and. tens of thousands of egyptians step up the pressure on president hosni mubarak to resign as the flood the streets of cairo for the eighth day. egypt bracing itself for the biggest protest in its history join me polis me in a few moments. the western media covers the riots in egypt as a democratic storm twisting the story and other similar events their own to say the mainstream view is played by. russia remembers its first president in a verse or boris yeltsin's birthday with commemorative events being held all across the country we'll bring you more details in just a few moments. you're

watching our teeth three pm here in moscow and we start with where over one hundred thousand people have gathered for a mass rally this expected to top one million its latest in a string of protests aimed at overthrowing the country's president at least three hundred people may have been killed so far and a three thousand injured since demonstrations began over a week ago. brings us the latest from cairo. the plan is for demonstrators to make their way to presidency and palace and hand over their demands now parallel to these demonstrations happening here in cairo there are protests happening in alexandria where ordinary civilians are wearing armbands they're doing the job of the police and they are keeping the situation at least so far under control the

official word from the army is that they will not get involved they will not use force the army saying that they respect the legitimacy of these protests to go ahead but mubarak for his side is a prime question trying to choke the organizers attempts of reaching one million people out on the streets of egypt today earlier today the railway lines were shut down buses are not running and from the small the last remaining functioning internet provider has also been closed down google is reporting that its traffic has grinded to a complete halt zero percent we've seen a group like the muslim brotherhood which is the largest opposition group here in egypt lending its support to mohamed el baradei but making it very clear that that support is temporary people are really asking him to respond at all baradei he might be well known in international circles but back here in egypt he's simply a figure that not too many offer many of with so the questions that are being bandied about in the street is where does he come from to support some of the answers that people offer to those kind of questions is that he is very much of the

same line as mubarak they believe that he is a man who supported from the west particularly from the united states they are critical of their kind of support but having said that they do believe that there needs to be an opposition leader at the moment tonight the various different opposition groups here at least for the time being. now i chime in kind of dark. and scary we we get there every day like. we say ok who like to to do the first shift into would like to do the second and so on some people are armed you know. mohammed and his neighbors take turns protecting their property by day care professionals by night street guards groups of armed gangs are on the prowl and ordinary citizens have to rely on themselves for protection they've collected what they can kitchen knives bathroom sticks poles

rods anything they can get their hands on to keep their home safe. and with security at an all time low the leader who's come forward to a place where he will buy it is offering precious little to make egyptians feel safer. a belated attempt at getting in on this opposition movement well it may be too late he's part of the international crisis group a murky elite group with close ties to western interests i think of the media of war two different lines as the people of egypt are shown such courage in the face of such us backed terror that has occurred in egypt for the past thirty years i'm not sure mohammed el baradei really stands much of chance as a senior analyst to say washington has yet to officially declare support for the forming international atomic energy agency chief but he's someone they recognize as do other foreign powers prompting some to believe president obama's allegiance is now divided between the current president and the would be challenger. and there is

no difference between the bark in el baradei and american spirit and the american media has built up one hour a day. don't like it or europe and the united states and hasn't even been here after thirty years. and he came back and called for a regime change prompting critics to point out that he was absent for most of us. but i very. day lived in america we don't know he was living out here. and telling our. daughter fall she. only for a short period of change only temporarily. he's much better known on the international stage than in his own backyard and is yet to be recognized by the eighteen million egyptians he hopes to who are good and the egyptians need national leaders not american apartments with american agenda if people support el baradei it's only

because they hate on bark. which is why it must be chaos egypt and find themselves turning to each other for protection and reassurance. whoever it is egypt's and next leader will have to deal as an immediate priority with the situation on the ground and that is a situation that seems essential supplies in and running going that a.t.m. is out of cash we're hearing that supermarkets literally have nothing else to sell so that is a priority people displayed on the streets and we're just hearing word that the latest figures are more than one hundred thousand people who have gathered in tokyo square here in cairo so those numbers are swelling and it certainly seems at this point in time that organizers will reach their goal of some one million people putting forward their demands they are really three scenarios that people are pushing forward the first is that the regime survives perhaps not in the form that it is in at the moment perhaps with someone like almost

a man who is the vice president at the helm but essentially the policies and the practices will remain very similar to what we see at the moment the second possibility is that of the elections elections are due to be held in september mubarak has been pushing for his son gamal to stand but that is an unpopular choice here in egypt and it certainly seems with these latest developments that that kind of scenario might not play out and then the third option that's being put forward is that you'll have this continued upheaval this continued effort on the streets of egypt today what ever the one thing is quite clear that these thousands of protesters who are out on the streets of egypt today all of it with a message and they miss it is that they're making history well washington has been financially supporting the country for years and is heavily invested in its political agenda but when it comes to openly supporting the incumbent president or his suggested replacement some say washington is playing a both fields to avoid losing out. right now we see being promoted by

a number of important actors including important actors in the united states like freedom house that has been served funding resistance groups in egypt however somebody who's been out of egypt for years he's somebody who promotes neo liberal reforms the same kind of that have caused the of an economic devastation in egypt and who doesn't have a real lot of credence within you know broadly within egypt and hasn't been involved in any of the democratic mobilization the muslim brotherhood has a base but certainly not the kind of base that would give it a win in the election the bush administration or the obama administration they've been supporting the mubarak regime for thirty years to the tune of one point five billion dollars a year remes more money than any other country in the world except for israel which is the top recipient and what they're doing is supporting a military dictatorship and they're doing that enthusiastically so this rhetoric about democracy is a complete farce that said there's no chance the muslim brotherhood would little action you know the difficulty for the united states is that mubarak is what is

really the key that they see has been holding israel and place and as such mubarak and his regime have been complicit in oppressing the palestinian people as well will the u.s. is taking its bets the u.s. has a tendency to fund both the both the those in power and to the opposition because that way either way it wins there is a recognition on the part of the state department that there is great discontent in egypt that there are that there have been riots there that there is a potential for the overthrow of this dictator who they've kept in power for thirty years recognizing that it's important to the state department to make sure that whoever is going to come and take his place will also be an ally of the united states. well that was anthropology professor adrian pine explaining washington's position on egypt's uprising and staying with a country where the blood scenes witnessed have been dominating headlines across the world the protests of the violence have become a media sensation but as artie's and as a see if you're going to has been finding out some western countries choose to

portray the events in a manner that suits their own political agenda. riots and outrage have the same face no matter where on the world map they take place. you are or the middle east you're britain or egypt when people do this. the world should know it's time to listen to what they have to say all the scale of events doesn't compare the anger does it is that a leadership deaf to the needs and desires of its people what we're seeing play out in tunisia egypt and other countries is no different than what we saw in in greece and what we've seen in italy and what we've seen in the u.k. are violent at least what is different is how the media choose to approach their cause bridge depending on what country has its streets in chaos you look at the double standard if you burn a bank in greece you're a villain if you burn the party headquarters in cairo you're a hero if you're not a mockery of course when recently tens of thousands of protesters took to the

streets of britain in reaction to to wish an hikes in an economy that was dwindling the u.s. media downplayed what was happening so stressing the young age factor the youth in britain are very disappointed and spinning the bad kids a play aspect the smashing of the windows a fire extinguisher getting thrown at a police person as well as underscoring the criminality of what was happening violent criminals who will join in the action for the sake of having a cause to adopt or just a crowd to join in benson anger focusing on the unfortunate occurrences with charles and camilla. what we know about charles and camilla they're fine right a window was smashed it was splashed the car kicked not to mention on any channel the symbolism of attacking the king in waiting seen by many of the british as a remnant of a deeply unfair class system because this under-reporting of substance by the us media have been a way to make sure the message from britain is that the common people are not

prepared to pay for the folly of the ruling elite did not read too close to home. meanwhile as the streets of egypt erupt in chaos stopping people u.s. media has been portraying the events as a struggle of the disenfranchised masses and stressing the need for the egyptian leadership to address the grievances of the population all of those values that we take so seriously here haven't really existed in that part of the world less attention has been drawn to u.s. support of this leadership united states taxpayers have billions of dollars over the past thirty years some medio also threw in wishful thinking could go all the way from tunisia to unlike britain egypt is a country seen as too different to reflect on the us speaking of the people's will and the need for responsive government may therefore be less scary information is a word that seems to be long forgotten by the mainstream american media instead

what you have been receiving are opinions from people far away from events on the ground but close to a political agenda that points depending on what kind of impact occurring world events can have on america that's in turkey i ti vo. you know all of russia is marking what would have been the eightieth birthday of the man who took better strike up to its limits and introduce democracy following the collapse of the soviet union boris yeltsin is remembered most for his sweeping reforms and free market aspirations bought four years after his death the legacy of the first president of russia still divides many. has more on the commemorations. there are plenty of commemorative events planned all across the country here in moscow at the never do it she seventy area where the first russian president is buried people have been coming here and down flowers and wreaths course the main events are being held in the city because it and it is the birthplace of boris yeltsin and there were plenty of events there and life marble monument was unveiled

there just earlier on tuesday in the events were tended by russia's president who did it was phrased boris yeltsin for his for his work as a russian president. was that only a puff of office president it was a very difficult every single citizen of our country realizes that today the first president always has his work cut out for him which is he needs to change the entire political system and this was the fight that befell boris yeltsin we must admit that he was some sort of tongue and stood his ground on ripley the modern but not perfect country we live in today was created thanks to boris yeltsin and everyone who helped him to build the foundations of a new nation is that on the boards yeltsin took over at a very very trying time for russia many blame him for allowing the soviet union to to decide to just saw. an equally large number of people believe that that was

a good thing but still a lot of people acknowledge the fact that she is that if she is the man who has introduced to basically started russian democracy who has carried on with their historic because the city did many very much needed economic reforms and of course his legacy remains very strong in that regard did a lot of people still believe that he did not take the right the loud too much influence from the united states into the country that he was not quite sufficient in fulfilling and carrying out the economic reforms bringing forcing a lot of people out of work and heightening the suicide rate. of course is still at the end of four years after his death the going majority of people are beginning to take a more benevolent view of russia's first president and the number of his critics actually blundell's as your spats he never doubted he would live to celebrate his country of birth day but instead his widow has to fight back tears while opening an

exhibition time to what have been his eightieth jubilee in nearly four years since boris yeltsin's death the agony of loss has given way to quiet remember and when he really liked family gatherings birthdays we usually celebrated with us. most of these photos show yeltsin in his early years in power but he had the backing of almost the entire country when voicing your political position was still an act of novelty and courage and went home of a different life and a better country are still untainted by the harsh reality of the war in chechnya which himself admitted it was a mistake the banking crisis that with cripple the already population all of these from the come later and some argue when fairly obscure all the good that yeltsin had done. anything you are just going to proceed through the distance especially in history i think we still need more time for the emotions and troubles to give way

to serious analysis of what to take tannic figures and really what. a dealership chunka service he's had of protocol for more than eight years and of all the else in the explosive character and unpredictable temperament often contravene the dry rules of diplomatic engagement but the mayor says he had never had a better boss. never thwarted a single event and he was never been emotionally he could be absolutely unpredictable and do what no one expected him to do like his famous conducting of an orchestra for example and again. he turned his head. that was the only one who's objective dragging him away all the other people running europe . he was actually doing to power by the great folks a few people who left office full of regrets for not fulfilling all of down it was only after yeltsin passed away that he country can start to examine his legacy in

all its complexity yeltsin seventieth birthday was celebrated with far fewer accolades but one take it later even those who criticized him very harshly are growing a bit more gracious investment of character in his policies because even they have come to realize that with all his ups and downs yeltsin was the very epitome of russia and the ninety nine acts in a way to artsy moscow. and to talk more on the legacy of the late president i'm joined by leon are wrong the author of a book on boris yeltsin and with her on the russian president dmitri medvedev said that modern russia should be grateful to the late president because he did not give up on democracy at a crucial time but what is in your opinion what is nelson's main achievement. well i think that's exactly i think. yeltsin has a lot of. free and fair elections and i'm quoting two referendums three general

elections and the presidential election which were considered both by the opposition and by the international observers completely free and fair nobody ever found any problem with that and everybody was allowed and including the opposition to the counting of the votes. it's most impressive that even after the armed rebellion in moscow in one thousand nine hundred three within two weeks yeltsin lifted all the censorship on the opposition media and also allowed everybody who participated in the. all the parties with the exception of five radical parties. dissipated in the rebellion to actually participate in the election to the newly established the parliament and i will talking about freedom how much freedom did russians really get under yeltsin. well it was it was a very chaotic time but frankly and that's what i wrote my book i don't think

russia has ever been with the exception of nine months between february ninth and seventy and november of one thousand seventeen russia has never been as free as it was under boris yeltsin and there are some specific instances about freedom it's a complete free absence of censorship of television radio and. newspapers and it is it is unimpeded access to the electoral process for the opposition in terms of the formation of the parties and in terms of the candidates running for elections and i was certain certainly at that time these were sweeping reforms and they've been heavily criticized do you think that boris yeltsin could have made the transition period any smoother for the russians. you know it's a very tough question i'm sure there were tactical mistakes made and they've been written about my problem is that it's all it's very easy to judge how everything

should have been done at the time where the country did not have a single commercial bank where they did not have a viable currency where there was no there were no currency reserves literally and very little gold left for the first time in russian history so he started the reforms emits a total collapse of the state run soviet economy and these were incredibly difficult conditions and i think under those conditions he's done if not the best then he probably has done as good as any human being could have been or ever another thing is that boris. to russia u.s. relations a whole new level and even gaining close personal friendship with the then president bill clinton but some do say as critics say that he did allow washington to interfere encroachments affairs a little too much what's your assessment on that. you know i've been though was trying to figure out what exactly is meant by the interference in the russian

affairs and i could never been able to establish that yes yeltsin have. a more a very old very friendly policy towards the united states towards the west towards the former soviet states but that was not because anybody interfered in the in his decisions or pressured him this was his strategy to open the opera see russia after the seventy years of the iron curtain and there was a coincidence of values unprecedented going to the values between russia and the west that time so the policy reflect that that including the. yeltsin's for example agreement with the with ukraine the recognition of ukrainian independence and various agreements that have been struck with the west i think this was the policy ultimately that was a dream for silver russia and i also don't believe that yeltsin was under anybody's pressure is if you had been under any pressure that he would have followed that

pressure and not done what you thought was in the best interests of his country all right thank you very much for that insight very interesting indeed that was leon are wrong the author of the book yeltsin a revolutionary life. and now to some other world news in brief this hour. south korea's president is demanding a pyongyang admits responsibility for two attacks last year ahead of planned peace talks if held they would be the first negotiations between the two says a north a shell the south korean island event for insists it was retaliation of souls large scale military drills close to the merry. border of the south has agreed to take part in talks in a step towards easing tensions on the peninsula but has rejected the north's offer to move the date forwards. the e.u. and the us have announced a fresh sanctions against rebel russian governments over december's post-election

violence or visa balance and it remains open for now sets have been imposed on the president aleksander because chicago and other top ranking officials it follows your motivation of the use of force against opposition supporters in the country washington and brussels say the economic restrictions will be lifted only when all those detained on political grounds argue the. australian officials are warning residents of queensland that a powerful tropical cyclone is heading towards the north east eight experts say it's said to be one of the worst storms to ever batter the area and could be life threatening it comes on the back of severe flooding in the region which claimed that least thirty five lives cycle yasi is expected to hit the coast on wednesday. and up next it's a business update with. that's

right tasa time to delve into the world of business and all eyes of course on the. london high court is set to decide whether or not to block. with russian oil giant the russian owners of t.m.p. b.p. filed a complaint seeking to stop the deal on the grounds that it violates the taint keeping shareholder cream and last month a british company and ross never agreed to form a joint venture for optical exploration and take across shareholding analysts say one of the disputed deal is unlikely to be blocked. the main. or. russian holders often get it because not to stop this deal because this is the extremely important for russia and i am sure that such people as you still. don't want to stop this very important well that is why in this case. the russians . have some small benefits and other questions it can be the problem or for example

deal with the problem of go weak and so on. and staying with the british company has announced it will pay dividends for the first time since the gulf oil spill after posting a profit in the fourth quarter of twenty ten despite an overall loss of five billion dollars last year this comes as team b.p. is rushing shareholders decided not to approve of one point eight billion dollars dividend hopeful which would have gone to. let's have a look at what the markets are doing this sal stocks and investors seem to be a bit less cautious about the rest in egypt these decision to pay dividends whether didn't impress the investors the company's shares a losing one percent on the footsie. and in russia they are chasing the my. six hour post and strong against tracking of the investor mood globally the indices are

gaining ground after monday's losses showing that correction on the markets was a perfectly shot. that's a look at something goes rising oil prices sending energy shares higher gas from lukewarm draw snifter seeing approximately the same gazed at it on average two percent mining shares are also among the leaders on the mice it's. climbing two point three percent and the roast nickel stress skyrocketed four percent on the high in the crisis up to monday's three percent. and branch crude price has retreated up to hitting it to hear a record high of one hundred dollars a barrel on monday fueled by growing instability in egypt and this link the prize draw with china's industrial growth slowed to a five month float signal and demand may not rise that quickly in the world's second largest world. and finally present but that it has fired they had of

russia's united aircraft corporation for failing to seek in the nation following a meeting on modernization a presidential aide said the bosses of some other state own borders may fall he also said companies should appoint presidents including specialists from abroad to be responsible for innovation. some other companies will be thoroughly analyzed in order to take additional measures if needed a time frame for adopting innovation programs is quite tough the president stressed that if the companies fail to meet the deadline the consequences will be harsh all the way up to dismissals. we'll bring you more in less than thirty minutes time and you can always find most tourism all website. business.

wealthy british style. guys on. the market why not. come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with my next concert for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines in two cars a report.