you're going to kill their ability to turn and you're like toast. in serbia multi-user very little in the lead we can see they are going to. wiki leaks founder julian assange will have to wait to hear his extradition fate it's always the adjournment told the latest hearing into whether he'll be sent to sweden on sex crime charges. however sweden may be just a short stop for a staunch linked tables on cover an american i've jammed up behind of the swedish wire tapping along that might allow washington to press me on those charges on the whistleblower. and egypt bracing itself of a hard as a protest against the government on the rest began two weeks ago president mubarak has reiterated he won't step down until september when the country's military has vowed to support. nor has improved its fall for it to buy back twenty

percent of its own shares from out of many i'm joined to sell find out more and twenty minutes time. live from our studios in central moscow you're watching r t with me and he's now away it's six pm here in the russian capital three pm in london where the verdict in the high profile case of the wiki leaks founder has been adjourned for two weeks julian assange appeared in court in london on friday as he continues his battle against that extradition to sweden where your face is questioning over sex crime allegations he claims the case was fabricated so the u.s. can use sweden to hand him over on espionage charges laura emmett is outside the court and brings us the details. all waiting for now is the verdict and that is due to be easily. we now know on the twenty fourth of february so in

a couple of weeks' time we were hearing today the closing statements made by both the defense and the prosecution and now the judge is going to presumably retired to his chambers for two weeks to think about the evidence that he's heard and then come up finally with a verdict on the twenty fourth of february we're not expecting that to take very long literally everyone will just gather here and the judge judge will tell us what he saw you said in terms of what we've been hearing on friday morning we essentially heard summaries of the evidence from the prosecution and from the defense the prosecution has maintained all along and maintained again today that there's no reason why a song shouldn't go to sweden to articles questions and it only says that the defense was trivializing these charges we heard some quite graphic details from the defense about these alleged assaults sort of almost making light of the of of these allegations as the prosecution said talking about these sexual encounters

that took place with two women in august and we also heard an angry statement by the defense solicitor about comments that the swedish prime minister has made recently about julian astonished the defense called that a devastatingly prejudicial attack and said that the swedish pick prime minister had spread malicious lies about you and us are suggesting that he believes that women's rights are worthless and also suggesting that he's already been charged with this this rate which in fact is not the case at all so that has. made a brought in a rather worrying political element into the case obviously we've also heard from the defense that these charges would not constitute rape here in the u.k. and in fact the defense maintains that the essence of the charges wouldn't call to cheat rate anywhere else in the world apart from in sweden i spoke earlier to call run drug dealing who's the swedish range campaigner and he told me about the bizarre way in which this him. it has been conducted from the very beginning it

looked like julian was declared innocent by one prosecutor and then you have to find out ok what's the truth what's his side of the story what they did instead was trying to collect evidence. and interview all kinds of witnesses in another way which was something very good to try to build a case against him it's like what they would it's like prejudice. to say. he's guilty let's count him. and there are thirteen people interviewed by the police three or four tape recorded only three julian his tape recorded on the thirtieth of august the two witnesses couldn't speak in his favor or tape recorder all the other witnesses are just summary and sometimes accused to change their story and if we don't have that story we can compare it to the

suspect story it's impossible to investigate this is also a case that has descended at times into farce and today is no exception there's a new book out by a man called daniel dumpsite burke who used to work with student at wiki leaks and he has essentially written about about his relationship with him and he says that as always has an emperor a complex that he wants to be the king and the all powerful person in everything and he also alleges that a stone has turned into the sort of man that he used to hate the sort of man that he used to want to bring to justice but the most bizarre thing about the allegations that dumpsite burke has made something to do with his cat is that their sons lived with him for a while envy started in germany and that has a cat which julian and sid into a war of suprema see where the senshi attacking the cat and then pulling back saying he would win sometimes the cat one sometimes i saw one and he says that that shows that ourselves is some kind of power hungry maniac so really a lot of people trying to jump on this. bandwagon take advantage of our soldiers'

fame or infamy depending on which way you look at it what we heard earlier in the week from a former swedish judge she was giving evidence for the defense and she said that the rule of law in sweden has been deteriorating since the mid one nine hundred seventy she said that the prosecutor had a grudge against against men she was a radical feminist so it's not clear although the swedes maintain that the judiciary is entirely independent and entirely independent of their political system it's not clear what kind of a trial it would get there we haven't heard any more about the espionage charges that the u.s. is said to be preparing against julian astonished but we do know that politicians and other people in the u.s. have come out very much against him start issuing death threats saying that sarah palin particularly said that he should be hunted down like al qaida so if he was sent to the u.s. it's really not clear what would happen to him in terms of the relationship between sweden and the u.s. which is of course what all this hinges on essentially if you look at it from that

perspective we at r.t. have had access to some wiki leaks cables from the u.s. state department they told us some very interesting things about the relationship exists cozy relationship between the u.s. and sweden i prepared this report on the subject bugged and wiretapped at the behest of the u.s. swedish intelligence service the f r a has the power to monitor and intercept all internet traffic in the country and thanks to leaked u.s. state department cables we now know the controversial law was adopted after pressure from washington and the security services were deliberately kept out of it to reassure swedes there was no funny business force to operate an industry to do to storage and protection citizens very concerned that the public may perceive their involvement as a new term to work a room these restrictions by using a foreign intermediary those poisoning any chance for success the u.s. interest is clear eighty percent. all the internet traffic from russia travels

through sweden and from there to america but most men from by and by government representatives that now know that the purpose is not to spy on swedes is to more than monitor among other things russian transit traffic but what kind of information all they are. i think the information that is made accessible to special services by this law is of course sensitive and there are ways it can harm russia's political interests. the law has been slammed by some as the most far reaching eavesdropping plan in europe and prompted widespread protests ahead of its implementation cables also suggest the swedish government was colluding with the u.s. to avoid involving the public at all costs. the agreements may have to be presented to parliament and of a constitutional requirement for matters of great importance he said the process will take considerably longer and be subject to public scrutiny something the

government of sweden will want to avoid as the ministry of justice continues to analyze the proposed text it is also considering how to craft an arrangement that will avoid the need for parliament treat review there is no parliamentary control of what they are for us. and of course the general public in sweden has even less control much of the pressure coming from the united states and from the corporate industries it's being in the swedish government is more than happy to to. to to do whatever the american corporations. ask through the american government judging from the date on the leaked cables while sweden was debating whether to pass the bill the americans were already negotiating with the swedish authorities on what kind of information they wanted. they see the twenty third meeting as an opportunity to seek precise details on the type of information the united states wants and overrule a movie agreement and it's clear the u.s.

ended up getting what it was after at least in terms of information on the eighty percent of russian internet traffic that passes through sweden our intelligence cooperation with sweden on brusha is excellent do you need a director left in a general burgess who'll be here next week for exchanges with the swedes on russia and of the topics now it's not just information on russia that the u.s. is after it's reportedly carrying out its own investigation into wiki leaks founder julian assange on the still most of all this information to see if it can bring espionage charges if it can and applies to sweden first on his extradition all this close cooperation that we've seen may mean his feet won't touch the ground floor and it's r.t. london. coming up on r t a territorial wrangle over us. russia wants to ban against pushing forward its top down from the real island the place tokyo is wanted back in. march.

but first to egypt where the army has announced it's siding with president mubarak in an official statement it said it supports the peaceful transfer of power and fair elections later this year the move has only intensified demonstrations with thousands of egyptians thronging the streets and barak has left karo for a red sea resort people have gathered at key sites including the presidential palace angry at the president's thursday night t.v. address in which he again proud to remain in office until september in the statement he promised to transfer some power to his vice president but not step down himself eighty two year old also cited has reluctance to bow to international pressure something many believe he has done on a regular basis r.t. sara firth looks at the western influence on the situation in egypt. his history in fact must step down the way it's the danish prime minister the first

with the need to say publicly voice his opinion that he may see in ways she tells his tongue say fall days he speculated a poorly there is a strong likelihood that mubarak may step down has been proved wrong well. i'm telling you that as president i find no shame in listening to my country's youth and interacting with them the big shame and embarrassment which i have not done and never will do would be listening to foreign dictations whatever may be the source or pretext. his shock refusing to step down before september elections could fury amongst the hundreds and thousands of protesters. also what appears to be a contradictory approach by the west the coups for his resignation coming from western leaders who until so recently supported me back as a force for stability in the region my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful it must be peaceful and it must begin now perhaps then

western policy should have pressed far harder upon existing regimes such as mubarak's that restricted political freedoms damaged economic progress instead the us gave him one and a half billion dollars a year for his armed forces alone and it was largely western support the cabinet back in power the fact that the egyptian people a well aware of they supported. for such a long time. the regime and now there are talking about democracy in this predicament very tough as the protesters continue to struggle against the autocratic regime so if they've received empty promises on weak concessionary comments and not just from the barak european and world leaders has a program code in terms of sticking up for democracy and human rights sufficiently

. in the past based internally and internationally the egyptian people now want real political commitment to change that will in june and that and and they can tie a local with genuine compromise terrorist square has been the recent at the center of egypt's democratic hopes the stage for the people's revolution and it's there the battle for better governance should be for its western involvement now needs to tread carefully to ensure that they're encouraging genuine and lasting reform as opposed to simply fueling an impassioned revelation that risks replacing one tyrant according for another sara for our say. but with the people of egypt demanding change peter lavelle asked his guest who dictates what democracy is and the role of those who promote it heated debate in our cross talk show that's next hour here's a preview. good morning regis why don't the world just let the egyptians alone

leave the egyptians alone leave the tunisians alone leave the people of palestine alone leave the people of lebanon alone and let them decide their fate and then we can deal with them. yes that would be the best course but that would involve it would not involve in action it would involve reversing the status quo namely the us would have to cut off the los alamos labs of the president of the united states to its to its you're out into a ring is it for you to say that is why you had to do a string of repressive to a string of what is left alan was proud to i had said and read the rest of the united states of america it's i am not watching out for the interests of the united states of america are not trying to say he was being. unfair i'm trying to say how nice it would bite if i'm pro guys writing about trying is a human being then i just say that we should not be killing innocent people we should not be torturing innocent people i am opposed to the us government i am an opponent of the us government.

russia will not tolerate japan's radical approach towards the far eastern korea islands which tokyo claims as its own moscow's official stance comes as the japanese foreign minister is in the russian capital for talks the audience were handed to russia as part of a capitulation agreement at the end and world war however no formal peace deal has ever been fined between the two countries can now have. no radicalism and preconditions that's the message from russia's foreign minister sergei lavrov right after his meeting with his japanese counterpart if you boarded for when japan adults are radical approach towards the peace treaty with russia which happens regularly and issued by the countries governments it's impossible to negotiate these issues i said to mr million here and that we're still ready to work on the peace treaty but with no preconditions the dispute between russia and japan over

the crew islands has been going on for over half a century now and swears up every year during the sold cold. tori's the in japan tokyo claims that these southern crew islands are traditionally and historically japanese territory while russia says that the or a strategic part of russia and that is one of the outcomes of the second world war so we continue standing firm on their positions but nevertheless both sides said that they are ready to talk more about this issue and also to work together in many others years from coulter and energy to business of course which is only growing every year. to discuss this story further i'm now joined by natalia stop iran she's from the center of asian and african studies at moscow state university of international affairs the russian foreign minister has said

a peace treaty could possibly be signed if japan doesn't put forward any preconditions do you think tokyo will agree to something like that. that's a very good question whether talking or not because today's talks were held to a rather tense and straight atmosphere do you talk in this position really this collation of the debate started. more than a year ago when japan. adopted the law claiming that. to be the territory of japan and also to parent didn't agree to a russian initiative to russian proposal to try to find a new creative approach to the problem and to conduct joint economic activity in this region so today's talk us and so will be very important. the only possible positive outcome of today's talks is to return to retore

of a great deal rissa lucian of the problem in the interest of both countries and we hope that talk you will agree with it this is going on for almost for more than half a century really these islands are tiny to both countries they hold little benefit as far as we know why is that such a long quarrel between the two countries. see the history of russian side. our lands belong to russia since nine hundred forty five after the end of the world war two according to. several documents and agreements and san francisco peace treaty. and japan. the silence who are inhibited by japanese people before the world war two. so several centuries

but it's more important why russia is so keen on the islands today you know the russian position silence is not. and accidential action it's a constant trend that shows changing russian policy towards asia in general there is no longer indifference or some kind of best of notice that existed in the soviet period and there is no bleak. policy of compromise that was in the ninety's today is russians policy strong foreign policy with pursuing russian national interest and you know that in two thousand and twelve apec summit will be held. stock and so far the far east is therefore no longer regarded as the russian bear the door it is becoming is the front porch and front porch should be clean and tidy and. absolutely clue including the

reliance there toward russia is currently doing by this it in the territories and investing money there right. from the asian and african studies moscow state university of international thanks for being with us. now after a surprise inspection of one of moscow's major rail stations on thursday is continuing with his long scheduled security checks this time he dropped in on the capital's third largest airport of new the president said he was satisfied with the procedures there even went through the scanners at the airports and transport he was checked by staff while it was a stark contrast to the scenes witnessed twenty four hours ago when the president discovered major security lapses at a key rail hub in the city transport security in russia was supposed to have been a high is following last month's terror attack on doma that is the airport which

killed thirty six people and left many more injured. was take a brief look now at some other stories making headlines around the world hundreds of thousands joined in marches across the wrong for the country's national day rallies which are backed by the state mark the thirty second anniversary of the islamic revolution established in one nine hundred seventy nine the islamic republic was created following the revolt led by the late ayatollah khomeini. hundreds of transport workers in the greek capital are protesting against plans sector reforms workers from athens metro system its trams trolley buses all walk out the demonstrations the latest in a series of disruptions in the city the reforms are part of a public sector cutting exercise which is being implemented following a multi billion euro bailout aimed at rescuing greece's economy. business update is next here on our team with dimitri stay with us.

well welcome to the program good to have your company nickel is trying once again to resolve the shareholder dispute that's dogging the company russia's largest miners made an improved of by twenty percent of its shares from south for twelve point eight billion dollars in december the miner offered to buy all twenty five percent of themselves shares for twelve billion dollars which was the rejected no nichols other major shareholder into roles has been fighting with roussel for control of the company since june in a further blow to its missions on friday resell lost a court case wired in siberia to counsel norris the election of interest backed member. british oil major b.p. looks set to get its dividends from t.n. . now the russian partners in the joint venture a group had promised to block the estimated one point eight billion dollars payout

for the fourth quarter that was after b.p. and russian oil giant was now to announce the asset swap and all to do they are claimed that deal compromised the competitiveness of tea and cake b.p. and ran counter to that of the alliance but. at gold's he says a has little chance of blocking the dividend if it goes against the shareholder agreement. i think it would be quite difficult for them because as i've heard shareholders agreement provides for an obligation of the to be at least forty percent of the net income. each quarter and it makes no real difference if such payout is brewed to shareholders or not. gazprom expects to supply an extra nine percent of gas to europe this year predicts prices

will be fifteen percent higher that would give an average price of three hundred fifty two dollars per one thousand cubic meters compared to three hundred six last year exports to europe are planned at about one hundred fifty two billion cubic meters of gas this year but still below pre-crisis levels of almost one hundred sixty billion in two thousand. russia's fifth largest oil producer gazprom net has increased its profit by eight percent to three point three billion dollars and twenty ten turnover rose to almost thirty seven billion dollars that's of thirty six percent gain on the previous year gazprom is a subsidiary of. segregate the markets in the us they've opened in negative territory it's slightly down some saying this is because of hosni mubarak's refusal to step down but otherwise it's been pretty flat all week long there's no direction for american markets look at europe now. europe the situation

looks rosier after this negative closing opening of the u.s. markets right now the footsies up point one percent the dax is up also point one percent but nokia is down fourteen percent after announced its alliance with windows to create a windows based mobile phone. here in russia as stock snapped three days of losses as oil climbed up strongly this is because this is boosting the outlook for oil producers of course on thursday there was a massive sell off on the russian market and previous days were also negative for russia more details on the stocks gazprom is just point one percent much weaker than the market after investors reacted negatively to the gas giants recent sale of a ten percent stake in rival nova today at a thirty percent discount and over tech shares however. one percent on the news. is up four percent after upping its buyback offer to resound. russian

mine and know what gold is postponing its i.p.o. in london due to uncertain demand and volatile markets the company sought to raise four billion dollars in the offering north gold operates in russia kazakhstan and africa and produced around six hundred thousand ounces of gold last year a wave of consolidation is sweeping through the world's leading stock exchanges the london stock exchange just imagine with toronto's and frankfurt story to us is planning to link up with the new york stock exchange the euro next with a my sexuality has also planning to unite and also david buick from b g c partners in london says russia will play a significant role in the future russia is a massive country with huge influence in the world of energy and mining with plenty of money and i think the good sense of good will that would be seen by russia taking a stake of a significant stake in

a ball say like l o c n t n x would be absolutely there are huge cultural differences at the moment as we know and also regulatory differences and corporate governance differences but these are not things that couldn't be easily earned and if i was a passive investor in terms of wanting to get involved. in a combination of my sexuality as it were to do that i think the rest of the world would see that is very very positive indeed if we believe that markets are global and certainly in this country we don't think anything else than russia has to play a very significant role after all you've had many of your i.p.o.'s in london or in hong kong and there's no reason why they can't be on an international basis going forward and so from may for now and this is next with the headlines don't go away.

for the full story we've got it first hand the biggest issues get the human voice face to face with the news makers on the. wealthy british style it's not easy it's not on the front. yard. markets.