Myself from one family or heating it. This is another increase. Theres another burden governments with live worldwide. Its R T International in moscow with me Rural Research from the entire new team. Here it is good to have you with us. Well, i lavish Opening Ceremony has just drawn to a close in beijing for that of a 2022 Winter Olympics. But rather than celebrating a global sporting event, certain western commentators seem to have war and politics on their mind. Oh dear. Oh dear, lets learn more. Jessica taylor in the studio. Now. Saskia, sports and politics were, you know, theres supposed to be totally separate entities here, but in beijing is that what were saying . What if you thought that some things are beyond politicization, you would in fact be wrong at the Winter Olympics in beijing have officially kicked off and re so far they have been a sight to behold. Weve seen some pretty dazzling mesmerizing bold, colorful displays and performances, which of course matches the mood. This is off to all a celebration of sport. And theres so much to talk about, i mean, go 209921 competing countries, almost 3000 athletes participating. But you wont hear much of that in some mainstream, west and media. What you will hear instead though is the drumbeat of war, because some media pundits just have not been able to help themselves when it comes to commenting on Vladimir Putin presence in beijing. The walls, the walls top athletes were parading across the stage in the Opening Ceremony and the commentators, instead of talking about that astonishing achievements, well talk about war invasion, the russian bat, troops, and guns. A terrorist snippet from a and b. C. Russia has a mass more than a 100000 troops on 3 sides of ukraine. Us officials have threatened to leer sanctions if russia makes the move. I want to bring in the brown our china expert here. There is some precedent unfortunately. Well unfortunately, as she said, this is not an exception. Its been cooling through while the ive been falling through websites and social media. And for example, on twitter, i saw a photograph of putin sheet and pick shaking hands with a joke, apparently that the chinese leaders off the russian president to hold off on any invasion until off to figure skating competitions. For example, look at the daily maam. What to be see that apparently the Media Outlets seems to think that Vladimir Putin level of diplomacy has sunk so low that he now pretends to nap, whilst the ukrainian sportsmen were making bare parents. If youre russian, apparently youre not even allowed to blink anymore. And if the media is not only typing up this crisis in ukraine, then its tanya, its pretty hostile, war mongering attention towards the country that rushes in cahoots web. That is of course, china. The games have already been labeled the genocide games. A lot of headlines that dominated with talk of chinas human rights record. And if that really struggling for content, then they criticize how the disinfectant covered fighting. Robots are quote, distort pnc you really cant win. The point is, is there is a time and a pay for politics, and i think most would agree that the Olympic Games is just not one of them. It is an astonishing feet. It is affective global occasion, which millions of people look forward to. And what seems to be going on and so early on, were at the Opening Ceremony level is that is a cynical appropriation of an event that was designed to bring nations together. Also that these outlets consider jam packed the waves with that political cause which have not now i think it seems to be pretty disrespectful to the asked me to have been preparing for this movement for yes. And who quite frankly dissolved to be in the spotlight. But apparently on the spot in love and wool and every opportunity is a Good Opportunity to point out the fabled russian aggressor and talk of an invasion thats nowhere to be seen. Saskia taylor, thank you. Well, other than the president , i may, putin, on his chinese counterpart, gigi, and king have together urged nato to stop its expansion. Or they warned a failure to do so will aggravate a cold war mentality. Will standing by for us in beijing with the latest is our correspondent ecos donald. Well, a friendly and cordial outcome from the meeting between the russian president Vladimir Putin and his chinese counterpart teaching thing was headache. Spect it. But to find out that the 2 leaders, the i to i own so many things on so many topics. And notice that the ones i was somewhat remarkable, i should say. And again, the key outtake here is that china agrees that nato should stop expanding the party as opposed the further expansion of nato and call for the North Atlantic Alliance to refrain from ideological approaches from the time of the cold war. We originate, owe to respect sovereignty security and to deal with the Peaceful Development of other governments objectively in fairway. The jing has also revealed that it shares moscows concerns, and that it supports moscows demands for some actual guarantees from the military alliance over security. That would be put on facebook in turn. Russia has said that as we treated its dedication to the principle that china is that one nation, and that taiwan is an integral part of china. And any sort of independence for the island is absolutely out of the question. Also the 2 nations, russia and china have called worrisome the formation of a trilateral pact between the u. S. The u. K. And australia called all cars. And just a quick reminder for you basically its main purpose. Is it for the us and the u. K. To help australia to bolster its capability, including in the nucleus, fear. So both nations, russia and china have called this worrisome and that it is undermining regional and indeed global security. But it wasnt just politics that was on the table. Business was discussed as well. Brushes, energy, john gas prone, has signed a deal according to which it will ship a 100000000. 00 metric tons of gas to china through catholic stone. So again, the Big DevelopmentRussian Energy companies are already seeing a rise in their stock prices following this piece of new. But again, the initial meeting between the 2 leaders. It didnt, it didnt last long. And after that im approved and then changing things. They left the entourage behind and they proceeded to have pets. I said to just the 2 of them over lunch and what is yet to come. Let them know that to witness the Opening Ceremony of the winter Olympic Games after all, officially, this is why hes here. This is why hes in the Chinese Capital i. Lets take this further. We can cross live to peck, 91 a senior lecture and politics languages on International Studies at the university of boss in the u. K. Welcome to the program. Its good to have with us as you are probably just listening just now. A correspondent was explaining that has been highly politicized commentary coming from some western broadcasters on the bathing winter games or comments about russian aggression, comments about chinese human rights violations. And so i want to, if you think right now that the right platform to be discussing these things or do you think politics and sport should be kept separate . But i believe her politics hands boss, her super separate, but in atrocity. I think the reasons meeting between mister c and be certain is certain significance implication, not just 2 of those talks about him embrace and turn the dramatic boy cause of the when the olympic i think. And if we look at the larger context, i am concern as other countries are. They were also concerned about of the situation in, in your crying now because it locks lie here. China is key thing up there, king to russia. Expose sri and strategically and also the energy deals in all these move her, signify quite a strong signal that only china youll be able to help russia to offset potential western sanctions in eve, where the situation or moving ha, does not improve end. Russia will have to take actions in ukraine without, without neither stereotyping. But that wasnt event that happened back in 2014 the my down revolution in ukraine at a point where sanctions were hitting. Russia and china stepped in financially to help russia in that situation. Now judging, ping and vladimir put in a both calling for a halt to nato expansion. And im night night. I know youre fully aware of this, but how could that result in the alliance between russia and china . Do you think it means theyre getting closer . And if they are getting closer in what form could that take . Why i think there are a lot of changes since 2014. Ah, i think the administration of the previous you u. S. President donald trump in or soul and the air current president spiders policy to was russia and china has in fact and excessively this kind of for russia, china potential alliance here. Now where the eas become a full fledged alliance, i, i think the steward distance, the goal at a person woman i believe is still a Strategic Alliance in bees on economic tre, energy and perhaps, and well talk about financial corporation. Yeah. And all these are particularly pinpointed ding out try to how to offset potential. You are sanctions to both countries from that perspective of technological sanctions. For example, the u. S. A sanction of the chinas on semiconductors and are the 5 g to energies and or other technologies. And to russia is all about to financial sensors. And the u. S. Actually threatened to or cut the or moscow off from the spoof earth and our financial assistance. All these her, if you do thing, all of these, basically the sanctions and his moves against china and russia, essentially they, are they forcing russia and china to become necessary bedfellows to become closer in their relationship . Oh yeah, definitely. I think in the past, 05 to 6 years, it was august the or the, the us policy to push or the russian and chinese are causing closer together. Or if you look across the, what the trans theman has been telling us or to day between mr. C of is the put in, they said that they are, they are at the, they actually honor the result of others. The 2nd world war there. As a matter of fact, after 2nd were warm air china, and as the soviet union a tree quite close together, there was only until 970 to one nixon because the china. Yeah. And so as a result, i, i see this is, this is kind of returning back to the ninetys when china and sophia, to has been crows friends and also the Work Together at the same time they both and up to now, i think its very clearly they think that theyre being contained by the us. You know, it seems perhaps that history has a very bad habit of repeating itself a long, long a senior lecturer in politics, languages, and International Studies of the university of boston, the u. K. Appreciate your commentary and your time. Thank you. Well, president , she and under that i should just say the president has just declared now the beijing Winter Olympics are officially open. Its after a ceremony was watched by millions worldwide. However, sadly, theres still plenty of controversy bubbling beneath the surface. Several countries refused to sudden diplomats to the event, with some even accusing china of spying on their athletes. Reporting from the host city ortiz, alexia shasky. For decades, the international, limbic committee claimed that sports has nothing to do with politics and all the games, all the Olympic Games are absolutely free of politics, but in the case of beijing 2022 games, it seems like its a 3 way abas, where politics, sports and cove it come into one now of course we know about the political boy caught several states and not willing to send their leadership into the Opening Ceremony of the beijing went to 2022 games. Those the countries include, of course, the united states, also canada, u. K. And australia jumped in now in the latest news. Also denmark and the netherlands refused to send their diplomats to attend the Opening Ceremony. Even the athletes who are going i getting bombarded by the press not to use their phones, nor to open their e mails and b. Extremely wary off the fact that they will probably be surveilled upon by the chinese government. And some are even taking a dog step to far bilinear george soros. Even compared seating been the leader of china to add off hitler saying that these games are a good chance for him to use his strict control propaganda. Just like out of hitler did in 1936 olympics just before the start of the 2nd world war. And lets of course not forget the issue of rush this, but dissipation in these games rush is not allowed to fly. Its flag because of the water decision a several years back. That in fact, 2022 is the last year that russia can perform at International Competitions under a different name under a different flag in this case. Just like in tokyo, it will be r o c and one of the prominent wind to athletes of russias history. Figure skating olympic champion, alec c. U. Good and launched an online petition saying that enough is enough that athletes have already suffered enough and that the country should be allowed to fly its flag and seeing its National Anthem in the olympics. The petition has already been signed by more than 40000 people. Anti covet masses, of course, have been pretty strict in the Chinese Capital, but solar bold will cost leslie compared to the arrival when at the airport. The tests were really, really difficult to take, but now every day i leave the hotel i have to take a p c r test. And im going to show you just exactly how easy it is to make hello supposed to have to. Brent is mine station and now time for some fun sitting in a booth and doing my pcr test. Now. Thats it. Very simple. And pretty much every half hour. This little chap here is traversing across the hotel space, disinfecting the air. Everything is pretty much automated here in beijing. Ah, of course ill be keeping track of everything happening here in beijing for you. Alexey roche husky r t reporting from the olympic capital of went to 22 games. Beijing in china. Energy bills for british households are about a surge by an average of 700. 00 pounds a year off. The National Regulator lifted a price cap. Its raised the specter of mass fuel polity. And the time when energy firms are cashing in or near record fuel prices are taking a closer look. Now lottie is a shadow. Edwards dashti. If the eating or hating dilemma wasnt bad enough people in britain and now worry, they might not be able to do either. Thats as the Energy Price Capital rise by 54 percent in april to just shy of 2000 pounds. Of course it worries me because you know, as a worker and govern worker, we dont have enough salary. And if this is another increase, thats another burden to you know, to comply with the payments for the energy were paying too much for our energy in particular is on the, on the bread line and poverty. You know, i cant imagine me choosing between feeding myself and my family or heating and keeping tens of millions of households will face paying 693 pounds more making bills almost double what they were just a year ago. The changes will have a Chilling Effect on peoples finances, so the government has unveiled a support package. What we can do is take the sting out of a significant points shop for millions of families by making sure that increase in prices. Its smaller initially and spread over a longer period without government in 10 pension. The increase in the price tap would leave the average household having to find an extra 693. 00 pounds. The actions im announcing today will provide to the vast majority of household just over half of that amount. As we come out of koby to be face a real cost of living, crunch, particularly in energy. And the government has to help people. So what richie has announced is a 9000000000 pound package to help people with the cost of their energy. And then 27000000. 00 households will benefit from a Council Tax Rebate with 150. 00 pounds. And then a 200. 00 pound loan on top of that. And while that may sound read simple, its actually somewhat limited to next dog and includes a discount on pills, wealth 200. 00 pounds. Only. Its not a freebie. It will have to be repaid and 40 pounds installments. Theres obviously not enough. The bill is going up by more than 200. 00 pounds. So its going to make some difference. But unless they find other mechanisms to helping those people on benefits and very low income, most people are going to find it hard as a proportion of a low income, much, much bigger than it is to somebody on hiring. Men not sufficient needs to be at least 405. 00 to 6. 00 to the regulators. Calculation is based on soaring gas prices due to a high global demand. But brits are paying for it. Only cat this u. K. Gas exports have doubled in a year. Information on natural gas like sports was tucked away in government files indicating sales of british gas. So from the north sea, an oversee have increased twice compared to the year before. And what small its shipped off to foreign buyers willing to pay more. It will probably come as a surprise to many people that when gas as i watering the expensive gas exports from britain to the continent have been unusually high. The reason is very simple. The gas doesnt belong to britain or the british people, even if brits are in dire needs. Actually, the energy cap announcement came on the same day as shall was celebrating, a 14 fold rise and profit a mid soaring prices for gas with shareholders lining up for a bumper pay day. 2021 was a mom man this year for shell. Well, the Energy Price Cap may lead you to believe theres some sort of deficit. Actually, the market is so lucrative that the government hasnt waited a moment for yet another oil feel to be approved. And given the not so green light, just 2 months after cop 26, by the way. Mean all the Energy Companies dont even have to pay a winful tax. So the price caps, or 693. 00 pounds, for dual fuel homes to 1971 pounds, making energy on affordable to millions. Why the hell is that the government considering the windfall tax on runaway north sea profits . Hes not asking the oil and Gas Companies who are making the most of all this to pay a single penny towards this needs to be addressed and the government should look at it. Citizens look off for citizens is so much targeted. Uncalled for, i think, you know, when companies it give them a choice of making money, they go to that. Well, it seems like forest choices from is that gas bills would be cheaper post bricks. It was just smoke and mirrors because the pores in the u. K. The cost of living squeeze is as bad as fed, although the worst is yet to come. Charge edwards dusty ot london. Well, its not just energy bill is going through the roof in the u. K. Overall inflation, believe it or not, is that a 30 year record newspapers are rounding on the conservative government and apparently so while the Prime Ministers own aids with 5 in short succession handing in their resignations, whereas learn more about this right now. Lets bring in angus mcneil, a member of the u. K. Model for the Scottish National party. Good afternoon to you. So thanks so much for joining us here today. What do you make of this, this exodus from number 10 . A . Is it the beginning of the air force johnson, or is it just going to be another case of water off a ducks back when they go home is full and its, you know, up to 5. But it sounds like it rewarded ducks back. Unfortunately for this johnson, the doubles of the to any party or this is sort of the guys used to take them that under about maybe touching up a little bit and finding their spine. So i think the letter should be going in the feeling that more pronounced it over the last 2448 hours about as joness time as number, and hes really hitting the nail into is already well nailed coffin. I think the last one was this me on the liberty to hear stammer over jimmy saw them there that stuck in an awful lot of peoples cars. Turn the stomachs and the fact that you didnt depaula james. And its still tied to leave this be a sort of impact, told me some of the muslim stick. Instead of the cost to me, say, permit advice have, yesterday we sent a policy so bought us johnson isnt a mess, but no wonder youve done some tv things all the time. Not least, of course, well, mr. Mcgill, if i could ask you to the Energy Minister greg hines is claiming that all these downing street resignations are a good thing. Apparently, they mean their Prime Minister is quote, taking charge of his operation. Are you convinced when i makes a question . What was happening before was the Prime Minister, not in charge of the operations. You only know after 2 to 3 years on the job, starting to pick jobs or of operations and may explain the device that weve got. But its not really a very good for, for people in the, you know, im just coming off a decade of the cooper universal candidate cuts. National insurance raises food and energy prices. No, not all. Lot combined with di, stabilized europe with russia near the boat of ukraine. So you know, theres a lot of issues out there and voters, johnson is a distraction to all these big issues. Well, lets bring up one of the other issues weve been reporting here at our t as have many outlets on the Massive Energy bill high coming up for a british household. In fact, some people might remember the bars johnson promised back in 2016 that breakfast would make energy bills cheaper. Hows it working out . Probably is working very well at all. I mean, if you look at where scotland was promised into a n 20162014 were promised it still you case, it would remain in your opinion. The promise is not just as 2016, but before that really wants to pay for the reading on and that a lot of bluster and i think the leaders but a blessed that is no. Johnson is taking charge, as i said, whether the bodies johnson, clearly not in charge, are pretty clueless. And thats why i think dining and more and more to the piece that he will have to go. I guess as correspond to just mention of im going to go Household Bills or surging while you k energy firms are breaking in the profits from high fuel prices. And if you k, gas exports have doubled over the past year. How do you think thats been allowed to happen . I think leaving an unfettered market in Georgia State regulation bruises that the government put into place the why do they see it . Imitate a market with regulation, which is not a market to talk. What they need to be doing is putting people 1st to not profit 1st, unfortunately. And they havent put in proven specified number of years that im not investing in Renewable Energy around the part of stolen. What i am at the moment that could be on steam at the moment, provided about 5 percent of the keys, not just scotland, which was already self sufficient. Energy provided 5 percent of your energy needs. It just simply wasnt built because of one bureaucratic blockage. And to another that you can, but government ministers never get to dealing with as a result of buying energy from. If you look in the, on the up at the moment, you can get a cabin up. Youll see that its coming in from france. The netherlands normally, and another couple of companies as well. This is because light and other people investing and not the u. K. Investing because youre always afraid to spend that hip and the worth of tires that was said and then ended up spotting the ship. But as the pennywise per solution of the government, i guess mcneil a member of the u. K. Parliament from the Scottish National party joining us life. Thanks a lot for your comments. Really appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you. And other new throw off into national facebook. So use a base is shrinking for the 1st time when amid competition from upstarts including picked up. What will the future hold thats bringing is Donny Armstrong right now looking pretty bad for a facebook, a metro at the moment, losing uses for the 1st time and what . 18 years of its history. Yeah, thats right. Losing logan uses for the 1st time in the history to the tune of 500000 fuel loggins every day. Thats according to the companys own reports that were published on wednesday for the last 3 months of 2021. Just to break that down into figures slumped to 1. 9. 3000000000 logans today. You know, even though that is around a quarter of the entire worlds population, it has precipitated a plummet in share to the tune of 26 percent. And his wife, 200000000000. 00 worth of the facebook Parent Company. Mesa, which of course owns instagram and whats up and hes headed by the facebook. C o found the increase amongst a big now mark is like a big has seen a hit to his personal wealth, to the tune of around 29000000000. 00. Now for a man whos with close to 107000000000. 00, thats going to affect him as much as lossless change is going to affect me and you look at big has come up with his own excuses as regards to decline. He says it correlates with the rising popularity of tick tock, tick, tock, specializes in short, video format. So on. Social media is been hugely popular amongst jen z, especially over the past couple of years. Hes also blamed apples privacy changes. Thats something thats gonna Cross Facebook around 10000000000. 00 per year is something that theyve fought for months. It gives uses the choice to stop facebook keeping tabs on the Online Movement book. There has been a little bit of scrutiny as to whether these excuses stand up from a big of course these, these figures capital of a terrible 2021 for facebook has been my it in controversy and scandal. The last few months of 2021 is also when the facebook, former employee whistleblower france, is how can release thousands of harmful documents calling for external supervision. After alleging facebook with ignoring get obligations to do something about the negative effects, it has on Mental Health in teens and failing to sensor is a speech. And theyre going to hire 10000 engineers in your work. And there needs to be a regulatory home, or someone like me could do a tour of duty after working at a place like this. And have a place to work on things like regulation to bring that information out to the oversight boards that have the right to do oversight, Regulatory Agency within the federal government. Yes. Now the democrats lab philip how guns demands, mainly because they felt conveniently in line with their own grievances against big tech a face, but was also bashed from the republicans that was because they were going against free speech by banding, prominent political figures, namely the former us president donald trump, but look a bit has rubbish that idea. He said that its a convenient excuse. Its a calculated effort to tarnish his company. But it also led to him rebranding facebook as it meets, which is of course the, the Parent Company now with his social networking empire as it were now facebook problems dont. And that on wednesday, also the australian billionaire andrew, for he said he was taking facebook to court because they failed to crack down quicken off on scam advocates that were trying to get australians involved in bogus and crypto currency schemes than been using his image to promote that so facebook my is in the contribution scandal for the latest time taking a hit on that daily hit. But if you want to keep up to date with a story hits hope r t dot com. Incidentally on facebook, twitter, and in scrums, well, alright. Artes danny armstrong. Thank you. I thank you for joining us here for the program live for moscow with our Team International wrapping up this our show, but we are back soon with the