reported are to. argue until next time this is backscatter saying by all the.

protesters in the middle east and north africa refused to back down while europe's on their threat of drowning in a wave of immigration with a state of emergency already declared an unwanted tiny an island. with leaks founder is set to hear whether he'll be extradited to sweden to stand trial for alleged sexual offenses you supporters say the case is politically motivated. and no place in space as u.s. shuttle discovery prepares for its final launch russia's rockets will soon become the only way out of earth with many americans taking it as a blow to their pride. this

is r.t. coming to live from moscow i'm marina joshie welcome to the program and with libya in the throes of violence and bloodshed anti-government unrest in the middle east and north africa is showing a little side of dying down however it is one of the countries that managed to break a decades long cycle of suppression but the question remains whether those fighting for reforms will get the change they crave peter all over reports from cairo one month from the outbreak of the revolution mubarak stepped down so many protesters who stood up to the egyptian regime they will tell you swear. but the moment more works that down and it was announced like we had on the screens on the square and it was just couldn't resist for a second to get overwhelmed by the joy of like getting rid of that big figure of corruption or the regime western leaders were quick to throw their support behind

the popular revolution in the country that spent the last thirty years under mubarak. to show these democratic change has to start now. needs to happen now for growth for freedom and democracy in egypt ultimately of the united states can't have sources dictate what happens but you know we can but what we can do bill is we can say that. the time is now for you to start making a change in that country or other support wasn't the only thing coming from these nations during the uprising western rumors were rife that mubarak had fled cairo he was headed to germany and later british foreign secretary william hague said that kendal gadhafi had left tripoli in the midst of the ongoing crisis there but protesters are now very heated up it's all very hot in each of these countries and the fact that they might be falsely made to believe that they have won that they have achieved a victory is very dangerous because they are heating up of the situation opens the

door for other countries other power structures to come into egypt and to come into libya into coming to tunisia and all of the other countries to try and take some advantage in some cases that might be greater than what is happening in the chart show of a political party's headquarters and a country policed by the military todd levy image many in the west would associate with a democratic nation however this doesn't stop world leaders from speaking about a newly democratic egypt. the country is now being watched over by the armed forces but a partial curfew is still in place in cairo many key figures in the barracks regime remain in the current cabinet including prime minister major feat figure of hate for the revolutionaries he met with david cameron during the british need his visit visit them stemmed from some some circles as cameron was on his way to the gulf states to hold arms industry political groups in egypt are calling for a million man march to demand

a cabinet so how do those who help barack feel about the future the army is in charge they're taking they're taking action there the hand the upper hand to give everyone everything on. so yes getting more and more to figured that and hated and think about how we're going to deal with it we don't want to like we place a military regime with another. potentially elections could take place in around six months other political sources in the country suggest this could come too soon for the nation a major reason for three decades of dictatorship beach all of a cairo egypt. meanwhile libyan leader harald gadhafi is fiercely fighting to retain control of the capital as he's faced with more defections from his own regime much of tripoli is currently deserted with reports of uprisings in nearby towns after more than a week of revolt demonstrators have taken over of the east of the country the un security council in washington have to manage any immediate and to the violence

that is considering sanctions against libya for colonel gadhafi is bloody crackdown on protesters after some reports say the army used air strikes against its own people several hundred protesters are said to have been killed but the real death toll was fear to stand up more that thousand. from the center of research on globalization says the foreign influence in libya is apparent. there is definitely u.s. influence in libya right now it's not the same as egypt but there is u.s. influence i've been i've been informed that american military hardware has appeared overnight in libya this includes f. sixteen fighters and as those of you who know about the libyan military might know there have been transactions between the u.s. and libya for military hardware but nothing like f. sixteen so yes the united states is very much involved and like the case of egypt

is politically hedging its bets as well it is supporting opposition officials i won't say the opposition to the opposition and people in an opposition movement are two different things and at the same time you see military support for it to death in the form of hardware it's too soon to say whether gadhafi will leave immediately but i think in the long term it is time. more on the repercussions from the unrest in north africa and the middle east shortly first let's take a look at what's ahead this hour at a criminal or a political pawn as we could be founder julian assange awaits a ruling on his extradition to sweden his supporters claim case his political fate and the u.s. and. now we're reduced to being passengers on a russian ship by the end of the year and nasa will no longer be able to send humans into space find out how the americans are dealing with this dance to their national

pride later in the program. it's only has declared a humanitarian emergency on a silence of lump it was as the small land mass drowns under a wave of illegal immigration from the unstable region five thousand refugees have already reached its shores with rome warning of up to three hundred thousand more to come here we're just cut off has the details. at eighty miles off the coast of north africa the tiny italian island of lampedusa has relied on fishing and tourism for its main sources of income for the first time in years the boats or seven that are drawing. both of us. are always out here we haven't gone out to sea for twenty days now and since the recent uprising in tunisia the island has been flooded with with fiji's over five and a half thousand arrived in just two weeks sometimes up to three hundred refugees

would grab on just one tiny fishing boat to make the perilous journey to the mediterranean it. doesn't have. many of those who have nothing to lose turning the local life here on its head with no money and no jobs they have already been cases of bad and theft not to started leaving the lights on at night they always wonder ronde none of the locals ever used to lock their doors now that this people out here will feel uncomfortable due to its location lumpy doozies familiar with refugees but never so many in such a short period of time and with many voicing strong beliefs officials say identifying genuine cases is one of the biggest problems that. we historically a free nation and we want freedom we want to live like a prophet told us and who leave to live in an islamic state. most are housed at

this refugee center where they are provided with food water clothes and medical aid all financed from the state budget is designed to house only eight hundred people so under tight security hundreds over eighty g.'s are flown to the mainland each day. we sent four planes yesterday but on average two planes with refugees leave every day to. and pollute. was. used to have an agreement under which most refute these were intercepted before even reaching the island but now that the government has been overthrown the floodgates have opened. with violence continuing to spread in both north africa and the middle east already wards other states up to three hundred barrels and refugees could we leave. for

decades limpy those are managed to remain a tiny isolated world of its own the world will calm and peaceful lives and no one was afraid to leave their doors all. find some peace and the biggest wave of refugees may still be out there with only one this tiny island but the entire continent you gorgeous them all or you want to do about italy. as a storm of protest batters the arab world europe is bracing itself for a human avalanche experts believe the influx of immigrants will be a real test for the continent. the europeans thus far even though there are an aging population in western europe even though there are a dwindling population in western europe are not ready to receive more african migrants or arab migrants you also have some other voices in europe being raised where they're suggesting that there is a crucial moment where the europeans we need to be seen to be doing more for the

safety of libya and that they should not be talking about sanctions because those can't be activated quickly and they're not going to have an immediate impact they can freeze the assets of gadhafi and family if they want to but again he's fighting for his survival he's fighting to the death he said so so something a little bit stronger than sanctions is called for. the unrest in north africa and the middle east will force. it's way onto the a chance at a meeting between prime minister vladimir putin and top european officials the russian premier is in brussels for a major talks with the european commission the sides will focus on an edgy trade cooperation and high technology and moscow's bid to join the world trade organization and you russia e.u. partnership agreement is also on the table. the u.s. says it's ready to start new talks with russia on further nuclear arms cuts earlier this month a key new treaty the new start between the two countries came into force which will see both sides slash their arsenals by third former u.s.

national security adviser brant scowcroft told that the deal is a way to make sure nuclear weapons are never used. both sides have ratified the new start treaty and that is. a major step forward what it really does is that is continue the framework that we've built up really over fifty years of how to talk and how to deal with the military nuclear issue that if it continues that process and now we can look at ways we still possess over ninety percent of the world's nuclear weapons so we need to work together to ensure that those weapons are never never need to be used and that is to increase the stability of the nuclear bomb so whatever the problem between us there is no incentive to use them and i think now the way is clear for us to sit down and have that commitment

there's still there's so many nuclear weapons out there but it's not just a matter of numbers it's doing the kinds of things that ensure that those weapons are never going to be used and that take that'll take a lot more discussion and negotiation thoughtfulness on both sides. but i'm sure we can make progress now that we've laid the groundwork for further steps. and you can watch the full interview on our team about fifteen minutes time. a special forces are stepping up the hunt for a gang of militants hiding out in a mountainous area in russia's southern republic of coverage a noble caria it's part of a major and a tear effort in the region and police sources say weapons and explosives have been found in a hidden militant camp the target a group are suspected of attacking tourists last weekend when two masked gunmen stopped a minibus heading for

a ski resort on mount on groups three tourists were killed and two others injured. the founder of the car a virtual whistle blowing web side we believe still in assad's will learn if he will be santa to sweden to face sex crime charges a london court is due to the liver into argument later on thursday on whether stockholm's extradition bid will be successful songe denies the allegations saying they are part of a conspiracy to hand him over to the u.s. he outraged washington after his website published american secret war logs and diplomatic cables more and it is following the case. the court's been looking at whether the european arrest warrant for us soldiers was issued correctly and whether it would be an abuse of justice to send him to sweden for questioning during the three day hearing earlier this month the defense team focused on the bizarre handling of sex crime cases in sweden there's no bail and trials are held

behind closed doors which they say justice will be done the defense also points out that solves could be held with no contact with the outside world in a prison complex which is being criticized for its treatment of prisoners the defense also attacked the swedish prosecutor bringing evidence that she has a group. against men and is a radical feminist they called the warrants disproportionate and said the rape charges which he's wanted for questioning wouldn't be crimes of depression or lawyers but hughes sweden of politicizing the issue calling into question the independence of the judiciary in this case the defense's main fear is that if extradited to sweden as soldiers could be sent from that to the u.s. to face espionage charges a member of the u.s. justice department in london has stressed that no charges have been brought against us songs in america but confirm that there was an ongoing investigation into wiki leaks whichever way the verdict goes today it's very unlikely that this will be the

end of the story the losing side has a right to appeal in the high court and will definitely use it some are saying this case won't be resolved until the summer. reporting there. for more news analysis and blogs but let's take a look at what we've got for you right now abortion could soon mean her murder in the u.s. state of georgia as new bill seeks to criminalize the practice and ensure that authorities investigate all miscarriages. and the gold rush is about to make a comeback and russia's parliament passes a law which could reopen old mines to tourists and amateur diggers but also find out more are to dot com and don't forget to check out our page on you tube. you do you.

believe. the official. from the. video. with the palm of your. comb what you going to live from moscow would see what else is making news around the world and police in new zealand how down to the death toll from the country's devastating earthquake has risen to ninety eight also fear of one hundred twenty bodies may still be inside one of the worst affected buildings two days after the

shock hit over two hundred people are still unaccounted for rescue crews are continuing to comb toppled buildings but many are fearing the worst the country's prime minister warned that the toll could rise further for. the former serbian the police chief has been jailed for twenty seven years for playing a key role in the murder of more than seven hundred ethnic albanians in kosovo in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine lost amir georgevitch showed no emotion as a tribunal in the hague read out his sentence for crimes against humanity including the dipper taishan of at least two hundred thousand people judges said georgevitch who was a close aide to the lady this last president slobodan milosevic was crucial to the success of the criminal enterprise. authorities in peru and believe you have declared a state of emergency as massive flooding affects both countries three people died and almost seven thousand were left homeless as

a result of the strong rains hitting the country for the past few weeks rivers burst their banks flooding farmland and residential areas there were similar scenes in peru where some three and a half thousand people lost their homes. and armed group has killed at least. so the soldiers loyal to i rico's disputed president. the army vehicles were attacked by a group supporting us on a tarp who is internationally recognized as the winner of last year's election an african union backed panel is currently trying to resolve the deadlock and some three hundred people died in violence between supporters of both men following the disputed poll. america's longest serving shuttle discovery is preparing to lift off for the last time and after twenty six years the spacecraft will be put into retirement it's also one of the last times the u.s. will send a shuttle into orbit before it suspends its space program artie's ganesh to can

found out what the last man for americans. by the end of this year nasa will no longer be able to send humans into space according to obama's plan responsibility will go to private companies which are expected to come up with cheaper ways to ferry astronauts to low earth orbit they know that they have a big step to take when they if they're thinking about putting humans into space and that's going to take a you know the next phase of their development so i have. a good i can even estimate exactly no one can say for sure when the private american companies will come up with a new spaceship for years to come it will be the russians so use that's going to be the only means for people to reach the international space station which is perfectly fine with the leaders of russia and the u.s. but doesn't sit well with many americans how could this how. we could make it to the moon burst and build this wonderful equipment and then. and now we're

were reduced to being passengers on a russian ship and that's that's sort of it's so a wounded pride thing wounded pride revealed itself in comments by some american lawmakers astronaut scientists and former nasa official comedians in. the u.s. did not miss out on poking fun at american sense of pride so we pony up the cash then after right on the hope of the backseat all the risk is take the wheel. yes you know they're not going to let us touch the radio they won't let us eat snacks or stop to use the bathroom should have gone before we left. use but those the nasa who now actually work with the russians like astronaut sunny williams have different sentiments i couldn't imagine when i was growing up walking through red square or going to a russian company and working hand in hand with my russian colleagues or going to their families homes and having dinner with them and likewise when they come to the

u.s. and so i think. maybe we're not competing but we're to working together i think it's more of a time of joint cooperation and learning from one another that's just as healthy as the competition that we had in the past it's not the first time americans have to rely on the russians to take their crew to space they depended on washing rockets during the two year grounding the few s. spacecraft after the two thousand and three space shuttle columbia disaster columbia exploded during re-entry into the earth's atmosphere all seven crew members died shuttles track record includes another tragedy in one thousand nine hundred eighty six the space shuttle challenger broke apart seventy three seconds into its flight. the russians so use proved to be the safest way to deliver people to space and now with the shuttle retiring it will be the only way we're no longer racing against an adversary we're no longer competing to achieve

a singular goal like reaching the moon. in fact what was once a global competition has long since become a global collaboration the leaders of both russia and the us are saying space is no longer a place for competition it's now a ground for cooperation but the question remains is that. here in the was ready to fully accept it i'm going to take down our t. washington d.c. and in about five minutes time we talk to a former u.s. national security advisor about the future of america's policy in the arab world but before that we'll take a look what's happening in business don't go away. that's right time for the business update soft commodities have skyrocketed in the past months on supply concerns cocoa and coffee have jumped to the highest level in nearly three decades sugar is up forty percent in one year while cotton has edged forty five percent since the beginning of twenty eleven check john from index

futures group although harvests have been poor there's also been a fundamental change in demand which should support prices over the long term. a lot of that has to do with the fact that we are looking at war emerging nations an economy is turning into developing economies you know when you've got rising middle classes china is a wonderful example of that where we have more and more people going from an agrarian lifestyle into an urban lifestyle the demand for soft commodities around the globe is increasing we can stop that. and it's not just soft camorra just that are set to go higher. oil prices of two hundred fifty dollars a barrel within the next five years as a result of the new demand fundamentals. remember what we're talking about is maintaining purchasing power parity over the course of the next few years because if we take a snapshot of commodity prices over the course of the last decade we've seen very

stagnant moves we've seen very little movement as far as real fundamental core inflation goes but i believe what we are going to see head of us primarily driven by what the central bankers are doing is going to be a very very quickly acceleration in the velocity of the rising commodity prices so grains and i believe energy i think is going to be a wonderful commodity i think in another five years we'll be talking about two hundred two hundred fifty dollar oil just from the fact that the dollar will be true she ate and the demand will continue to grow. let's have a look at how the markets are faring this asian stocks are mostly down to the second day hampered by the event crisis and weakness on the wall street japanese exporters stocks were pulled down by the continued strength twenty six thirty three topics of indices were low with hundred motor down one point four percent and sony's down one point three percent japan's nikkei lost one point two percent and a sign is just going to stand one. foot seas down for

a fifth day as leverage violent uprising sent the world's soaring to the highest level in almost thirty months it's the indices longest losing streak since july bank of scotland is down two point four percent as britain's biggest government owned bank procedure for your loss that mr analyst estimates british american tobacco is losing two point two point one percent after its four year net income short of analysts estimates. last have a look at what's happening here in russia the markets are open again after a day's break for a national holiday on wednesday in the my six trading in the black the south all in a negative start. and on the back of rising energy prices russian oil and gas producers are trading up. problem is among the leaders of growth it's up almost four percent book oil is rising two point six percent it's also being helped by news it's signed a deal with american vanco international to develop two offshore oil fields in

romania and gold producers are also giving us prices for precious low precious metals surge higher and meet their uncertainty created in the middle east. is up more than a cent. now as barry bonds minority shareholders are asking for bigger twenty ten dividends they want the payment to increase to fifteen percent of the bank's net income from the current ten percent that's after the bank reported a five fold increase in net income for twenty ten more than six billion dollars but the head of bourbon family dividends one be raised until at least twenty thirty nine as the bank needs the money to more danites both the development strategy didn't prevent burbank from raising the bonus for top managers we quote. and european officials are expected to ask for them apportioned for a commitment to economic reforms necessary for russia to join the world trade organization the prime minister.