fresh fire fights broke out across libya as the country spirals toward civil war incumbent one gadhafi attempts to extinguish the upsurge of opposition forces from its fears of advancing spread through. the u.s. is a massive sniffle still says it isn't closer to libya as international voices continue to raise concerns as a sign intervention. we are in an information war and we are losing that war the u.s. state department says it needs billions of dollars to fight off the onslaught of global media outlets including r.t. . and in our russia close up series we take you to the entrance if you've gotto

slub which has a historic taste of drama. closely watching r t it's eight pm here in moscow kevin oh in our top story tonight the international criminal court is launching an investigation into the actions of libyan leader moammar gadhafi and some of his supporters for alleged crimes against humanity now it's the first time the courts launched a probe into an ongoing event and the battle for the oil rich east continues meantime with reports of airstrikes over the town of rebels claim they took one hundred gadhafi supporters hostage during the fighting the country's witnessing the most deadly of all the arab revolts with over two thousand reported killed so far during more than a fortnight of fighting international communities condemning the harsh methods used to crackdown on the opposition this comes as the u.s.

is deploying troops to two warships already approaching libyan sure was a move that's. raised fears of foreign intervention on the un's one of the growing humanitarian crisis in the new zealand border where hundreds of thousands stranded after fleeing libya artie's policia reports tonight from choon this as the capital struggles to cope with the huge influx of refugees. some one hundred eighty thousand people have fled libya with seventy five thousand of them already reaching here interim is yet another thirty thousand awaiting at the border to follow through now throughout the day thursday there was renewed fighting between government troops loyal to leader moammar gadhafi as well as opposition forces according to residents and eyewitness reports there were renewed airstrikes in the town of brega where just yesterday fourteen people were killed and that now the town was briefly taken over by government forces before last we hear it is firmly back in the hands of rebels it is now in two weeks of violence and one of the

guthrie is losing control over the eastern half of his country but he has vowed to stay in power and continue fighting against this backdrop it is becoming increasingly imaginable but there could be some kind of foreign intervention in libya the u.s. has already sent warships that have reached the mediterranean and are making their way towards libya we're hearing that four hundred u.s. soldiers are in the mediterranean right now really to board these warships at the same time the british prime minister david cameron calling for a no fly zone there are many other an international community who are against this including the arab league as well as russia they say that it creates a scenario where you have to have some kind of short term solution been put on the table but no long term prognosis in terms of how this will play out we are hearing the same from locals here there are against any kind of international intervention with opposition leaders saying as much when they say that it will spread the

conflict it will undermine the democratic movement and at the same time we're hearing that a no fly zone will involve military attacks on libya's air defenses now this was done in other countries such as iraq and there it proved that it is unlikely to hold the regime's helicopter and ground operations if anything it runs the risk of expanding the violence here as gadhafi will then have the. justification he needs to merely stick is fighting and his campaign is against people who oppose him. over the latest on the situation in north africa who discussed the unfolding libyan crisis as. the former intelligence officer for. germany tonight thanks ever so much for being on our team. let's talk about the special forces sent to libya by the u.s. and the u.k. if we can. say for humanitarian purposes only do you agree with that. well we've heard this all before really haven't we and this is what tends to happen when our

governments try to dance with the devil we've seen this happen in iraq before now where the insurgents have been supported by special forces since the organization and immigration and it's just not a good way to go it will create resentment and it won't foster the local democratic will and it will give the dictator a pretext to crack down even harder so i think it's definitely a very dangerous path to go down we also saw stairs well the three dutch soldiers have been arrested and being detained in tripoli now i believe they allegedly went into trying to rescue a couple of dutch nationals who were on their way out of the country perfectly fine before the intervention so it's almost like they're trying to create a pretext or something where there are certain special forces in the country some of whom might be captured and then of course you need to go in and rescue the boys so it's a perfect excuse for a large scale invasion or action. very recently we've witnessed revolutions in. both cases there the u.s. called on the opposing sides to. go to we are all we hear in quite the same

rhetoric in respect to libya this time why. well gadhafi of course is a dictator he has been in power for forty two years and for much of that time he was one of the number one priorities for the u.s. and the u.k. intelligence agencies he has been at the head of a rogue state and he sees himself as a revolutionary as well so it's a very different ballgame from trying to sit down and get the two sides in tunisia or egypt where the dictator was backed and their friend in an ally of the west is afy has at least for three decades in a massive thorn in the side for the west however of course they didn't learn the lesson of how they dealt with saddam hussein where in the one nine hundred eighty s. he was seen as a crucial ally and was armed and backed by the u.s. and u.k. and then of course went rogue again it after he was as i said one of the leading security threats for the nine hundred eighty one nine hundred ninety s. to western interests and he was attacking organizations like the other do not have a dialogue and i say shin the provisional ira and various palestinian groups so he

has caused a lot of problems and it was almost too quick the way that the west tried to effect the reproach more city seventy thousand three hundred weapons of mass destruction and they welcomed him with open arms and tony blair created quite a dangerous situation i think by just accepting him almost uncritically back into the fold were very dire predictions what your take what what would foreign intervention mean for libya on the flip side of a coin what's in it for the western powers or offer a very support. well i think for an inflation intervention for the libyan people will be a tragedy because we've seen what happened in bosnia we've seen what happened in iraq where the general population suffer it's not the government which is in of sanctions initially imposed against that suffers it's the general population there already dire straits they're suffering violence they're suffering hunger as well so they will be the ones that have to bear the brunt of any international intervention in terms of what might happen for the west well this is a difficult one as i said it's very much dancing with the devil. who is broke who

has nowhere to go now because his assets in prison in the west he can't flee he's now wanted potentially in the international criminal court for war crimes so he's got nothing to lose he will fight to the death and even if you were to win even if he cracks down incredibly brutally and crushes the rebels in libya and maintains power yet again then we have a situation where someone who was welcomed back into the international diplomatic fold is going to be very angry and very very cynical about his former allies in the west so once again it will become a rogue state it will become a breeding ground for terrorists backers i think that is going to be nightmare. maybe what's. let's talk about the present opposition forces in the country at the moment of too weak to win the battle against gadhafi by themselves that's a crucial i guess is what your opinion on. well the reports coming out that the rebels are being armed and backs and assisted by the u.k. and u.s.

and it's not a surprise to me because even in the one nine hundred ninety s. we had a situation where m i six and the americans were supporting and funding and helping islamic extremists within libya trying to topple kind of gadhafi this was the infamous gadhafi plot from one thousand nine hundred six so it wouldn't surprise me if they're now doing the same but slightly more openly but again we get this escalation therefore of potential terrorism and we don't see a healthy and organic development of democracy we see something that's very much controlled from the outside and that's not what libya needs at this time your best bet is to answer this one is an interesting line that's going to pass a couple of days since the beginning of the journalists we're hearing reportedly been contacted by p.r. agencies acting apparently for the various leaders of the countries have been talking about trying to get into the flow of negative headlines and given your experience what role do you think play in

a situation like the one spreading across the arab world. well i mean spain has been crucial in middle eastern politics for many many years i mean spain is what took britain into the iraq war for example you know all these crass headlines about weapons of mass destruction and within forty five minutes but again in the case of libya specifically certainly back in the one nine hundred ninety s. they have a history of paying u.k. based p.r. companies to try and spin their positions and it did work for a certain amount of time so for example in one thousand nine hundred five u.k. based p.r. agency was paid four million pounds to try and subvert the evidence that pointed towards the libyan involvement in the case and this is what has led to all sorts of alternative theories about lockerbie although of course all the evidence to point to the fact that. female were actually responsible so you know how to play by these these rules they know how to play the game and i'm not surprised that they are doing it again but i can former intelligence officer for m i five talking to us on

the line from that soft and i don't see thank you. russia's finished tired of arguing its citizens from libya together with nationals from twenty six other countries are working for russian firms in the troubled region president dmitry medvedev has praised the ministry of emergencies for the professionalism and success of the operation. and libya is on the brink of civil war and our task was to save all our citizens before it turned into chaos back then we managed to do that fast and according to plan deserves the highest praise we were the first country to start the evacuation orders were late and face difficulties as a result. so the libyan crisis shows no signs of dying only is now being felt far beyond its borders to thousands of immigrants of already fled to neighboring countries while the rest of the price of oil skyrocket out is really going to screw it up so the situation. let's look at the implications of the ongoing unrest in the

northern african region and what it means for the rest of the world geographically libya tunisia egypt a large area and these are just some of the countries affected by the civil unrest there just across the sea from europe and estimated one hundred forty thousand people have already fled unrest in libya into neighboring tunisia and egypt but the likelihood will actually stay there is rather slim it's all he has already received as many as ten thousand refugees who continue to pour into the country france greece and spain may just be next in line even before. the prospect of massive immigration has always been europe's wars. in real terms it has never been substantial and we have always been below thirty thousand. possible and every year. clearly the overthrow of the governments poses a whole different set of issues in what europe will be able to do. it depends on

the ability of actually called the meeting among some of the governments that are most affected i mean imagine if time coral gadhafi is not overthrown i mean business cannot proceed as usual after something will have to be done. on the map of libya in terms of oil production facilities will see that eighty percent of it world producing territories right now are under rebel control now europe takes over eighty five percent of libya's korea exports more than thirty percent of libyan oil goes to italy fourteen percent in germany ten percent to china in france and five percent to the united states the unrest has already promoted a spike in oil prices which climbed it to over one hundred dollars a barrel the highest point in two years and this summer analysts say is just the beginning or prices have a knock on effect to. the cost of of most most items because of course you need

energy to. make products and deliver them to the shop so. if prices continue to stay stay high that will have significant inflation pressures. on europe and the world finally if a civil war breaks out in libya with the country breaking apart geopolitical implications for the region and for the world cannot be underestimated the major peril now is coming is the islamists are radical islamists coming into power one all over the region you know these revolutions in egypt in syria in tunisia all of the arab speeds they have been yet you can see thirty million radical islamist parties that have been suppressed by previous regimes slow muslim brotherhood in egypt for instance. in libya you know al qaeda is there is strong in libya hopefully libya and department of acquired is one of the strongest of the world

maybe it's the second strongest after the new one one of the greatest dangers now is that al qaeda and other networks try to get use of that city so they're highly volatile situation in this northern african region really very significant not just for libya is it but really for the rest of the world the u.s. is losing that information war to alternative media outlets including i see that is the message from hillary clinton congress members some are questioning the state department's forty seven billion dollars budget request for next year and as it is going to she can report the u.s. secretary of state says washington needs to step up its propaganda efforts. war declared the u.s. is now officially in an information battle with foreign media which provide alternative views on world news views which often run in contrast to the coverage of events by the us mainstream media we are in an information war and we are losing

that war i'll be very blunt in my assessment al-jazeera is winning. the chinese have opened up a global english language and multi language television network the russians have opened up an english language network i've seen it in a few countries and it's quite instructive we are cutting back the b.b.c. is cutting back some five years ago western media outlets including d.t.c. and c.n.n. had a near monopoly in the coverage of world news things have changed since then more and more viewers across the world tuning in to various foreign media to get a fresh take on events clearly the united states feels on the defensive in part because it can no longer monopolize not only the terms of you know the sarti in these countries but also the terms of the be there's other information out there there are other points of view and those points of view are profoundly damaging to a country that believes that its point of view is the only point of view who should

be the only point of view r.t. presence on you tube is one example almost three hundred million views as opposed to c.n.n. that has around three million artie's constantly growing audience is already an indication to many that the days of media monopoly are over and people demand a multi-polar approach to news in the real commitment to the kind of freedom of the universe speech that we really need if we're going to be a democracy at home and in a you know a community of nations overseas is to many hillary clinton speech a few weeks ago on freedom of internet seemed contradictory to the treatment that sources like we keep leaks are getting us legislators are not crafting a law that would give the administration increased flexibility to go after weiqi leaks and the likes and now the administration is seeking more funding to step up u.s. propaganda efforts have brought during the cold war we did a great job in getting america's message out after the berlin wall fell we said ok

fine enough that you know we. done it were done and unfortunately we are paying a big price for it but many say the lack of funding is not the reason why us media are unpopular among world audience the us is new c.n.n. has been for years losing popularity and respect around the world but that's not a result of its failures in media communications it's a result of u.s. foreign policy last year the head of the agency that manages the us government on international broadcasting asked for more money for his department we can't allow ourselves to be out communicated by our enemies the list of enemies included russia china iran and venezuela walter isaacson the head of the sea which grounds with american and other media outlets later backtracked on this statement isaacson speech for more funding seemed even more unconvincing considering his agency has

a budget of seven hundred fifty million dollars and it's way more than the budget of r t iran's press t.v. and venezuela's tell us we're combining probably money alone can't provide global media clouds walter isaacson's speech last year sent quite a hostile measures to foreign media exposing shortcomings in the us mainstream but secretary clinton statement made it a push on the us is fighting a global information war and it's also i'm going to start our reporting from washington are to with news in briefs not a suicide bomber has blown up a bank in northern iraq killing at least eight people eight others were wounded in the blast in the town of had these reports say the terrorists targeting people queuing at the bank to collect their salaries security personnel were said be among those killed to it's thought to be the first major attack in the town since october two thousand and nine then five were killed by a suicide bomber. over three hundred christians to the streets in pakistan to protest against the association of the country's minorities minister chavez but he

was killed on wednesday when militants come down in his car this was the second assassination and. two months of a high profile opponent of a country stripped blasphemy laws meanwhile elsewhere in the country a powerful explosion targeting police in northwestern pakistan killed at least three officers and four civilians. flora he's given up hope of finding any more survivors after last week's devastating earthquake in the city of christchurch officials say they've switched now from a rescue to recovery operation and will now look for the remains of victims the death toll currently sits at one hundred sixty one but police estimate the final figure could be as high as two hundred forty and most died in multi-story buildings which came crashing down moving away from the rescue operation will now allow the teams to use heavy machinery on collapsed buildings. say twenty pm moscow time we invite you to sit back relax and enjoy a brand new russia now courtesy of a close where some three hundred kilometers north of moscow to the city of yaroslav

all by themselves lovely place are differences finding out how history and similar go hand in hand in this cultural. it is said that one thousand years ago at a place where the volga and the code are still rivers meet prince yaroslav the wise killed a local sacred bear with his battleaxe and then founded the town of yaroslavl the town and region its name for has been known for drama ever sence local filmmaker yuri vacs then gave me a tour to show me why the accounts of what some fifteen to twenty historical films were short right in the area where we are walking we even filmed at this location to recreate moscow in nineteen forty one with stalin being driven around in his car from the kremlin to the church of the prophet elijah to the embankment time has stopped in the frame of a camera what makes the arse of a region so attractive to filmmakers is that the sets have been standing for centuries nearly perfectly preserved so in studios so doubt their location scouts

to fight a great historical setting get a lot of is ready for its close. and so is its talent alexander petra is in the business of setting scenes with paint and a heavy dose of romantic realism. here dapper ernest hemingway's the old man and the sea into an animated film on twenty nine thousand painted plates of glass and snagged the one nine hundred ninety nine academy award for animated short film he showed me how he shot the frames with a custom made motion control imax camera system. i've made several films here here i've raised my pupils are now participate in the making of my films i hope that soon they're going to have their own ideas and will start working on their own projects so my dream has come true. other movers and shakers in the industry are generating pupils of their own but in a much more physical way roman kurtz in hollywood and russian movie career has

taken his stand schoolyard film to a whole new level. over the past five years we've been training p. mostly boys and men who want to master this profession they come from all over russia training for a four of times a week with complex stunts it's very intensive new talents and real star going aboard here on this carpet but there are more ways to jump into the movies than playing with fire in jaroslav all just go get a bite to eat at one of the local cafes one of the most famous of all soviet films was even brazil a rich changes profession. and ivan the terrible in it the mask of the sixteenth century was played by the arabs level town a rough stuff and even this elaborate restaurant customers at the fourth cinematic experience this scenes of the film are set throughout the restaurant but if you'd like to sleep on it the attached hotel is what you'll fall for it caters to the

movie minded with its time honored blockbuster themed rooms even under seal of which being the most popular for his part yuri vacs men's recent film hydraulic is packed with blockbuster action but his other local repertoires not it's that of the theater. and the city of yaroslav all is the cradle of russian theatre the finest theatre founded here by short of all course was the first national theatre that opened in russia and it reached the heights of creative and professional force in its time. and that may be but as long as the one thousand year old city of yaroslav all is internationally protected as a historical site it will forever be known as the silent arjen knew gracing a background of thousands of cinema and television screens the world over in jaroslav all around the france r.t. . gold is a beautiful place really is nice and i spoke of in twenty minutes time romel of the best thrills and skills from the playoffs after some teams are really qualified for

the conference semifinals plus top talent to rise for world cup snowboarding in the center of moscow and still a bit of snow or more about that than late. thursday night business next with dimitri. placed him very much global oil major salaries agreed to by a twelve percent stake in russia's in the plan the gas producer no protect and sign to increase its share in the company it's up to twenty percent in the next three years now to tell us also acquired a one fifth stake in the ambitious liquefied natural gas project on. as mine. the deal will benefit both companies to tell will become the first and the main international investor and to participate in the development of vast gas resources of the amal and insular while another tag will benefit from the investment and experience of the international world giant the c.e.o.

of the of french company christopher demar jury said the tile is paying around four billion dollars for the twelve percent stake which they hope to increase to fifteen percent within a year and nine hundred point four percent within three years. russia is a very attractive country for investors which is even more obvious amid the instability that we're currently facing the amal l. and g. aims to start production of the ellen g. in two thousand and sixteen and is designed to produce around fifteen million tonnes of gas per year the project needs twenty eight billion dollars of investment and others c.e.o. of the nova tag me his son says that they will soon start as soon start looking for other participants in the project we are considering bringing in several other foreign partners into the amal project they will be able to get up to forty nine percent we're now negotiating with

a number of possible partners and we expect to make a final decision by the end of the year however towel will stay as the majority shareholder in the project the analysts say that it is good that a towel was picked as it is it will only compliment the implementation of the project. so i go to the markets now with the united states of course first in line trading market moment united states and labor department first time claims for unemployment benefits fell two of those level since may two thousand and eight it was expected to actually grow and therefore we see this massive positive sentiment and also an optimistic and of. trade in europe as wall street sees these have to gain support see ended the session above the six thousand points mark and that's all coupled with the european central bank's decisions need to see interest rates unchanged at one percent optimism also seen in russia at the close of first session the r.t.s. crossed the psychological bedrock of two thousand points and is gaining one point

three at the. end of the niceties of point four percent so look at the stocks finally they will take shares did shoot up more than four percent in morning trading but they slipped into the red by mid session to close one point one percent down lukoil is up one percent as we're still seeing high commodity prices and service dollars up point three percent at the close. we'll be back in one hour's time with an update of the latest business news headlines are next month.

and something strange the currency in the public. center of russian defense production. now while she heads to central russia. handicrafts become an industry. the harsh winter makes posts even more enjoyable. and when everyone can train to be a stump. the younger smaller. russia close up on the hot seat. the.