strategy will be successful, very critical time time to sit down and talk a lot of this our, the u. s. congress rejects an initiative to increase oversight of the massive funding the ukraine. this concerns why regular americans about why billions of that tax bad. those are being sent to the seas. a former australian sold it, charged with a war crime is granted fail as the court believes his life could be danger if he is set to jail is accused of murdering and afghan problem is in go by a wave of protest with buildings set on fire businesses shut down amid fears of new thing to leave violently dispersed,

inquire with life almost there. this is our see. my name's melissa molly and 30 minutes of news and views stops. now i was starting with breaking news here on oxy russian authorities have detained the correspondence of the wall street journal journal environment guest coverage on suspicion of conducting espionage activities for the u. s. government. and to get more details with joint here in the studio by our cheese marina casa, have a great to see marina, thanks for joining us, a short notice, what do we know, what's going on? it's up to speed. what we do know is that this was the corresponding for wall street journal that moscow bureau of all wall street journal. and according to the statement by russia's federal security service, he was detained in the city of you could see them both while he was fine,

obtain secret information since then they've opened the criminal case against them on charges of espionage. now if he's convicted on those charges who could face up to 20 years in prison and, but they're still a long time before that. there are so many question marks regarding this case, how it happened. what sort of secret information was he trying to obtain? because we do know that it relates to one of the surprises of the russian military industrial complex, but we don't have any more details. we know that he's 32 years old. he's previously worked for the moscow times. agents, friends press. and he's, the main topic seems to be russia, ukraine, and former soviet union state. so that's his specialty. and he was in the city of the board for a few days. we don't know many details about his activities, but obviously it was being suspicious by russia's federal security service. and they have proof that he was spying on behalf of the american government that's according to their statements. and of course we've known before, the diplomat was being used the spies before, but now with journalists,

and especially with a situation wherein just recently we had the u. s. drones flying over what roster said there's a no fly zone intelligence gathering. and we know that americans are not only helping ukrainians when it comes to money, but military age as well, but also when it comes to intelligence. so this is all very sensitive information right now, and we're still waiting to find out more information. the wall street journal still hasn't said anything about this yet. yeah, it will be finding out more about that. for sure. i'm, we'll keep everyone up today. thanks marina. right. right. to further discuss this topic, that's plus live now to independent journalists. mike jones. my name is dan . great. now, interesting news here. how likely is it that this american journalist could be convicted? i mean, you're new to this new story popped up. what do you think about the charges against

him? well, yes, given his movements as well, the been listed comments and have been reporting today about some extra details that come to light p specialist yadda. love. she has she cough who met with that mr . gosh, of which the day before exclaimed on telegram that the detained journalist and catherine both studied the attitude in society towards wagner. pmc group. i'd find this rather strange, but it would give the the, the background to why perhaps he was investigating what the f s d have said. russia's defense industries. so of course, this gentleman was dealing with very sensitive topics. it appears center saying how quickly pounced on this and it did jump to, but we're not hearing much from the us. how do you think, in your opinion, how our,

how would the west and the u. s. and less than power react to this? i would expect a lot of spin on it and down playing his role and why he was there. it's also worth noting, i believe he also wrote for the new york times, many of the publications since the moscow times are not usually sympathetic towards russia. his previous article, the last article that i saw, he wrote, he claims that russia's economy was collapsing. so i think we can get an idea of sort of the theme and the attitude of this individual towards the russian federation. are they like, do you think like they'll see that? i mean, the u. s. government intervene perhaps take his thought, you said there be a spin, but are they likely to put out a statement? would they try and get the guide back if that's even a thing, even though you base their i wouldn't expect them to make much effort as we saw

with the british mess and the 8 and the u. k. government were very stand offish. they didn't want to get involved kind of expect the same attitude from the us. and if they were to make a statement, then i would expect them to just condemn russia and use this as an example of how russia is so will for terry. and then how there's so little freedoms in russia, which of course, as we know is absolute rubbish. and the mike, i mean, it's interesting that this trap was going to quite you survive seems sort of nice work, i guess, half piece. i mean, you and i both live here in moscow, the sanctions seriously, you haven't affected us. i know that for sure. and these writings that this janice has come across, but why do you think he could be at this russian military? so, i mean, if you try and prove something, maybe make a name for it myself. i've no idea really no. and the reasonings they've been given

again, this is not from mr. gosh, of a choose said this, this is from a specialist choir. how and why you as meeting with a p r specialist the day before? that's an interesting detail here and is, is, is reportedly picked up in a restaurant. his mobile phones been offline since march 29th, at 1328. moscow time. i said he presumably was in communication with some interesting individuals. perhaps it is how the f s b picked him up. why he was poking around in these areas as you say's were speculating at the moment. but i wouldn't be surprised if it were to do with hops, even the production of ammunition and levels, because we know that the west is very concerned. the you can't seem to ramp up the supply. so perhaps you try and aspartame just how capable russian industry is there . but mike, well, i have the here thanks for your time by the way, but i will talk

a little bit about so the influence on what really been going on recently with, with the u. s, i mean it's been, we know that the u. s. has been providing massive military assistance to crime. there's also, there was also this you recently, this us drone incident in the black sea. you may remember now an american journalist is accused of espionage. i mean, how is moscow supposed to react to this situation? i, you say it's supposed to react. that's a really good question. how i'd expect them to act is as professionally as they have in the past. the, the authorities here, i've shown excellent diplomacy in statesmanship and actually quite reserved when one would expect them to quite righteously and rightfully condemn these actions of aggression. and indeed, espionage perhaps in this case,

or at least intelligence gathering. they haven't, they've been more and more calculated this for me. if indeed this is as it is, claim to be. again, it's another level of desperation. i feel of the u. s. and the collective west as they desperately try to scramble to gain some advantage in a huge blunder and mistake that they've made and they're desperately trying to trying to back pedal. yeah, indeed. it's interesting how things of opening. i mean, it's like, well, the reason i caught my eye though, mike is, you know, how the public sees this euro, you know, put prominent new sheba. we know i fully for sure, at the u. s. interest in the claims is not directly involved in the ukraine. conflict, it's openly proved, but we know it's hopefully providing training for you creating and so i'm assuming it's war effort with billions of dollars of weaponry. we did

a report earlier where the k and the usaa training you cleaned soldiers to use tanks and depleted uranium, munitions as well, how's the public not seeing this for what is? i believe very slowly and surely they are coming through. katy hopkins will say a long piece about how anyone who can still buy into the western version when we have beg, grills and now lambda bloom. going to meet the lensky it's fossil at this point, and i think the more ridiculous it gets, the more people are waking up and realizing just the amount of propaganda that being fed in the west by that governments. now we see with this new patriot act to or what they're calling like the take talk bill. we're seeing these measures to try and restrict these populations. further with blocking uses vpn with the threat of 20 years in prison and up to a $1000000.00 fine. so in the u. s. so again,

as i've said it's, it's getting more pantomime like and then more desperate it appears to my point of view from these behaviors of the western governments. yes. interesting days. well, what out of time, mike? john's independent journalist, thanks so much for joining us. thank you. i actually love to our other top stories today. now the u. s. congress has rejected an initiative to more closely monitor the billions of dollars emitted ga, being sent to graham. that is, despite the laws for the us to make sure that the weapons actually end up where they are intended. this body has spent to date $113000000000.00 on the war and ukraine and county. and yet we do not have any direct oversight of any of the money that is being spent. listen,

we learned this the hard way in ghana. stan, yes, media reports have said the only 30 percent of the american weaponry centigrade has actually gone to the front lines. meanwhile, the east border control agency has sounded the alarm about a substantial increase in gun smuggling. there have been rising concerns about regular americans, about why that government is sending more than a $100000000000.00 to aid in a to ukraine, while those funds might be better spent on domestic needs. plenty to be accounted for. we need to know where the money things met and not not fraud, it would feel better if we used our resources to support aid and people. and those people within our borders rather side

to afford to make it better than yours did it only obvious one of the main beneficiaries of the u. s. defense funding is actually private contractors. there are estimates that over the past year, independent recipients got more than half of washington's national security budget . the u, as in spite of general on afghans on, has warned that this could signal corruption between the government and military industrial complex. you're bound to get corrupt elements of not only the ukrainian or the host government, but also of yours government contractors or other 3rd party contractors to try to steal the money. there is just so much money going in and it's hard to keep track off. i'm not super optimistic that we're going to learn

a lesson. i've been in washington since 90 to 2 and learning lessons is not in our dna in the united states. unfortunately. now let's take a look at how the costs, the ukraine's or s at compare. with those of other major conflicts, waste in washington. now spending on marriage, he aid to keep has actually so passed the annual us funding of his previous war in afghanistan. the u. s. is also estimated. have spent on ukraine, about half of the money did on average per year in vietnam. both the vietnam, after i saw, was ended in a residing failure for the us, despite the massive toes on the economy and public sentiments about the government . there is still no clear indication of a potential limits to the u. s. commitment to the ukraine. conflicts we heard from a retired us air force left tenant colonel,

who says this bipartisan support for ramping up ukraine's war effort. as congressman are often directly funded by the military industrial complex, i know how the u. s. senate gets reelected and they get re elected through their relationships and the donors that they have in this country. and a, a many of those are from the defense sector and so, you know, it's not in their interest to reduce spending. it's not in their interest to ask hard questions that may lead to the reduction in that spent. that's exactly what would happen if we actually looked at this. there is by bipartisan support to continue to spend, as we saw with the senate. you the senate vote just recently. i think we'll hear more talk about it as they, as the various candidates try to lay the waste in the fraud and the destruction. on the other side, we know from viet nam and from afghanistan in many other places that we don't care about democracy. in fact, the only kind of democracy,

the united states really likes is the kind that is allied with its current political interest, even though congress doesn't seem to have learned its lessons on afghanistan. i think the american people kind of have and i do see a more popular pushback against what the congress is doing. the americans are tired of this very tired of it and they don't see it is productive. they don't understand what it's about, and they don't even know the full history. and as some of that truth comes out on how long that this government, united states government has stoked this war, has tried to really sacrifice ukraine at this altered as they find these things out . and they are beginning to they become angry. and so i don't, the support in this country is not there for increasing this. the only support i see is support to end the war. this year one of the most senior members of the us congress have said the only 20 percent of the mentor a designated for the green. i actually winches the country,

all teams came in woman report. so mich, you'll recall that back in january, or there was a big scandal involving corruption that led to a number of ukrainian lawmakers being given the boot. and in addition to that, it's important to point out that the idea of auditing the money being given to ukraine kind of caught on and gain steam when republicans took back control of the u. s. house of representatives. it's republicans, they're a little bit more critical of aid to ukraine now that the biden administration has been pouring on quite a bit out. now, it's interesting to note that we have a situation here where it appears. some members of congress are saying that a number of the large amounts of the aid designated for ukraine actually stays in the united states. the facts, only 20 percent of funding is going directly to the ukraine in government, in the form of direct budgetary assistance. the key of government has been raising

the concern that they say they want patriot missiles and they are complaining about the fact that they have not received them yet. this was zalinski. we have great decisions about patriots, but we don't have them for real. so a lot of serious questions are being raised about all these billions and billions of dollars that have been sent to you. great questions about corruption are being raised and also people are raising questions about where exactly this money is going. i think people are going to be very interested to hear the results of the audits and investigations that are taking place now that we hear about all these complaints of wrongdoing, laser and the program at all times. i mean, scheme use the caching in on the massive arms of once you claim the of the front of the atlantic a june by to our next headline. now a former australian soldier towards with the war crime of murdering him afghan. but

it has been granted, bel, i was, the quote, believes his life could be endangered if he is sent to jail. how the camera footage appears to show the soldier oliver jordan schultz. shooting the alarmed farmer several times during the 2012 incident, a warning you may find the following: images disturbing. ah, ah, ah, ah, quite now. up late like the case was initially exposed in the australian media 3 years ago with footed, over killing, shown to the public. the defense team officials who is currently 41 years old has argued that he does not pose a flight risk because he has so far abided by all the restrictions imposed by the

court. the court. busy also noted that the incident occurred a decade ago during the war in afghanistan, and the defendant is not considered a threat to australian society. the victims father abdul malik, is still suffering from the loss of his love. what do you like if i said, with a covered he's facing, told them to take him to the graveyard. mother said he's very old. i came back to see the place. i saw the whitfield where he was killed with the week was flattened . my whole around the house of the whistle blows. john kieriyaki says the course decision is based on the nonsense excuse of the authorities wanted to feed to the australian public. i think that the reason why justice hasn't been served in australia is there is the same reason the justice hasn't been served in the united

states. there's a tendency by our governments to cover up the crime and to punish the whistleblowers. this case is another one of those crimes in a long line of crimes against civilians carried out in australia where it appears that the perpetrator is going to get away with it. i think that is utter nonsense that was used just as an excuse for the public. if this were in the united states, this soldier would be put in solitary confinement for his own protection. even if the australians don't do that, they can certainly put him in a local jail, out in the middle of nowhere, to keep him safe or in a low or minimum security prison to await trial where everybody is on his best behavior. and he wouldn't be in any danger at all. the man who have set off steady and so does have been implicated in the the elated murders of $39.00 on on

prisoners also been ins in afghanistan. around half of those cases have been referred to investigators to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for trials close to $40000.00 australian troops, forts in afghanistan over 2 decades. they were paws of the nato led international falls that trained lou who security forces host of the whistle blows. don't karaoke again says the australian government, so must ensure but justice prevails. it's up to the australian government to ensure that justice is carried out. show the world that they're serious about the rule of law and about human rights. i'm not surprised, but i am disappointed. i'm not surprised because, you know, using the united states as an example. well, the united states was the major power in afghanistan for the entire period that the australian military was there. so presumably the united states would have to assist

in the prosecution. in the i, c. c of a soldier, even from australia and the u. s. is never going to, to cooperate in something like that. so it just seems to me that the i, c, c's hands are tied and that they would not a, they would not be able to carry out a successful prosecution. several e u officials are our raised at the bull tip state of estonia, saying it has been abusing a reimbursement scheme for our suppliers. the claim, they say a study has been charging for the price of completely new weapon money, while other countries usually get compensated for want about $1.00 or 2 thirds of those costs. i'll take on to be to rachel miles. m. as the details. if someone offered to pay you to give your current wardrobe away to charity and then replaced the items that you gave away, would you seize the opportunity to purge it all in favor of

a new upgrade has that's what at least one european union country is now accused of doing with weapons for ukraine. the european union set up a fund to reimburse member states that donate weapons to kiev based on the estimated cost of the old weapons compared to a brand new version of the same one. for example, sweden estimated it's really old weapons to be worth about 26 percent of the value of the new ones. france figured theirs were worth about 71 percent of a new version. but latvia figured its weapons were worth 90. 9 percent of the full value of a new version, lithuanian 93 percent, and estonia, 91 percent. that's according to the western press, citing european diplomatic sources and singling out as stonier in particular the core part of the other countries complaint is that a stoney a has been particularly skilled, a, getting very high reimbursements for old gear. in absolute numbers, estonia put in

a claim for a 160500000 euros of new weapons under the 1st trench for which was then reimbursed, a 134200000 euros. it's kind of like selling old stuff on ebay for absolutely no discount, just putting it on there for full price. surely there are some solid criteria being used to calculate reimbursement though, right? after all, we're talking about you taxpayer funds here and not an open bar or a shopping spree. generally speaking, there are 3 different values. countries can claim the replacement value based on the price of new material, the actual cash value based on the estimated price at which the gear could be result and the original procurement value based on the price originally paid. diplomat said the debate over his stony as reimbursement has exposed the fact that there is no clear methodology over which system to use for payback. so brussels set

up a big pot of free money set vague parameters for accessing it. and now the countries involved are all running to the press to stab each other in the back with allegations of cheating. how totally shocking for an institution that's currently caught up in a corruption scandal that turned the european parliament into a giant crime scene last december with authority seizing data and equipment relating to shady foreign lobbying allegations, directly touching high ranking darlings of the e u establishment. apparently it still hasn't managed to get act together to prevent even more potential corruption, european commission, prisoner or so vander line, proposed back then an independent ethics body, and quote, very clear rules in the wake of that scandal. it is a question of confidence of people into our institutions and this confidence and trust into our institutions needs highest standards and of independence and

integrity. and yet here we are very 3 months later. and the rules for accessing a big part of you cache are so unclear that the blocks own officials are complaining about it. as stoney responded to the new allegations in a statement, acknowledging that some of the weapons that had sent to ukraine were apparently so old that they aren't even produced any more. the aim of the european piece fonts system is to restore the member states on defense capabilities. the declaration of european peace funding donations on the by to self recovery value is completely in accordance with the rules and applies in the event that the production of the donated equipment has been terminated and the restoration of its capacity is important. from the point of view of national defense, as sonya added that this is not quote, an e u compensation scheme, but the states are much higher to beat back russian aggression. the biggest challenge to our security architecture since the 2nd world war. now actually it is

literally an e u compensation scheme that we're dealing with here. but apparently now any and all shady ness is supposed to be just swept under the rug if it's related to ukraine. ah, where? so our faces of the african concept where thousands of processes have taken to the streets of kenya's capital to protest against rising cost of living in the east africa measure a local reports and gave us the details about the demonstrations as well as the international response. the blood, the aftermath of the anti gum in protest as quote the attention of the international community with the african union. now pauline pl piece. unrestrained in kenya, the 1st round of the monday protest. so people killed home fit of leave, what others noted from businesses and destroyed private property, incubate on it will be up less known to be the bed local, the opposition support of the police never showed up under yet to issue any press

statement. now this comes after the opposition leader i loading gun declared monday and thursday days will, must actually in case they are you, chairperson was a fucking muhammad, to express deep concern called the weekly appropriate calling on the stakeholders to engage in dialogue to address any differences between the government and the opposition for the sake of national immunity. the chair person of the african union commission, mussa fucking maha might express his deep concern at violence following public protests in kenya since the 21st of march 2023, which has resulted in loss of life damage to property. and the interruption of certain economic activities in the capital nairobi. now religiously does have also come out strongly condemning the act and calling on the government under opposition to have done no peace to prevail in the country. these comes after our charge under mollusk was set ablaze night after they both were calling on politicians pretty free to cease and desist from using inflammatory language in political

meeting. a social media quote both how to study on to the site. yeah, i did follow up with just enough abundantly led to the unfortunate events of last night. he recall of you, he caught up on you can call them of prison abuse, alternative approaches to hardly ugly with civil society organizations of thought being thought into political pollution. but the same, the whole vision of the double knob, government and national security, unknown people to our talk, the property of the opposition leader, mr. guy on the president can, can ever from, was towards life. so kind of cut down trees. things also seem to get down for the journalist as they said, the whole city from guns and police in different parts of the country.