inflation, as well as the end of a 2 decade military operation. after a year of dad records, many americans are hoping that 2022 will bring respite kayla bobbin are to new york

. ah, so i've got the song remains on the brink of humanitarian disaster, millions of facing starvation, as the winter temperatures planted. and the country's economy meantime is on his knees. it is shrunk by nearly half in recent months, and last summer's hasty exit. so tragic scenes unfold, ah, thousands of accounts try to flee the country during and after the us evacuation eletta, chaotic scenes, cobbles, airport, as well as panic across the capital and their income all the time of all of this happening, our senior correspondent. but i'd guess be in 2001. it began with with righteousness and pomp, invade of dentist on to fight for freedom to fight terrorism and make the world

a better place. 19 years, 10 months and $25.00 days on this is america's legacy. destroyed and sabotaged equipment. a country bought a ruin and still in control of the talbot. that is the ultimate tragedy of the afghan war at was entirely and violently pointless. years and years of an obliging little questioning media. fooled billions into believing that there was progress that america could win to her victory or the taliban to taliban flat, the end of the taliban. talent and leadership on the run. and now the question is, how do you handle that success? ah, with it wasn't supposed to be this way. the taliban wasn't supposed to sweep the country

. in mere weeks. the pentagon spent a decade preparing to leave of gaston, and even they weren't ready for this. together with our eyes, we will complete our mission bear. by the end of this year, i announced a timeline for drawing down our forces. we are working to finally and america's longest war is timed and for evermore. eric, his proudest movement of the afghan war wasn't supposed to be a humiliating evacuation under the guns of the taliban. but it was there is absolutely nothing else to celebrate. the united states ended 20 years of war in afghanistan, the longest war and american history. we completed one of the biggest airless in history with more than 120000 people evacuated to safety. no nation, no nation has ever done anything like it in all history. the only the united states

had the capacity in the will in billing to do it. and we did it today. where was the afghan army, where it was the west and backed government? where did all the money go? the united states sunk more than a $100000000000.00 into rebuilding of data stock for reference adjusted for inflation. that is more than the united states spent on the marshal plot to rebuild europe after world war 2. and the tragedy of it is that for a civilian the side from all the american weapons and the taliban fads berries almost no evidence that any of that money ever passed through here from broken roads that lead to nowhere to abandoned hospitals from twisted contractors and corrupt leaders, afghanistan can arguably be called the largest money laundering operation in human history. the united states is also committed to playing

a leading role and the reconstruction of afghanistan, ah ah ah, italian now has more black hawk helicopters than 85 percent of the countries in the world. ah, china and isis k still exist in our growing in afghanistan, and eventually they acquire these with ah,

we have americans stuck in afghanistan. oh, tell van in charge to smoke more weaponry. they've ever had mass border that is of the taliban now controls more of the country than it did before. the u. s. invaded at new government this field with what dynamo, bay inmates, and terrorist mac dean who even have american bounties on their heads. what washington achieved was the absolute opposite of what it intended. the bombing at campbell airport during the evacuation epitomized the afghan war, a senseless act, devoid of reason, which needless, he cut short so many lives. we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down to make you pay.

we've heard the same promise before 20 years ago when america was united, and when it thought that it could change the world when it thought it was invincible. and when the people believed a president's promise more, i guess the of o t cobble of got to start. yeah. looking back to some of the bigger stories there of 2021, wrapping up the program for this out of their life for moscow on asi, international thanks for sharing with the time with us here of the russian capital . we are back soon with more of your worldwide hadn't, with as we continue looking at here and review in the year ahead. bringing in the all star guests from all over the world. we've got a great one today, stacy,

it's charles hugh smith of 2 minds that con ah, did i mention or tanzania watching, going underground the team and i will be back for brand new season on wednesday, the 12th of january. but until then, we'll be showing you some of your favorite shows from this season than interview with the usa, former un ambassador president donald trump's national security advisor, john bolton. he joins me now from washington, dc,

at his memoir about his time in the white us, the room where it happened is out now. master, thanks so much for coming on her. if it cottage news coming from a conduce in kandahar, you're actually the 2nd national security advisor of donald trump to be on going underground. you say in your book the room where it happened, the afghanistan deal that's trumps one time will prove who is right. and the full extent to the deal may not become apparent until after trump leaves office. what is your assessment as a former national security adviser of the by the administration, the foreign policy, especially on afghanistan? well, i think this is one of those few instances where bind and trump agree on on policy both wanted to get out of afghanistan at both the ignored the consequences. i think many people saw it were foreseeable at what biden did was take trumps deal out, which was flawed in many, many respects and essentially adopted it as.