a slim with a high leveled prisoner swab russian businessman. victor boots, returns home for more than a decade in us custody. in exchange for american basketball player. brittany greiner, the u. s. government devised a plot, if you will, to create a crime of this retired russian citizen mister brutes, lawyer gives us his exclusive insight on the case saying the main challenge to freedom was overcoming, unjust western narrative about his client also added the program. this, our serbia considers sending up to

a 1000 troops into kosovo after hundreds of police officers in the breakaway region, attempt to take control over it, serve majority district, a run the clock across the world. this is our t pleasure to have your company for the news hour. i'm you know, neil can we begin with news of a high level prisoner swap between moscow and washington russian business men. victor boots in u. s. custody for a decade house to return to his homeland. he shared some of his thoughts after landing at an airport in the capital. earlier. i was awoken in the middle of the night and told to get ready. no additional information was provided. the most important thing is that i got their the cabbage was sentenced by us authorities back in 2012 to a quarter of a century in prison on allegations of arming terrorists confers thing to kill.

american citizens, though he denies, has always denied all those accusations moscow, indeed face this case was politically motivated. mister bruce will exchange for american basketball player brittany griner. he had been convicted of drug offenses in russia. the swap was conducted in the united arab emirates. after months of negotiations, the release mom's family was elated. the news of his return. not just the city, of course, we always had at home for her was returned home all these years, especially in the last 6 months when information began to surface that he's relieved was possible when maria boots and he called me and said hanging there, i realized in hard bait that the exchange has been carried out. i immediately got the shakes. my heart was beaten so fast was no new ski. we're very grateful to the president. and as a mother, i sincerely sank, our foreign ministry led by sag a lover of that diplomat. sir employee visited him no matter what. even during

a bazaar in new york, they make sure people do not lose hope to know that their motherland does not forget them. a long wait for her looking at the other participant in this swap, brittany greiner had been detained by moscow or a port customs officers back in february after a police dog fun cannabis oil vapor cartridges in her luggage. in july, she pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges this by saying it was an honest mistake. brenda was sentenced to 9 years. she filed an appeal which was rejected by a russian court. victor boots lawyer, steve bizarre, spoke to r t. now about the case, the long, difficult battle 1st lines release let's say it was quite a journey abbey to be here and just thrilled, director is back home with all of their dollar and the rest of their family and back in the, in russia 15 years ago. the u. s. government devised a plot,

if you will, to create a crime of this retired russian citizen living in moscow. committing no crime against anyone. they target him simply because they didn't like what they thought he had been doing. and previous years and, and at victor sentencing, and i don't hard to believe or this talk crime that nothing ever happened with them . no one was ever heard. and no one was ever done at the sentencing. the u. s. government prosecutors ask the victor be sent to life without rule, meaning he would never be released that's, that's the, that's the insanity. when i had to go over the case couple years ago. the 1st challenge, of course, was to correct the narrative to get folks in the u. s. and around the world to appreciate the fact that this, this merchant of death label that they put on him was really une fair. and that the

way this retired russian citizen living in moscow was targeted by the u. s. was really a terrible affront to russia sovereignty. and as a result of that, i'm jumping ahead a little bit. as a result of that you, you can actually pinpoint the deterioration of relations between the us and russia to that moment when, when victor was target. and, and as i've said many times, the u. s. agencies involved decided to target victor rude because because they could, without any giving any thought to whether or not they should and the repercussions that followed. we were fortunate that the judge and victor's trial judge shalon made some very important findings at his sentence, saying that were that were really strong and supportive. and pointed out several of

the things that, that undermined this merchant of death. the narrative that had taken hold in the us . the 1st thing i did was i gave her call. she had been retired at the time to migrate the surprise she, she not only spoke to me, but she stood by her words and was willing to go public with her views that the sentence that she was forced to impose. ready on victor was way too high and she would have given him a much lower sentence if she had the ability to do so. i'm surprised you survived because you know, you don't. it's not like, you know, the older you get, the more, the more likely you are to suffer some sort of catastrophic illness. you just don't call 911 there. they don't have actual physicians. you know, they don't ship you off to hospital unless you're in a coma. so he had several serious elements. but victor is exceedingly strong.

man, he knows how to take care of himself to protect himself. you folks may know about the 13th amendment to the amendment and abolish slavery in the united states, but it abolished labor slavery for all but one category of person and that's prisoners in the us jails. and so you have, you have folks who are forced to work in a lot of states and some federal prisons. they make their paid, you know, $0.35 an hour. they don't have any projections. they don't, you know, they get to choose where they work, work conditions and their work, they don't get employment insurance, it doesn't contribute to social security or, or medicare. so, you know, is that, i think that's one of the reasons is took solo. steve resolve speaking to our team . meanwhile, there is mounting this self as faction among us. politicians about the prisoner exchange republican congresswoman mosier retailer green. even call for job biden,

to be impeached over the deal. while the former national security advisor, john bolton said, is essentially a month to washington surrendering to russia. the boot for griner prisoner swap is not a trade. it's an american surrender. this is not what american strength looks like . terrorists and rogue states are smiling. we heard from former c, i a analysts, laurie johnson, who sees a prisoner exchange, reveal the degree of weakness and the current us administration. i think from russia standpoint, this was laughable. it's just that it underscores the weakness of the. ready foreign policy team that surrounds joe biden. as far as the families are concerned, it's a 1st swap. i would know the difference. now. what's interesting is there is a lot of blow back in the united states. complaints that he left behind. i think it's phil wayland, former marine, there was arrested on espionage charges in russian that many say that he would have

been a more appropriate exchange because he was actually there. ready for some, you know, perceived political pushback as opposed to miss griner k. she was, she was carrying drugs that were prohibited prescribed purely the united states has lost some of its mojo. when it comes to these kinds of things, we both know free prisoners receive presidential pardons before they were released, r t correspondent kill him up and looks deeper into the roots of victor boots or do after almost 15 years in captivity and half the eye sting operation frame up the sham trial, and in addition to that solitary confinement and difficulty even being able to visit his family. victor boot is now free and back home in russia. the negotiations were kept secret and even victory, why it had no idea what was coming. so let's review the details of this high profile case. well,

back in the 990 s. western leaders started psyching up the public against him. the british home office labeled him the merchant of death and hollywood movie demonizing, him called lord of war, was even released in reality. victor is the son of a book keeper. he served in the soviet military before starting his own cargo company. u. s. officials alleged that he ran guns for al qaeda and that he was involved in supplying weapons to various sides of african conflicts and across eastern europe. these are allegations he has repeatedly denied. while us leaders seem to have no problem supplying weapons to some radical groups. it seems like after this, hollywood movie was released, and after victor's name had been dropped by various officials, they felt it was time to grandstand against him. victor had his assets frozen, but there was no law at that point under which they could prosecute him for his international business dealings. so u. s. officials decided to go to the f b i. a sting operation was set up and eventually he was entrapped in thailand.

so under cover f b i agents pretending that they were members of the fark rebel group and columbia approached him and had a hypothetical conversation about a possible arms deal. no crime actually ever took place. that's what doctor told me when i interviewed him back in 2019. this is a 100 percent qualify as a political prisoner because i'm healed off my nationality and i was denied to call a twin size and i'm standing off. they didn't do anything else. i know we'll fight for my innocence or misstated bottom couple years ago. i'm going to keep them,

as example, as a model was a boy for whipping. so other russians would be more polite, the corporate with us when they go off. so there are up through us leaders clearly had a motive for grabbing him after he was dragged to the united states from thailand due to an extradition agreement. he was then allegedly offered a deal to bring forward dirty laundry about the russian government and president, well, they've been doing pre trial during the trial, what they've been through the public defender, they approach and said, well, we're going to get you at all your primary green car and subtle you there is, you know, some dirt about how car off this regime times old. i said they know you can't do the person they don't for all the deal. that's why i went to the trial. russian authorities offered victor support throughout the lengthy legal proceedings, and they also describe how us officials abducting him and dragging him to the united states from thailand was an example of how they felt they have license to do

whatever they want in the international arena times to us there is no doubt that they have abducted a russian citizen in the 3rd country. we have a consular convention with the us, and we have a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. under these agreements, the u. s. should inform us of any suspicions they may have about a russian citizen. yet they fail to do so. this was the case in a number of instances with victor boot constantine yet shouldn't go for them. and a number of other people who are transferred to the u. s. with the tacit approval of 3rd countries. now victor is journey home did not easily the negotiations took place at a time when relations between the usa and russia are anything but good. needless to say, a lot of hard work has gone in to making sure this russian citizen could finally return home and be with his family salem up and artsy new york. okay, news coming into us on the program. i must have blaze has ripped through

a sprawling shopping mall in moscow. sir burb video footage here shows firefighters containing at the blaze. after its spread across a reported spot of 7000 square meters, thick smoke billowed into the early morning sky in the city of tempe, with the buildings roof collapsing. earlier footage of what appears to be an explosion in the facility was posted on social media authority, say at least one person has been killed in the inferno. now it's all clear at what started the police officials say it may have ignited in a home improvement at retailer the german one o. b, amid at slumber ball or assault or paints being stored there, the damage, including them, all it's content from nearby park cars has been estimated quite a figure up to half a $1000000000.00 will keep a close eye and development has more footage. all not comes into us on the program . we'll bring it to you. the serbian has been

considering sending a 1000 troops into kosovo after hundreds of police officers in the break away region. attempted to seize parts of a served majority district. which you lead. curtis has continued with the legal actions aimed at occupying the north of kosovo and mentor. here belgrade will consider the return of 1000 members of our security forces to the area of kosovo metal here, in accordance with resolution, 1244. while the serbian government states, the cost of the police have also committed crimes against serv, majority areas in the break away province, including stealing wine stocks from a ben yard local reporter, nicole, you? which sent us this from belgrade? nice. around 9 o'clock in the evening. group of over 200 armed men came to the north, most was the sort of live we kept over the medical court. also presidents,

obedient army or regular military forces of vignette which were present theater in court and order, which is a violation of resolution $4.00 to $4.00 of the united nations and every other agreement signed by serbia. and this is the 2nd publication of the day, or even 3rd, because during the day we already had the one incident in which one of the 4 municipalities in the north, where we had a station where police forces of sofa also entered kindergarten when, where children were over sleeping and they interrupted the work or is it also invalid? what's sort of sort of been an club near article that they took over 40000 please. there's a wind from local producers,

wind and they also banned construction workers for, for, from putting on and bathing the road, leading to only serving left in the region. the prime minister of so called close keys provocations and use intention to violently solve the problem of believing this so possible a month ago and to try to impose his will. and then due to the fact that he needs to organize you elections, which will boycott as things are for now. okay, something a little different to tell you about now, african languages have been receiving a renewed prominence in. i jerry f with the government. there are setting out an educational policy to promote the study of local languages in school. so how's it going to be done? while the recently approved national language policy is aimed to shift the focus

from english to local languages in the west african nation, students are to focus on developing their skills in their mother tongue during elementary school or primary school, and then combine it with english only later on, however, the initiative has been complicated by the huge number of local languages which will require the government to adopt school books and other educational materials. we heard from an adrian school director who expressed an overall positive view of the new measures when i had thus instruction from the government, trudy official gazette, i was so blood or in us that she had to the family as wills. no, he said the primary gentle socialization. that is the 1st school that is shide is born into that the tide is introduced into. so starting

eloquently to d, london. what a luggage stats in d 1st teach of the education of a child with the use of the mother language that these young bud evil outside the case may be. is the best that should happen in education as it? well, we also spoke with the head of an adrian teacher's union and lear, gus, who expressed appreciation for the reform to wayne. you treat or teach we do use of mot at on it is so natural that it has understanding on the side of the student is it we are killing potentia in our younger generation. by im hosting another language i see medium of communication. no doubt

there must lanet so that the considerably compete in time of for, you know, 2nd job internationally. that way you understand english, or you understand french, or you understand jama, the, and our perform your local language that we're has your chance, you know, to secure a job across the globe. what you cannot give what you don't the us secretary of state to anthony blinkin said it's basically a don't deal for sweden and finland to join the nato alliance. i'm confident that nato will formally welcome finland, sweetness, member, soon. since the nato summit in madrid. both countries had taken significant concrete actions to fulfill their commitments,

including those related to the security concerns on the part of our ally turkey. however, this is a major sticking point. us just alluded to their sweden has refused to comply with nato member turkeys request for 2 extra. 2 people suspected of ties to a terrorist organization. and stockholm said they don't have sufficient grounds to believe that the men in question committed criminal offenses. and grant said that it will not allow sweden to join the lines until it conducts those extra additions . so we have an issue here. anti war activists. sorry, flounder says the us hasn't properly address turkeys security concerns. sweden and us of course, are talking out of both sides of their mouth house. now they're saying we have a deal. no, we don't have a deal in the bargain. and no matter how you look at it, they want turkey to acknowledge that there's a deal. so that this nato official membership can move forward. certainly it's

a you asked who is behind this deal and it's also the united states. it was pledged to be the protector of the kurds. but as we can see, once again, they're just willing to use them as a bargaining chip. whether or not this officially goes forward in a real sense. it is a done deal. and it shows at the u. s. is absolutely has no interest in peace and diplomacy or negotiation. they are all about aggressive us war planning. they want nato expansion official or unofficial to an issue becoming a big one and all over the globe really, but just the focus for non employees of the european central bank had been left fuming after authorities rejected their demands for a pay rise to keep up with inflation, we're not happy with inflation in germany and the you are area likely around 8.5

percent this year. a lack of a pay rise means a substantial loss and purchase and power. this is damaging workers morale and also their trust towards the institution. the workers wanted a peer rise off just to were 4 percent, but the current inflation rate in the e use largest economy, germany has been reported around twice that much. earlier, my colleague peter scott spoke with financial technology, entrepreneur, chris ems, who noted that the same institutions which created inflation in the 1st place and other ones suffering so well, the funny thing is, although not for the stuff is that you know, the c, b missed its own inflation targets on its employees now seem to be paying for it. do you think it was a duty of care and geopolitical factors or just out of his control? absolutely, i think that definitely is a duty of care, but there is a great irony that you've just mentioned, the very people that have caused this massive inflation and now paying for it. right. and i think when we're looking at, when we're looking at these institutions in the way they operate and run,

it's really, really morally bankrupt to say, look, pay for something that we ask you to do. and that goes across everything from transport to any kind of public service, right? why should the public service worker have to pay for the mistakes made by their employer? that just happens to be a state institution. there is we say not as we do. absolutely. now the c, b a said that he doesn't want to increase the wages of it stuff because he's worried, as it says that it would fuel a damaging wage. price spiral. define the argument convincing. not at all. i think anyone with half a brain cannot believe that argument. if you've got to a business, an organization, a company, and your employees are struggling to, to inflation it. you know, in my opinion, it's your moral responsibility to make sure that they can feed themselves and close their children if people can't eat and they can't feed their children. and really, i mean, they're saying that inflation is up. this percentage reality is real times inflation for people is a lot higher. you only just have to ask anyone living in europe right now,

as we know a lot of people living in europe coming from there originally and, and the price, the real times price of everything from energy to food, to transport. everything is way higher. it's, you know, some people even saying it's, you know, 20 percent more in real time. so if the c b were to raise the wages of his employees as they are demanding. do you think that was so set some sort of precedence for the national banks and do you think there will be a full effect where employees, employers, excuse me, would raise the the way just absolutely. that would what we would hope that would be the effect. but surely, that's a good thing, right? we're seeing across across europe, we're seeing, you know, well on the u. k. let's u. k. right now we've got nurse is about to go on strike. we've got railway is going on. strike may not really asking for much pizza, what they're asking is to be paid enough so that they can not be out of pocket to the bad necessities that become way more expensive because of institutions and the decisions that have been made by, by western governments. there's no doubt about that. they were saying that they

were saying, look, we, we've made decisions over the last year that of course, these problems and you are going to pay for it. well, that's not fair. is it? well thing on a related theme, the season of goodwill may be faster approaching, but not everyone in italy will enjoy a christmas dinner. this year runs a major organisation which distributes european aid the fun phase increasingly more italian, something descending into poverty. oh oh, i filled them in to see but not but you are going to be. there are thousands of requests for help from families who will be suffering greatly over the christmas period. due to the increase in energy prices. they find it difficult to eat at lunch and dinner, which is why we are giving them all free groceries at christmas. it's an economic

disaster. oh. ringback i haven't, i'm invested if you can stop people are having great difficulties. we make a contribution, but people need much more help families with children of finding themselves in difficulty. they don't even have the money to pay for milk and diapers. ah . but since this year i have a rather difficult life. we also lived on the street my own little and therefore i had to ensure the survival of my family in one way or another. i couldn't pay for the house. and so i was reduced to living in a call with my wife for several months. ah, i cannot do it. i mean you're here,

we are starving here. georgia maloney is doing nothing good for us, poor people. she's actually destroying. we can't even pay the bills. we're desperate and everything is increased and there's very little money. ah, ah, well not as i fried his new stories are shipping up. i'll be back at the top with all the days. big developments fly from moscow. archie with a knowing look well for a

move on gas with does not from finding in the triple a. i was already taken from the put a ticket want to so you of this kind. i don't even so it was a show belief with it is good. prescriptive reason. oscar. she'll know shepherd got a job with oh now it shows the wrong one. i

just don't a yes to see how this thing becomes the advocate an engagement. it was the trail when so many find themselves will depart, we choose to look for common ground. so a with a, a .