the week's top stories here on our t.v. the echo of invasion western military action in north africa backfires at home with the french president already losing a public trust over what's being described as his a colonial ambition. show you truly want to forgive you know. one year after a major oil spill in the gulf of mexico coastal residents exposed to toxic chemicals say that they've been left to deal with severe health problems all on their own. and christians around the world united in east celebrations in moscow thousands for to a service that russia is

a main cathedral. here with r.t. as we highlight the week's main headlines here welcome to the program. despite more than a month of allied operations in libya that the word stalemate is now frequently being used to describe the situation there and for those countries involved in the action it's beginning to cause a political trouble at home especially in france where the president is feeling the pinch down a bushel now reports on how the country's intervention in libya and its former colony of ivory coast has backfired for nicolas sarkozy with accusations of imperialism. if nicolas sarkozy hoped intervening in libya and the all over the coast would boost his popularity is backfired he's now by for the most unpopular

president in the history of france's fifth republic according to the latest opinion polls the main beneficiary has been marine le pen as you head of the national front party he's expected to knock him out of next year's presidential elections sarkozy wants pledge france will never again kill people in africa pen told me he's broken that promise. this past colonial reaction by france by behaving like a well it's policeman deciding who's bad and who's good at the president's policies a myriad of former colleagues by an inflexible personal style x. finance minister. lift the ruling party this month admitting they can't work together to form a human rights minister ramey yet they has quit to sarkozy let colonel gadhafi use france he said as a tool mats to wipe blood off his feet by hosting him in paris and now he's hunting the same man down sarkozy also sacked his integration advisor for disagreeing with

him directly back man told r.t. the president does know how to compromise. there's no pleas for twentieth century colonialism today but there should always be room for negotiation it's all leaves nicolas sarkozy with few friends just when he needs them it's become a lonely life inside the presidential palace where mr sarkozy not only a political opponent of pulling apart is for policy even for lies like nobody now took up his theory. to view pounds work with the president for over seventeen years the former premier fears libya turning into another afghanistan a deeply unpopular war with no clear deadline we cannot go. any country without knowing when we look out i think this is the listen that we did not treat from afghanistan in its global diplomacy it's the same problem unlist warned france

is facing criticism for what some see as heavy handed intervention in the ivory coast the result is a presidency experts more ked at home and abroad for his arrogance personals war local monarchical republic trillian both lopin and the socialists in his bid for reelection in twenty twelve so as he looks on likely to mellow leaked memos from advisors claim his only chance of winning is to make his policies even more extreme than usual r.t. paris. meanwhile a massive flood of migrants from tunisia and libya is making france rethink its e.u. border free travel agreement last weekend the country temporarily shut its border two trains carrying african migrants from italy sarkozy is expected to address the issue next week when he meets with the italian prime minister silvio berlusconi

thousands of people have been fleeing the violence in italy claiming it alone has received over twenty thousand refugees. home in time jim brann from the stop the war coalition says that despite the official humanitarian motive for the intervention the latest developments expose that it's all about regime change in libya. it's very clear that they have intervened. in order to decide who shall and shall not be the government of libya even if they from time to time refer back to united nations security council resolution nine hundred seventy three it doesn't change the fact that they clearly are going for the overthrow of the tripoli government and then you have this announcement that they're sending military officers in plain clothes and that's clearly because some lawyer has advised them that you have to be very careful but the fact is that war consists of component parts which is a type of defiance or as it was known for the last few thousand years the sort of

the shield and if you increase somebody's shield if you get somebody back to shield it makes this all the more effective so they clearly are intervening in the in the civil war itself by these moves but taking great care to appear to abide by the nonintervention causes of the resolution. of this week britain france and italy and also they'll be dispatching a military advisers on the ground in libya russia's foreign minister sort of you laugh it off warned against the move he says it will only cause more bloodshed. with those are the latest developments in libya are not making us happy it's a clear launch of the ground conflicts we consider these moves extremely risky which could lead to unpredictable consequences there's been cases in history when it all started with sending in military advisors and then it drags out for years and resulted in hundreds and thousands days on both sides we call on everyone to

respect a u.n. resolution in solving this conflict as well we're asking what you think about the allied initiative so that our website you have the time article called there you can actually make your vote. sharing an almost equal number of votes a little more than a third of you think the military advisors will simply pave the way for a full scale invasion roughly the same amount believe it will just serve to prolong the war and hence western interests twenty two percent are skeptical that the topic will be successful at all at about five percent her softening up mission for peace negotiations with colonel gadhafi log on to arctic dot com and have your say. russian security forces dealt a major blow to terrorists in the north caucuses this week that's after they killed two top militant leaders who had links to al-qaeda and were believed to be behind

many deadly attacks in the country. over reports this week russia's north caucasus a witness the number of successful anti terror operations last sunday a key militants lead that is that you believe john up was killed in an aerial strike in dagestan. terrorists committee says that the most wanted man. has personally points of as the heart of militants in dagestan and up to but last year now it's also believed that the village on up wasn't a movie almost every terror attack that happened in the region and was also linked to the moscow metro bombings last year he was among the four terrorists that were killed a week ago and i guess does lead to hail the operation a success and how sad that the militants only understand the language of force. some of the militants are willing to engage in dialogue they reject us when we urge them to lay down weapons and we are peaceful. highly committed so many murders and

terrorist attacks they know you understand the language of force meanwhile and not the notorious terrorists figure was killed by saudi militants also known as a small gun yet it was some identified as the chief agent in the north caucasus he was also perceived by the militants as the absolute religious authority as well as an influential field commander now russia's terrorist committees are that he was involved in almost every terror attack that happened even russia in recent years now despite the string of high profile success russia's security forces still say there is no evidence the process most wanted terrorist motto has been killed holds could be eliminated in one of the operations in english it's a way shattered when d.n.a. tests found no presence of him among the kurds meanwhile the u.s. claims responsibility for a number of terror attacks that russia and closing the most school tween suicide

strikes and the bombing of the capital a major airport still there is no clear information of just where russia's most wanted terrorists might be hiding in the north caucasus. report that well you can go to our website or to dot com for more footage of the special operations in pakistan you can check out these pictures right here and many many more see the latest c.c.t.v. pictures of last week's attack on the metro and about a russian capital that helped to solve who was behind the atrocity can you get all these images on a. card. this week extended the exclusion zone around the paralyzed fukushima plant thirty kilometers that was in addition to a twenty kilometer larger site being declared and official no go area because of radiation risks. those who enter preserving could be subjected to fines or even jail meanwhile workers at the plant continue to pump highly radioactive water from one of the reactors it's

a key step towards easing the crisis thirty people have already been exposed to maximum radiation levels at the facility and despite the ongoing crisis professor perry regan from the physics department at the university of sorry says that japan has little choice but to stick with nuclear energy temporarily as its oil dependent and has very limited natural resources which is the reason one reason why it's become relatively reliant at least. significant amounts of its power come from for the nuclear sector my personal view is i think it doesn't have a choice i think it will have a clue could continue to have nuclear power there are let's not forget there are fifty nuclear reactors. but right rachel. now since the very beginning of the nuclear crisis in japan the parallels have been drawn with the noble disaster on tuesday of the world on the twenty fifth anniversary of the worst nuclear accident in history that he's alexy going to show you now has seen for himself the legacy of

the disaster in the exclusion zone. this still remains the world's biggest manmade nuclear disaster and it happened because of a failed experiment when the employees at the drill local nuclear power station tried to bring the reactor to a temporary stop and the experiment failed and resulted in an explosion the whole area around the lawns of thirty kilometer radius was contaminated some parts of belarus and everywhere across the european continent traces of radiation were felt even reaching the eastern coast the united states now this is still remains a historical landmark still some people trying to draw parallels with fukushima accident nowadays but it's many experts agree that the accidents have been completely different going only in the causes of the disaster but also in the immediate aftermath because the levels of radiation which were detected injured in the chernobyl area twenty five years ago were were still much higher than the ones that. are right now ukraine has managed to persuade several world countries to

invest over five hundred million euros into building a new circle for this which would last for another hundred years it was safeguard the chernobyl reactor from let me see more radiation to the atmosphere so indeed it's twenty five years old but the legacy of chernobyl clearly lives on and the chernobyl story still making the headlines everywhere across the world but it's absolutely horrifying to be in the exclusion zone i've been a regular visits of the since two thousand and five. recently went there for a week to film a fresh documentary which all of these you will be able to see on monday and walking through these dead empty streets always gives me a creepy feeling despite that i've been there more than a dozen times the area is completely deserted and just thinking that this was once a communist paradise a role model city full of those who are living and working at the chernobyl nuclear power station now it's completely deserted and lifeless this feeling is of course a very frightful and horrifying indeed this area will never be inhabited again

because the full out period of many nuclear particles. can reach up to twenty thousand years and indeed just looking at the sound of. the exclusion zone in general you realize how costly how costly a man's mistakes can be and that is definitely the main purpose of the exclusion zone right now to remind the world that such mistakes must be made again. as a lesson just mentioned this monday you'll be able to catch an exclusive documentary on the terrifying legacy of the chernobyl blast also stay with r.t. that's where we're bringing you extensive coverage of the twenty fifth anniversary of the disaster. twenty five years before it's. the most devastating nuclear disaster in history. the culture of the century dismantling of its mistakes.

the legacy of chill. on the park see. you all with r.t. live from moscow this week saw another tragic anniversary year since one of the worst environmental accidents recorded the gulf of mexico oil spill killed about eleven people caused millions of gallons of oil to stream into the ocean and while b.p. is trying to shift the blame by suing some of its contractors it's the local people who are still suffering the aftermath of small. five million barrels of oil in combination with almost two million gallons of highly toxic chemical dispersants used to fight the oil spill a cocktail that contaminated not just the water in the gulf but found its way into people's blood a year after the disaster an environmental group tested the blood of dozens of cleanup workers as well as residents of coastal areas they found levels of ban seen

thirty six times higher than normal courtroom. shape interim a long term market even opened up i want to. matter and work as a boat angie near he says he was in perfect health before he was exposed to the toxic chemicals in the gulf now he's fighting a bouquet of illnesses. okada later military officials for clayton is not alone in his fight george price owns a small boat yard in louisiana perfectly healthy just a year ago he has lost thirty pounds in the last few months george was diagnosed with severe any mia on a sunday and must still bulldozers story and will be no you really know dr michael robbie cha who's been practicing medicine in louisiana for forty years says he's never had such an influx of patients with respiratory and bloody issues he thiers the worst bit soon as it's true stories for girls robbie cha is one of

a few doctors who is outspoken about gulf coast residents same times connection with the toxic chemicals that they've been exposed to many other doctors refuse to recognize the cost as dr robert shaw says either because they don't have the necessary training or they don't want to be caught up in court. or you go back and environmental justice group told residents in several coastal communities almost half said they had experienced health problems like coughing skin and eye irritation or headaches that are consistent with common symptoms of chemical exposure it's very clear when you look at the ingredients both all of which is considered so. it is considered as rather a hazardous material couple with the ingredients in the types of dispersants and when you mix those together it actually creates a substance or times more toxic and these are exactly the types of chemicals that

are truly literally in people's blood many of the fact that gulf coast residents and those involved in the. cleanup of the gulf a year alone in their fight with the consequences of last year disaster marine biologists are saying it's going to take at least twenty years for the gulf ecosystem to recover president obama signed the country's environmental agency to investigate health effects of the spill but many gulf coast residents are sure agency will do its best to sweep the findings under the rug i'm going to check out reporting from washington are. plenty more ahead for you this hour in cluing eastern cheer. we report from the main russian orthodox cathedral as thousands celebrate easter. convicted killer campaigning the full release but not from jail rather from life.

you has come under fire for how it spends its money a new report reveals billions of dollars being pumped into unnecessary projects among them dancing classes in two african countries euro m.p. . says brussels is incapable of controlling its own budget let alone the money it sends a broad. clearly the system isn't working and i think this report makes very clear but there is no surprise i mean from our point of view here you have the european union for sixteen years in a row they haven't signed off their own accounts because of auditor's you know so much fraud in their cars they can't even sign them off so it's not a surprise that you know there's a allegations of private jets being bought by certain country leaders surely that after receiving this kind of the u.s. aid the whole thing is a mess it needs discipline i think it's better done by nation states two thirds of the way actually goes to northern poor countries i mean the biggest recipients is

turkey which is doing pretty well economically and a lot goes missing i mean some is going to terrorist groups like hamas in palestine and you've got incredible figures like in mali where job creation scheme is costing one point five million pounds for each individual they actually provide a job for the third there's a huge amount of waste here. you would r.t. now for the story of a convicted killer who wants death himself russian prisoner who is a rock with pain from illness is pleading with your authority is to be released from his misery the case has reignited the debate over assisted suicide a practice that's illegal in the country. reports. in out east forty five and he's dying and insulin dependent diabetic has lost sixty killings in ten months. now own most blind he can hardly distinguish objects in the

backyard of the jail by his so in a sentence for murder his gangrenous lies heritage and actors forecasts he won't leave crutches for much longer in a wheelchair. and. i can't live without pain killers. i'm always on drugs if i didn't take them i'd be unable to go to all or because. you're a former saugor and war veteran and i do no longer has the energy to fight for life instead of his bitterly fighting for death. and that his health has not always been so bad a deteriorating rapidly after he was behind bars in two thousand and seven he was sentenced to eighteen years in prison in other needs specialized treatment and care something he just cannot get here. to die or in what else do i need i used to be a man now look at me i'm not even half of

a man. their doctor to help him die is officially for britain in russia. when i start asking who could kill who can facilitate a suicide nobody even the most zealous euthanasia supporters very said that they would do it themselves because they would become murderers of a good lawyer from the point of view of russian legislation nor from the point of view of international law or ethic norms can euthanasia be justified. there is a huge debate on whether terminal patients have the right to and their own life to escape chronic pain those against euthanasia and they are the majority claim among other things that even hopeless cases can sometimes be the recklessly healed but a voice from behind bars where miracles rarely happen they change that perspective . if they know that the rest of their lives will be suffering but the reason to

prevent them from doing bad especially those sentenced to life in prison and that many letters from these people they ask for death as life becomes unbearable conditions there are awful so why not. a strong also looks to leave or euthanasia has been a hard decision and it won't be without its victims on the other side of the prison bars. no i will not allow him to die i will not. deny his mother can understand what's pushed her son to seek death that she can't reconcile herself with the reality of that decision. if he dies i'll die with him what would i leave thought to for. good night if he's still alive he's waiting wishing for death whether it's natural all i ask for. me functionality

central shops and you are with r.t. and we have plenty more for you to come in today's program in about an hour's time our special report reveals the difficulties and dangers of living in a black ghetto as in the united states where rival gangs continue to incite violence on the streets. to live in a country that don't understand that there's more violence in the streets of this country than there are in the streets of baghdad. there's a real. struggle to. try

that special report is coming your way in about an hour's time to now for the meantime christian believers are united in at least as celebrations at this year the event falls on the same day for all of them in moscow thousands of russian pows were able to attend a special service at the main russian orthodox cathedral surfer witnessed a grandiose ceremony. there's over five thousand people who have it handed to service this year including president and prime minister putin and also families inside bringing their children it really is a family event a religious event it's marked by thousands and thousands of people every year but. will and celebrate not only inside but also lined the streets as well with candles just to take part in the ceremony. to celebrate easter it's a russian christian holiday which has always been celebrated all over russia in moscow on a business trip and we just couldn't help but come here. is the first time you've

had a chance to celebrate this festival in moscow so we came to see the service here it's a joy to be here in this interesting. it's a great holiday. now we'll get to another church after we've seen it here inside the cathedral itself absolutely beautiful lots of candles and flowers is take your career leads to service a major celebration this year i celebrated on the same day by both the orthodox church and the catholic church there are some traditional aspects to the russian celebrations people make their traditional cake. and they also have occurred there's. actually the original name of the easter celebration itself now we saw the big procession from christ the savior cathedral its traditional procession that goes around the grounds with patriarch kirill leading that they carry the crucifix

and thousands of people are doing that before they get back inside to continue the ceremony all around russia families will be celebrating the religious holiday. around the country will be marking with their own for many this is the main one in russia and of course everyone celebrating it around the world very happy easter from us here are. right there where you can log on to our website and read the russian patriarchs address in full out article com you can also find more of our teams coverage of this and of course many other top stories. this week to be treated to prove that he's a mover and shaker but not only in the political arena but are also on the dance

floor video of the country's top that feeling the priest has become an internet sensation. video was snuffed at a reunion party with the president's university friends one it twitter user described his dance as dancing like her dad i think that watching the video had it made her day the forty six year old leader tweeted back with smiles at meeting but the music the party and not surprisingly his dancing skills totally old school. of thought every couple of the week's top stories coming your way in just a few minutes.

from. the russian republic glynn's historic diversity we saw economic diversification oil drilling industry pushes for tomorrow's pressure chemical products traditionally be asians the focus is on one pilot through the government experience critical lens by going online to understand as a sort of russian innovation on technology update we've got the future coverage.