Broadcasting live direct from our studios in moscow this is R T International glad to have you with us as we recap the weeks top stories with our weekly program. Russias overhaul the constitution came into effect on sunday following a previous weeklong vote a hefty majority of the public indorsed of the changes with over 3 quarters in favor from a turnout of around 68 percent taylor kept tabs on the final day of polling for us. Now this really was a vote of us the fos time people were in mosques and gloves the time they were using disposable pens will construe temperature sconce focusing on law and facade as for the voting process itself while there was a situation where security footage allegedly caught a woman stuffing the ballots now that counting in that area of moscow has been suspended pending an investigation otherwise the central Editorial Commission says that it found no irregularities that was so many amendments on the table 147. 00 in total that its difficult to decide what it was that ultimately secured public backing but undoubtedly its the package of social amendments that house particularly white appeal im talking about things like adjusting pensions in law and with inflation and showing that the minimum wage should never have a fools below the cost of living as well as giving additional Financial Support to low income families these proof because they have such a tangible impact on peoples day to day lives but that is not to say that this was an easy decision for anyone old that it was without control to see a few amendments proved to be particularly polarizing and one that paints a lot of media traction was consulting the socalled zeroing out of president putins previous tubs paving the way for him potentially if he wanted to do so run again twice as president on top of the some of the more conservative amendments proved to be divisive such as defining marriage so many as a union between a man and a woman reiterating traditional family values as well as mentioning goal despite the fact that russia is officially a sect of the nation but let him the people themselves and what they have to say. Why have i come here to vote because im a citizen of russia and a green with all of them men women and i am not ok with them and about the president ial term i absolutely do not agree with. The can from it. With all of the amendments in the constitution of. The most important to me is the prevalence of russia you know over international the head of the Central Election Commission of says something about voting being like a meal deals you either take everything or you do not take it at all and i already do not like one dish in this meal deal so i will not take Everything Else i think it is nonsense according to all legal logical and ethical norms i love my country and you think everything that has been done is right i think that its needed because the current constitution is out of date it is a modern time and even the view of the life is new the bit of a mixed bag in terms of reaction and people decide to show that disapproval not just at the polls but also protest peaceful ones in the capital and also in the us and petersburg but true to 2024 it was safety fast. Not. Because. Ultimately though many who put a tick in the yes box would argue that the russia of 9093. 00 when this current constitution was born was full of political and economic instability it was still finding its feet after the collapse of the soviet union and that russia is not the same as the russia of 2020 that almost entirely Different Countries so i think this is just to the changes was born from a desire for the countrys top document to move with the times to set russia on a new course and shape its future as envisaged by russians now today and not as envisaged by russians almost 30 years ago. There was a long list of amendments in the package on offer but it was one element in particular the got much of the foreign media fired up. Russias parliament basically paving the way for Vladimir Putin to potentially stay on as russian president hes the longest serving russian leader since Joseph Stalin a lot of your putin wants to stay in power even longer addressing lawmakers afterwards putin said he backed the amendment allowing him to seek another term in office but there are dozens of interesting thought lucians that should also be discussed and the one that caught my eye was on children the role of children and all phones i explicitly mentioned in one of the constitutional a mark which i think is worse while reflecting the Russian Federation of the year 2020 is in many regards i would say in a different situation than was the country in 1903 when we compare the International Circumstances but also of course the National Economic and political situation the early ninetys were marked by the implosion of the soviet union marked by the down group of communists and. It was more about being a fax s. Of the then the Russian Federation that we have today i think there is a need for. Meeting this new circumstances because a constitution is almost a reflection of a society and also of the circumstances of the country it is in so that huge year of the legislature the parliament is in order to respond to these new with egypt is. A caravan to travel statues lent to historical racism so groups attack and others attempted to defend monuments throughout the week and while some of the villagers may be clear the vandalism of denmarks Little Mermaid was a little harder to comprehend it was down to with the words racist to fish but. Say that they cant see what could possibly be racially insensitive about the Hans Christian andersen fairy tale so what is the best way to remember our history the good and the contentious arties peter all of our explores what germany thinks is the answer. When it comes to assessing and dealing with difficult periods of history germany has more experience than most but we havent seen the type of scenes here that have played out in the United States britain belgium. I. I i. I was. I. But germany isnt without its own controversial statues otto von bismarck has been dogged with red paint in hamburg while as an Ongoing Campaign to block the renovation of another monument to the eye and chancellor in the port city bismarck wasnt just crucial in german unification he was also a driving force in colonialism and by todays standards and i want to see might here in berlin selland off district anime as hassam in 1920 s. Depiction of a needling black woman was decapitated last week castleman remains controversial in germany he was a committed nazi and despite that fact his works continue to be displayed across the german capital this particular monument had been slated for removal by city authorities whod already deemed it earlier this year on suitable for display in the city of berlin and if it had Diverse Society cannot exist with this kind of bigotry and prejudice you cannot live together if you do not treat each other equally people shouldnt be discriminated against based on the color of their skin so what happens the statues in germany that no longer justify. Exhibition well here in berlin theyve got just the place for them the spandau citadel although the 16th century fortress has its own troubled past it was used as a chemical weapons storage by the nazis but the proposal was to bring those that you to a museum to show it is an example of racism so these mistakes are not repeated this racial stereotype should not be demonstrated on the streets but in a museum where we could demonstrate it to people within context. As we move through the exhibition we see hundreds of years of prussian military strongman into monuments of naziism the 3rd reich didnt really do sculpture but this casually too is one of few described by hitler is irreplaceable the nazis preferred buildings as their monuments to time and this plenty of those still visible in modern berlin. One of the most i cant change in this collection of discarded start to see is this gigantic granite head of blood to me a lenin its all that remains of a 19 meet monument that was built in 1970 to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth. In the United States and also in Great Britain the red discussions at the moment about what to do with dismantle memorials but here we have already found a possible solutions for memorials that are so to speak toxic if you put them in a museum that doesnt mean its over we put them here so that people can continue to Pay Attention to them but in a different context germany is often cited as the example to follow when it comes to assessing periods of history troubling to modern sensibilities even if there are 2 named after nazi field Marshall Erwin rommel that the German Military calls home to this day they glossed over it as they dont fit the particular narrative because history has a tendency not to be as neat as we might like it when its really examined peter all of r. T. Berlin. The us has been ground 0 for revising the past these last few months and now even the countrys National Anthem is in question it to unfold Daniel Hawkins picks up the story for us. 2020 is a year of change and im not talking about coronavirus popular t. V. Shows axed statues torn down even food brands updated to meet 21st century criteria of inclusive u. T. Equality justice and tolerance but is it enough more be done well in the United States protests during the National Anthem have been a bone of contention for quite a few years but what about the National Anthem itself well now some people are saying enough is enough. I. I well thats thats you that just came off the plinth was Francis Scott key the man behind the lyrics that the starspangled banner and former slave owner and anti abolitionist so whats the deal with the anthem itself. Andrew shows war and. War. What you can sing the 3rd verse all right of course the rarely performed that 3rd verse was directed by key black slaves whod been freed or escaped and fought alongside the british in the war of 1812 his message to them was clear your fight for freedom will bring you nothing but death and downfall Little Wonder then that there was a truck that increasing scandal across the United States would both soccer teams and High School Students refusing to play or sing at keys that only profited from slavery he apparently also harbored some pretty backward views on race and nationality and this widely attributed quote certainly has no place in this day and age. You dont want to hear me sing in french. But that was the mossie years familiar to all around the world for centuries truly a symbol of French National identity both in times of joy and tragedy and. Did. You knew that you know that is. True oh google earth d. You so well some of those lyrics furious soldiers coming to cut throats grabbing weapons impure blood may seem to some at least to be appropriated by the far right and certainly having no place in the modern republic calls for change remain theres even a movement for a new master yes and while theyre still far off their goal theyre not alone various french figures throughout history have had issues with them from the right to victor hugo to socialist leaders. Even seeing a surge gains baulk who wrote his own reggae version back in 1979 have called for a more c. S. Make over. To seeing or not to seeing that is the question well former u. K. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn found himself at the center of a media storm when he really got the wrong answer are you saying that you will sing the National Anthem im going to be many of ill take part fully in those events i dont see a problem but this is the issue surely is that we had a memorial for the birth of britain i was there and despite his explanation the press was merciless branding him all but a traitor but what would they say in 2020 beyond the 1st verse which we all know the lyrics do get a little strange especially in a Secular Society talk of a day theorizing to scatter enemies and punish those rebellious scots hardly makes any friends up north and whatever his reasons corbin isnt alone for example indigenous members of parliament in all taria recently announced they wont be taking part in any of them singing. God save the queen is now ok tribute to the British Colonial period and the centuries of violence oppression and discrimination the British Empire carried out against nations and peoples are considered inferior Indigenous Peoples in canada a glaring example among them perhaps corbin was just ahead of his time as was kind of a they officially passed the motion back in 2018 making their. Gender neutral true. I debates around symbols such as from statues obriens dont seem to be going anywhere anytime soon but as the calls for transformation grows louder many may question what fundamentals they really change beyond just up symbolism. Still ahead on our to international it is a World Heritage site visited by millions but proposed plans for is down balls most comic building could set muslims and christians at odds more on that after a short break this is the week we are arch international. Join me every thursday on the alex simon show and ill be speaking to guest of the world of politics or business im show business ill see you then. Welcome back this is the weekly on R T International police finally moved in to clear out the self declared autonomous protest zone in seattle on wednesday although pockets of protests are ongoing in neighboring districts activists occupy the citys capitol hill which became known as chop about a month ago after police evacuated their precinct building there the campaigners had said they hoped to create a Peaceful Police free utopia but that peace did not last long in the 3 weeks of protests that the zone saw 4 shootings 2 of them fatal there were also reports of assaults burglaries and rape the protesters some armed were warned that they could face arrest if they did not leave in the end over 30 were detained Seattle Police released footage of some of the violence. At 1st and the mayor wanted to leave the activists to their takeover hoping for a quote summer of love but she was later forced to take action that decision came after protesters marched on her home demanding that the police be defunded an activist at the side watched as officers moved protestors on this is his report. So i am outside of the pine street entrance of the shop right now where a bunch of police have set up a barricade and the protesters are now beginning to gather you know just. You know theyre blocking the street and trying to cause a little bit more awareness and the officers took that as an opportunity to simply enforce their version of law oh yeah nothing yet you know. But the police came and chopped and ousted the remaining people who were staying there has been a brown 32 a rests and theyve been spraying people pepper spray them in aggressive from your perspective what exactly happened basically i was at the bar and 10 at 4 am and it all started with that bang bang bang screams and then my. Back there were a couple individuals who were speaking loudly words megaphones who were doing the crowd energized to actually bringing people in off the streets and the cops in a little bike brigade actually charging targeted those people arresting them individually and throwing them into the back of a cop cars far end of chalk. Not too long ago there were a bunch of tents in these areas there were people hanging out just living but in 5 hours everyone has been evacuated you know like you had a morning like. Didnt want to talk i still cant help. My next friend down and her friend you know i dont think anybody in seattle did not see this coming ever since the string of 4 to 5 shootings that have. Recently found out that the last shooting it was a 14 of a 16 year old kid who were killed so i think that it was. The cops decided that it was time to put an end to it theres a lot of the moralization right now especially in the crowd of protesters because i think a lot of people are taking. Its a bit of a law. Because basically where. Were. Told. This entire idea of. Seems to have. But come to an end. The future of an ancient monument in turkey is at the center of a political round over the president s desire to turn it into a mosque sophia in istanbul has been a museum for almost a century before that it was an Orthodox Christian cathedral for over 900 years and then a mosque for nearly 500. 00 it is an imposing unesco World Heritage site and a draw for millions of tourists. Turkeys made administrative body is expected to decide on the building status in around 2 weeks time says it is illegal to change a Cultural Heritage monument status without their permission and given that it has been a muslim and christian place of worship over the centuries one Eastern Orthodox Church leader is warning that the move could turn millions of christians against islam theyre not the only ones who are concerned the United States future changing the status of the fear is diminishing the legacy of this remarkable building and its one supposed to billet to serve humanity as a much needed bridge between those who have differing faith traditions and cultures. The highest of the a must not be allowed to be divested of its universal character and turned into a muslim place of worship where they take his government and president to do on our attempting to do today revives and reignites fanatical nationalist and religious sentiment a symbol of tolerance and diversity this place must remain open to all however the turkish leadership is not happy at being told what to do insisting it has the right to make decisions about its own buildings a president ial Spokesman Says the turning the museum into a mosque would not damage its cultural meaning and that that visitors would still be welcome here is some of the reaction that weve heard from people in turkey. As far as im concerned its best for it to stay in museum because there is a blue mosque 100 meters across the way its best for him to see the museum i hope that it will be open soon and Almighty Allah will allow us to pray here as soon as possible but frankly i see it is a necessary tourism revenues are already all over the place because of tens of thousands of people come here every month to worship and by doing Something Like this creating an artificial agenda theres nothing logical theres no right to me. Trying to revive the ottoman empire. We can see that it was all good movements that hes making and within this framework of good he would like to see also a gradual one year so if you are. To go before the other door. And this way he thinks that she will support the question over yourself. Is not an issue. Between disagree government and turkish because 8 years of fear is something that belongs to your manatee many jerks also intercounty believe it that it should remain a World Heritage and also as such as a museum it gives a lot so her Financial Support to church with a mayor over of which temple came out in saying that we dont need another mosque he said that that we should that we should leave it as it is at least orderly or close to it but i dont hes adamant he wants to break with maoist past for his own benefit but as a female be back with more news than lets say 34 minutes youre watching R T International stay with. Before. The club became a household name really now states and other world over. Luxury goods ceased to be a city that. Gender corridor compromised by what is a sure National Interest people talk about gridlock in congress you hear people talk about. The right salt the radicals in both parties so all this rambling. Will be assaulted by pardons some tryst approach to politics both domestic and foreign predates thats the 1st. Time after time corporations repeat the same mantra sustainability its very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport sustainability stay number may not be more equitable and sustainable while. They claim their production is completely hamas followed. This lieblich libby kakadu to compass my model sometimes it does not to busan Companies Want us to feel good about buying their products while the damage is being done far away and this is something ill just as he didnt even and i need much. Since i moved in this new medium to me man and einstein seem to me the best understood superman in. The world is driven by a dream shaped by a person with those great. No dairy. Queen to ask. The way and welcome to cross talk for all things are considered on Peter Lavelle russia game will ever really die this hoax has a life of its own also the Foreign Policy blog mobilizes around old. Ross talking this and more im joined by my guest Marcus Papadopoulos in london is the editor of politics 1st magazine and in budapest we have George Samuel he is author of bombs for peace natos humanitarian war on yugoslavia our gentlemen crossed up rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want and i always appreciate ok lets 1st go to budapest george i dont know what iteration of russia gate were in right now but again we have a hoax that is evidence free anonymous source the media ran with it of course the political opposition the United States democrats they ran with it. And if lots but i suppose most people that heard a conspiracy the version of that Conspiracy Theory believes its true this is turning into a powder and i must say. Shorts yes yes youre right peter it is a pattern we have the same cost of characters we have. Anonymous intelligence officials we have the democratic. And we have the media and the pattern is exactly the same which is we have a story arise with no evidence. No documentary evidence no one speaking on the red core and a story that flies in the face of common sense such as you know why would the taliban want to kill americans when americans are withdrawing from afghanistan. Why would the russians want to kill