thank you for watching the headlines here at r.t. international broadcasting live from moscow. donald trump says there's a possibility the north korean crisis won't be resolved peacefully the u.s. president claims that's because having dialogue with pyongyang is next to impossible meanwhile the goshi ations between the koreas have led to a major breakthrough in their relations artie's morgan has more in this recent interview given by u.s. president donald trump trouble repeated much of his typical rhetoric demonizing north korea betraying them as a threat to the region and from there he went on to say that sanctions and isolation of the country and threats were probably the best approach because dialogue with that country might be impossible this is donald trump's words i'm not sure the talks will lead to anything meaningful they've talked for twenty five years and they've taken advantage of our presidents of our previous presidents to listen to trump's words you would think that the dialogue. currently taking place between the north and the south was irrelevant that nothing was happening but it looks like some historic breakthroughs have actually taken place this is what's was recently announced. to the north and south to march together in the opening ceremony under the korean peninsula flag from a single north south female ice hockey team. so here we have upcoming a joint women's ice hockey team that will be playing in the olympic games competing under a unified korean flag this is this is a huge breakthrough we also have two hundred thirty north koreans who are actually coming to the olympics to cheer and observe the games so there are some big breakthroughs going on but trump does not think they're significant is rhetoric trump did not only criticize north korea he's also called out shyness saying that he praised their efforts but he wished that they would do more and he said that russia wasn't helping at all now russia was a signatory to the recent sanctions on north korea and they have stated over and over again that they have not at any point breached those sanctions that they signed on to now with all of this with his criticism not just of north korea but also of russia and of china donald trump seemed to be emphasizing that he believed that his approach and which the north koreans were met with more isolation more economic sanctions more threats and more of a punitive approach he believed that that approach was the best way to bring peace to the korean peninsula well it's not just don't trump sounding tough on north korea and western allies from the korean war in the one nine hundred fifty s. have gathered in town today pushing for even more sanctions against the explains whether the meeting has produced any meaningful solutions. the purser continuing to in north korea the son says to do this i think that. is to send out a very clear message we want to intensify that pressure it is not the time to pressure or to rework no it's career the surest path to peace ease to keep threatening north korea into submission after a long and challenging meeting that's the best the vancouver group could come up with the purpose of our meetings today is to improve the effectiveness. of the maximum pressure campaign and combat north korea's attempts to evade sanctions the united states looks forward to hearing from all participants on how we can best do that more sanctions toughest sanctions though one might wonder what the reason left of north korea to sanction or why they would work now when they haven't for the seventy years a few of the participants also proposed ripping up all diplomatic relations with the north that were to work and diffuse things re-inforcing autonomous majors when where available. disclosed to include cutting off diplomatic ties to his north korea solid meeting of north korea's former enemies literally almost all of these countries were participants of the korean war on the side of south korea states such as luxembourg colombia greece belgium difficult to imagine what relevance they have to the korean crisis these days but there you go noticeably absent with two countries that are actually relevant to the crisis apart from north korea itself the two countries that actually share a border with the north china and russia. closer to nuclear russia and china were not invited to this meeting they just said the meeting will take place on the sixteenth of january or you can come in the evening we will tell you what we have agreed on this was unacceptable what the state department said about russia supporting this meeting that's a complete lie we consider this meeting harmful to. the most important parties involved in the korean peninsula nuclear issue aren't taking part in the meeting but we don't know what the goal of this meeting is so i don't think this meeting is legal or representative from the very beginning china has been opposed to this meeting should ok so you invited a bunch of countries that have little to do with the crisis and came up with all the tried tested and failed solutions they went a step further refusing any advice russia and china have long stood by a double freeze meaning north korea stops doing this. and south korea and the united states stop sending nuclear bomb and still harass the north and poor's with the war games. no said rex tillerson when the north does it it's a provocation when we do it it's deterrents have a jewel way but couldn't you wait. at long last after years north korea and south korea holding direct face to face negotiations the olympics around the corner and everyone with any sense once things to settle down so what does the vancouver group do while it gathers all of north korea's former enemies and declares it intends to tighten the noose around kim jong un's neck ours that for a path to peace. security analyst charles shoe bridge says it's ironic that while south korea is seeking peaceful solutions it's supposed allies are escalating the rhetoric. it's a considerable course diplomatic achievement for the north and arguably for the south but i think it's particular ironic that last this if you like not exactly a fall on the part it's going on at least a thawing of tensions between north and south that is happening in vancouver the former allies of south korea of course are tightening the noose as they call it increasing the rhetoric and raising the temperature south korea itself today is seemingly at least for the time being rejecting that belligerent approach and actually adopting an approach of talking and trying to ease tensions and seemingly with some first steps as results it appears to be the case that when the interests and the foreign policy and the actions of the united states are put to one side local players are to some degree at least able to start finding local solutions. the u.n. agency for palestinian refugees has slammed america's decision to freeze more than half of its planned funding for the organization the agency is calling it the worst funding crisis in its history after a white house spokesperson and notes the decision we committed a voluntary contribution of sixty million dollars for twenty eight thousand so far sixty five million dollars that is money that will be held for future consideration it's money that's been frozen at this time it's not being canceled it's just being held for future consideration this is not aimed at punishing anyone. well the move sparked wide scale protests in gaza with many venting their anger at america's decision people how the foreigners who challenge it slogans demanding further assistance for refugees. on the side of the aisle of the world europe the arabs and everyone who has a connection to the palestinian course is responsible for this we are the palestinian people who were evicted from our homes towns and sudarshan we have a right to the support of the un r.w. an island which provides a minimum of assistance to the palestinian people what is now provided is not enough for a family to leave around for a mark. artie's middle east correspondent paula slater takes a closer look at how the decision may affect refugees we have heard from the united nations relief and works agency that this american money freeze what was asked in a dramatic reduction on the lives of palestinians this is a humanitarian and relief agency that supports some five point nine million registered palestinians and their descendants who fled or were expelled from israel during the one nine hundred forty eight and nine hundred sixty seven wards they currently reside in the palestinian territories in gaza in east jerusalem as well as in jordan syria and lebanon and this is why there is some concern being expressed that particularly in those host countries this decision by the american president donald trump could result in any instability now this is a huge blow to one where because the united states is the single largest donor and it follows course from the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to have the agency close down altogether. once you're in r. w. a is an organization that perpetuates the right to return for palestinian refugees narrative in order to eliminate the state of israel therefore the un r.w. must become a thing of the past now for nearly seventy years on right has been a lifeline to the palace. stands who say that with altered basic access to services like education health care sanitation would simply vanish and leave hundreds of thousands of children even more vulnerable than they are today he was also concerned about his latest move and the mines the ability of the united nations to respond in the future if and when there is a flare up of violence. we spoke to dr mustafa barghouti general secretary of the palestinian national initiative and he says the decision will hurt palestinian refugees scattered across the middle east. these are now more than five million or six million refugees that will be punished for being good a few g.'s b. will be deprived from the schools food to provide to the medical care to people deprived from shelters to people with disabilities this is a very serious blow to the. very important agency that is providing humanitarian aid to palestinian refugees in syria in lebanon jordan and in palestine itself back in june the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. nikki haley tweeted a picture of her posing with palestinian refugees at a camp in her post she explained how she'd managed to talk with them about their hopes and dreams however two weeks ago she changed her tone calling into question the future funding of the refugee agency i think the president has basically said that he doesn't want to give any additional funding or sed stop funding until the palestinians are agreeing to come back to the negotiation table and what we saw at the resolution was not helpful to the situation we're trying to move for a peace process but if that doesn't happen the president is not going to continue to find that situation this american action is directed at eliminating the rights of the palestinian refugees to progress you know what the gloom what you just said the palestinians. are being punished because we're not coming to the table of negotiations is totally incorrect mr president i'm has taken off the table of negotiations the issue of you was a limb now is ticking off the issue of refusing he has taken off the issue of settlements so is the bill is the empty why would palestinians come to an empty table a surrender to him and to israel this will never happen. members of the european parliament have had a busy day discussing russia and suppose threats coming from moscow r.t. to europe correspondent peter oliver has more now what we see. see is this polarizing any piece on one side the group that said that russia was the root of all fake news and lies they were trying to drum up support an extra cash for the east struck com task force now that's the e.u. body that tries to look into an expose what it sees as fake news r.t. and sputnik featured very heavy in some of the rhetoric coming from these m.e.p. they're focused firmly on the fact that every vote in europe was potentially the target of a dastardly russian plot and there are russian agents in this their own parliament right now and they're already trying to actively influence our elections russia today has put make on to other channels are dangerous it's quite interesting that the communists and the extremists nationalists in this chamber very can see russia and us information. and of course your carbs but we can see you are also voices pointed back towards those same a piece you just heard from saying that they were just looking for a bogeyman a scapegoat for their own political failings and that russia fitted that skate go perfectly we need to be careful when using phrases like fake neo i'm not trying to defend the russian regime by that i'm just rather skeptical by references to interference in the us and european elections there is no evidence of such interference. with lies and lies and lies are being told throughout europe and we hear the same story over and over again. should you say that the russian media spreads false figures and facts to us when have russians provided false facts when i followed events in libya afghanistan iraq and syria and in all instances i've seen the transatlantic lies the media have been reporting published the findings of following from this debate on whether there needs to be more financing for the east struck contest force in the spring and keeping an eye or not expect to see this debate over fake news not going anywhere anytime soon. in catalonia pro independence supporters have hit the streets to celebrate a separatist victory in regional elections but this controversy over will lead the new parliament wrong ask in the right. i don't think that any country can push a button and get rid of trade this is far too important there before i wish to political backlash money is a very fine people think and i think it will be very quick before people find ways around it because as i say it may be damaging and i cut it back but the idea that you could do anything nearly the same in the south it is very unlikely. what politicians do something to. put themselves on the line they get accepted or rejected. so when you want to be president or injury. or somehow want to be president. that's it right to be press that's what the forecast three in the morning can't be good that i'm interested always in the waters of my colleagues. question. welcome back pro independence supporters have held a mass rally in catalonia celebrating the first session of the newly elected regional parliament which a separatist majority. widescale riots have been a common slide since catalonia spoke for independence was declared illegal by madrid the move saw a number of pro independence politicians jailed while former catalan lead a car less predictable went into exile in lenny and now expressing hope and what. we expect that from here their man can be proclaimed president the best option and what he that he swears in as president and brussels because what people have chosen and then he comes back to catalonia as an elected president. but i think there is a way that he can be elected and straight in brussels. what is best for the country's disobey the spanish more likely to make the catamaran republic go forward there is a whole country behind him a social majority once the catalan republic we don't have anything to do with the spanish more like an emotionally mentally speaking and we want to make the republic go forward. well after the first session of parliament wrapped up the question of electing the region's president remains open palace which along claims who can run the region via skype or through a special representative during the session the seats of the representatives absent due to imprisonment or exile were marked with yellow ribbons the symbol of the independence. well apart from pro independence activists anti breakaway movements have also been gaining popularity meat to bania it's a fictional land inside catalonia which includes the regions of barcelona and tarragon are the activists who came up with it want to split from catalonia and join spain and this is their reasoning it was but a little more thought is that we went from being one of the main drivers of the spanish economy to a mediocre autonomy at the exit of more than three thousand companies was followed by encouraging the civil population to disobey the constitutional order to get a republic that lasted eight seconds and without any international support. russia's investigative committee claims that new evidence refute allegations the state sponsored the swapping of athlete samples at the sochi winter olympics artie's daniel hawkins has the details. well this is the result of a low inquiry by russia's investigative committee going all the way back to last year with regards to that doping scandal they've looked into some new details of course of google rights in coffs account before head of moscow's anti doping approach now whistleblower and fugitive in the united states into some of the technical details in his allegations namely how allegedly these samples were transported and tampered with they found out that these samples were transported to the social abode three under strict conditions of supervision and then processed during daytime periods of between thirty minutes and two hours so a very rapid turnaround that of course contradicts the count which was quite different. people coming from the fire. i was taking the bull. there claiming that this alleged operation took place in the dead of night it was of course his claims that resulted in this scandal which resulted in the banning of many russian athletes and blanket ban and subsequently on the team. himself of course is a controversial enough figure as we said he's the former head of moscow's and he brought tree he is wanted there in russia on drug trafficking charges on selling and moving dangerous and illegal substances we understand he's now under a witness protection program in the united states nevertheless despite these charges it was his evidence his allegations that led to the mclaren report subsequently used as a basis for this banning blanket banning of russian athletes at international olympic events just last month we learned there are you see decided to impose a ban on the blanket ban on russian athletes at the south korean winter olympic games making them participate hundred neutral flag not under russian flag not playing the russian at them. so this result really puts into question. any of rocher graphs or allegations raises more questions that all this is but certainly a very interesting turn to this story very interesting to see to follow it and see where it goes after this. bit coin has recently been on a roller coaster ride but the last twenty four hours have seen its value plummets to below eleven thousand dollars in fact all major critic current season down the therion fell drastically in value by thirty one percent and is currently valued at just under a thousand dollars the crash follows a global crackdown on the regulation of digital currency is in brazil investment funds are now prohibited from buying cryptocurrency is wanting china authorities are targeting online platforms that offer exchange services and india is actively targeting wealthy bit corners through income tax regulation where some believe asia will bring in even tougher measures and there are warnings this could now be a survival of the fittest for digital currencies activists supporting the recent movement against sexual misconduct attacking their peers or thirst actors and other public figures who have questioned the direction in which the so-called need to campaign is going to facing a few years back to lash r.t. jacqueline berger has the latest examples i feel like every time you turn around another me too headline has hit the press with new accusations from directors to actors to fashion photographers but it seems we've reached a turning point as renowned feminists are concerned that the campaign is becoming a witch hunt take margaret atwood author of a handmaid's tale and acclaimed work attacking mythologising who says she's starting to doubt the movement this structure guilty because accused has applied to many more episodes in human history than salem my fundamental position is that women are human beings the full range of sente end demonic behaviors does entails including criminal ones they're not in keep a ball of wrongdoing. the backlash she's received online and in the media has been ruthless strange how someone so brilliant can demonstrate so little insight and self reflection i guess privilege is blinding wish margaret atwood would get back to writing to step in a fiction about a message in this world instead of you know actively creating it. i mean seventy eight year olds on exactly knowing that progressive takes connelly's a right the first female african-american secretary of state also says me too maybe changing perceptions of women and not for the better i do think we have to be a little bit careful let's not turn women into snowflakes let's not infantilize women over in france one hundred influential female artists are being led by actress catherine deneuve and signing an open campaign letter against me to rape is a crime but in system comes the floor is not a crime nor is gallantry of sharpness aggression now this liberation of speech has been turned on its head but the reaction to that was furious and another was forced to issue a hasty apology a few prominent men have also voiced their reservations one of them was actor liam neeson there is a bit of a witch hunt toppling famous people suddenly accused of. touching some girls from the. something suddenly they're being dropped from their approval right or something unsurprisingly nice and common have also been less than well received by many the problem here seems to be that there's often a if you aren't with us you're against us mentality with movements such as me to those who are speaking out about their concerns are not condoning sexual assault nor attacking the campaign itself but more often than not their words are twisted or go unheard attwood may have said it best herself in times of extremes extremists win. well for more on these and plenty of other stories that go to our website dot com otherwise i'll be back with the latest headlines at the top of the. two thousand and eight economic crisis turns some countries into pay. these are the countries with weaker economies that needed austerity. policy is if you are in a situation of flow bloat even the recession austerity is a very bad idea it doesn't work and it makes millions of people very unhappy those who are unemployed see their wages decline almost a decade how good are the results then you go in peaceful by the people gathered in which the wider world get people to see what i joined a choice. to be in full view she is still a plumber was i mean to fight he told. so much nothing more than this she did not was always think they see something and not get it. while the same mission is still in place who one of the consequences is to weaken blue bird flu disputable who will first be one of the swiss the truth the consider is the consequences are actually quite acceptable to the decision making. here's what people have been saying about rejected in the us it is full on awesome well the only show i go out of my way to launch you know what it is that really packs a punch oh yeah it's the john oliver of r t america is doing the same we are apparently better than food nothing's better and see people you never heard of love redacted tonight not the president of the world bank though hate mongers write me seriously send us an email. or tell. this is from bus broadcasting around the world from washington d.c. i'm part chilton. and coming up might be one. hundred twenty five year old general electric company beyond the breakup path actually bank starts our conversation about what that might mean and have you given or received a counterfeit gift milot chan will help explain a lot most of us don't know but stay tuned you will and as digital currencies crater we'll talk about what can help ensure that digitals do the bulk and live long and prosper plus atocha sweet looks at the economic and horrific human impact of those california mudslides but first let's get to a few of the business and financial headlines. recent bank earnings statements paying a surprisingly didn't pitch or for some of the biggest names in the sector heads turned yesterday when citi group the noun to bigger its quarterly last ever eighteen point three billion dollars city took a onetime hit of twenty two billion dollars from changes to the tax law the loss came out to seven dollars and fifteen cents per share about three billion of that twenty two billion came from the newly enacted changes related to companies overseas earnings city executives are bullish however about future profits meanwhile goldman sachs announced their biggest quarterly loss in six years the tax changes resulted in a four point four billion dollars hit to goldman's bottom line on seven point eight three billion dollars in revenue the bottom line for goldman a one point nine three billion dollars loss and bank of america also share the temporary pain for that from the tax bill change two point nine.