twenty years ago largest country. disintegration of. what had been. each began a journey. where did it take the. national

criminal court is the place where the west john sees the rest aaa refuses to accept an arrest warrant for colonel gadhafi saying the hague tribunal is just a political tool and has no authority. to use economic crisis in nations like greece forces countries such as turkey long been seeking membership to shift their focus eastwards. boosting the birthrate toward breaching women's rights russian lawmakers discussed restrictions on abortion and anything. backstreet surgeries and legacy of abandoned children. and coming up in business with oil prices still high russia's economy could improve in the short term but will the long term outlook be as positive joining me for the full story about twenty minutes time.

around the world and around the clock this is our team welcome to the program libya's justice minister says tripoli is refusing to recognize the arrest warrant for colonel gadhafi sued by the international criminal court or the hague khadafi and his closest allies are accused of ordering alleged was. crimes against their own people true actions by the i.c.c. just a cover for continue to bombings it. has the details namely he's being accused of purposefully targeting of killing civilians during the dispersal of the protest in february of this year the court's decision at the request for the arrest of moammar gadhafi his son and also his intelligence minister has been issued by a lot of the prosecutors the international criminal court and this is only the second time in the courts nine year history that such a warrant has been issued for an incumbent the first such occurrence happened in

two thousand and nine and the man that they wanted or were after was the sudanese president over that decision has yet to be implemented in reality and the libyan authorities have already said that they will not comply with the i.c.c. decision in this case they actually questioned its legitimacy and have reminded that libya is not a signatory to the rome treaty which has actually set up the international criminal court we have yet to find out how exactly they will go about arresting more market the. the i.c.c. did say that the libyan people themselves will arrest gadhafi but of course. he is called words remain defiant and say they will continue to fight to the very end and they basically said they don't particularly care for this particular decision as a matter of fact there were reports of intensified bombing off tripoli just this morning there were reports that blasts have been heard very close to gadhafi

compound this was supposed to be an enforcement of a no fly zone in libya and yet already we're talking about. according to libyan government we're talking about hundreds of civilians being killed as a result of the nato airstrikes of course you officials have until not so long ago denied being. at this point it's kind of a situation which is just hanging in the air and whether this particular latest decision from the i think that will have any effect on the situation in libya remains to be seen. but texas based radio host alex jones told r.t. and it's nato should be held accountable for what it's doing in libya they want to try for crimes against humanity that would be like having hitler over the nuremberg trials nazis you've got european nations in serbia and now in libya bombing and killing civilians that's not debated shooting up fishing

boats you have them now admittedly trying to assassinate gadhafi itself but international war crime the i.c.c. has said nothing about the war crimes in iraq in that eight and a half plus year war afghanistan the admitted massacre so this is really a joke in the way the i.c.c. carries out trials is a joke and it's a tool basically the anglo-american. establishment to go in and persecute countries. hayes at london based reports of online magazine spiked says the actions of the international criminal court show how many western nations want to impose themselves on the rest of the world this is the first time the international criminal court has actually pursued someone who isn't really in their completely black. so this lightly but if you look at the previous five cases the international criminal court the investigations they've been in kenya they've been in sudan. and

central african republic in the democratic republic of congo despite all the other crimes and moves that are going on that across the world from iraq could see in the gaza strip the international criminal court has focused solely to this point upon black people and obviously you know they seem to be moving. focusing on gadhafi now but still very much focused on africa the sense very much seems to be that the international criminal court is the place where the west judges the rest is where the international criminal courts presumes that they can have this kind of civilized legal perspective on the world which is lacking in african countries who are unable to determine their own affairs properly and in the guiding hands of western politicians. or you with our tears to the head of this sound not practicing what they preach. actually trying to export democracy for around the world where. they're trying to suppress the citizens of this country revisit the poorest city in

the american state of michigan which citizens say might become a template for disturbing breakdown of democracy. greek trade unions have begun a general strike against new austerity plans to try to get a crucial vote on wednesday some protesters are even warning they'll try to prevent it from entering the government of the twenty eight billion euro package of spending cuts and tax hikes is a key condition for the country to get more cash from you to prove it meaning you bailed out the other tranche of last year's aid package been reading those but otherwise greece could become the first eurozone country to default on its debt while some states like that we're still keen to join the military others are beginning to rethink their membership plans as to bottom. ship. turkey is in asia minor or not in europe turkey's police is not a. union turkey started seeking integration with europe in the one nine hundred

fifty s. . you can do it in ninety nine but since then from some germany who remained opposed continued stalling. jerky. and european union have actually stalled there's. relationship for such a long time now that the turkish public is tired of it the main reason turks think the europeans don't want them immigration. first well they come and steal our jobs like the polish plumber did. and second well they threaten us culturally but others see the real fear in paris and berlin as a loss of political power and this sort of fray german condominium is

already on the challenge but with the inclusion of turkey in the european union it would be totally impossible to sustain now embroiled in economic crisis the e.u. isn't as strong as it once seemed. turks are starting to view the dalai is in joining less with frustration and more with relief frankly given. the state of the european union right now is the inability of taking decisions the euro's fragile situation the rising racism and islamophobia in many countries. it's it's becoming less and less attractive turkey is no longer waiting for europe to change its mind instead many speak of the axis of turkish interest shifting from west to east it's pursued a no problems policy with its neighbors in recent years that's yielded impressive results boosting trade and making turkey

a leader in regional diplomacy if we want to. combine our. power with others i think we should look at your asia the bosphorus behind me has long been seen as a bridge between east and west but with turkey increasingly pushed away by europe over here and pull towards the middle eastern asia over here turks no longer see all their hopes by looking west tamasin r.t. istanbul turkey but meanwhile europe is being offered help with its an economy by china the chinese prime minister who's on a told that he has offered to buy debt from struggling nations it's seen as a move to secure supporting europe as well as to curb inflation and that's the view of jim rogers an american investor and author. if they become the savior if they become the largest creditor for europe then they're going to have a very major seat at the table it's going to improve their position in the i.m.f.

it's going to produce improved their position with the world bank it's going to improve their position at the u.n. because you know the europeans are going to have to be more and more friendly to china because china saving america not cannot save them russia cannot save them so europe is going to be more china friendly than it has been in the past they're going to the europeans to say ok let's be friendly we'll keep you all this money will bail you out you feed now friendly and supportive of us instead of being so supportive instead of listening to washington so much you know you call us first and if we want more representation in international bodies such as the world bank then you you should listen to our case the chinese have huge international reserves in the largest international creditor in the world they have over three trillion u.s. dollars and very various currencies internally yes they've had too much inflation and they're trying to cool that inflation up but there are extraordinary

international situation about lots of liquidity and can do whatever they want. they today. his co-host stacey herbert discussed whether the shock waves from the e.u. debt crisis are reaching the u.s. . there's a theme emerging all roads are pointing to one culpable source of the catastrophe b b i'm not talking about brigitte bardot but ben bernanke he actually says that this will be a small negligible impact of greece defaulting he is telling a lie that's causing incredible global financial damage again i suggest water boarding. deprived of jobs resources and now it's an elected government the american city of benton harbor has seen drastic changes to the way to run the new officials across

almost on this trip to the local powers he's been a point in our examines what it means for the state of american democracy. the american state known for its great lakes has seen the middle class speed and automotive industry crumble in michigan's poorest city benton harbor more than a quarter citizens are unemployed and elected officials have lost all looks already to government as an unprecedented democratic collapse plays out we believe that it's illegal immoral and unconstitutional no one person in this country have all that authority to prove the united states do not have that authority in the face of massive public opposition michigan lawmakers recently democracy by giving unilateral authority to officials known as emergency financial managers even maps have independent authority to fire elected officials close schools void union contracts sell public property and privatized assets residents like scott elliott

say his city could be the start of a changing landscape. in american politics people throw around words like oligarchies and all that sort of thing i mean that's that's what it already is i think that the average citizen is going to have less and less to say about what is done with public assets these decision makers are appointed by the governor to oversee school districts and cities like benton harbor facing financial distress in april benton harbor z.m. out stripped the elected city council of its democratic power leaving a city of eleven thousand struggling americans under the rule of a man they didn't unless their hypocritical you know their ex trying to export democracy for around the world but at home they're trying to suppress the citizens of this country at least four other cities including detroit have an emergency manager in the motor city the e.m.f.

laid off some six thousand teachers and it's pioneering plans for corporations to privately run schools funded by public tax dollars while dr martin luther king. said injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere so it's been to the harbor today but it could be mill york tomorrow or it couldn't be chicago next week benton harbor is one of roughly one hundred cities or towns in michigan reportedly on the verge of fiscal. and economic desperation that paved the way for financial martial law to spread throughout the states critics say that would lead to a deepening demise of democratic rights the u.s. has always claimed to stand for. marina porton i.r.t. michigan. if you look at some other international headlines for you now guards

about ships carrying humanitarian aid up there and to set sail from greece but organizers face hurdles as israel is what it will prevent any attempt to reach its sea blockade of the palestinian territories. israeli officials have dropped threats to ban and deport journalists on board a year ago a similar mission led to a deadly raid by israeli commandos in which nine activists were killed. the international monetary fund is preparing to name its next boss with christine lagarde expected to one of the french finance minister would be the first woman to lead the organization if she manages to beat her opponent central bank of a mexico new head that will replace dominique strauss kahn who resigned last month of the sex assault charges. afghanistan's top banker has resigned and fled the country the head of the central bank who's now in the u.s. claims he feared for his life after the government interfered his efforts to expose

corruption within the bank. says abdul qadeer resignation amounts to treason also says he was suspected of and betting money that almost there to the collapse of the country's largest lender last year. we're staying with afghanistan where the international demand for drugs is one of the main factors fueling opium production in the country so says the afghan until narcotics minister an interview with r.t. or here's a preview of what's to come next. we realize the poppies are cultivated in afghanistan but then the question arises in water we're about thirteen hundred tons of chemical substances nitrous three preprocessing opium and her illegally get into afghanistan via other countries another example is that the world consumes ninety five percent of afghan produced opium by contraband opium sumption in afghanistan accounts for just five percent. this proves that not only afghanistan but the whole world should

declare war on these narcotic substances. but drive by the russian government to raise the birth rate lawmakers to propose a bill limiting a pregnant woman's options of abortion legislators say they want to reduce the huge number of terminating pregnancies but there's criticism that the measures will deprive women of the right to determine their own future risk over has the details . when she heard she was pregnant again leon i had already been through actually serious sections and had to kill three sons to make her life complete along with her diabetes this pregnancy was a huge risk now though she can't imagine life without her sasha there's a lot over there i lose my little miracle that i can't even imagine that once i had thought about getting rid of him there was never regretted my decision later i was able to make a choice freely had she wanted it terminations nothing would have stood in her way

abortion in russia is available on request up to twelve weeks and despair emitted at any stage if the pregnancy puts the mother's life in danger the proposed legislation would end free abortions in state clinics and make women wait for a week before the terminations to think over their decision the morning after pill now available at any pharmacy would also become prescription only. if we managed to avert at least twenty percent of abortions annually we have a clear increase in birth rates instead of a demographic decline. that's a qualified psychologist working at one of moscow's maternity hospitals says the stress of an unplanned pregnancy often makes women rush to a decision they might later regret but the wiser that you might ask is not to talk a woman out of abortion just sure they'll turn idiots so that she doesn't end up turning to her. software with questions like who all the baby would have been now

and what he or she would have looked like. experts say the only way forward is to give women the security needed to embark on motherhood although found the help she was so desperate for at a moscow charity. my husband left me when i was pregnant i didn't have any means to feed the kids already had let alone raise another one. however opponents of the proposed legislation believe limiting a woman's choice every just her rights both health and human my body is my business is just one of their slogans that bit about she got about history shows that being abortions has never wanted to be born when the soviet union outlawed abortions in nineteen thirty six the result was an enormous increase in the maternal death rate and that's what doctors fear most that restrictions on legal abortions will only push women to find risky backstreet alternatives even if it threatens their health and life the all of those the years living in russia forty percent of women decide

against pregnancy and if a woman is determined not to have children she won't and that includes simply abandoning them. or like the mothers of these babies who found another way to escape the burdens of motherhood these children are too young to understand why they were not wanted. these children didn't choose to come into this world and be deprived of their basic right for parental love one day they might find someone to call their family over the question is whether restricting abortions well lead to more children abandoned after being born against their mothers well. sorry i wish her well r.t. moscow. well we have plenty more stories of land up you online on our website. that's what's coming up discover the fate of the man blew the cover of a group of russian agents me last year to being a famous town and chapman. and moscow may be

a long way from the sea still plenty of places to sit same from check out the city's daunting clubs. if you know it's all the business news with katrina stay with us. hello and welcome to the business bulletin here on r.t. russia is on its way towards cutting its budget deficit and returning to the black in the next three years buoyant crude prices could also help produce a three point six gap in the budget down to one percent by the end of the year but

analysts warn that high crude prices are putting the long term financial stability of the country at risk. it's a good thing for russia that they will come down was heading up two hundred twenty hundred thirty dollars on brant in the longer run this would be a boom and bust cycle we saw in two thousand and eight we do not want to see this again in russia much more sustainable for the world economy if the if the oil prices say averaging nine to one hundred dollars this is a global economy grows stronger it's a more sustainable story and that's that's how you can make proper plans for the for the future taking a look at the markets now oil in struggling to narrow it down monday's losses which sent crude prices to their lowest in four months the drop came on the heels of last week's announcement by the international energy agency that it was really sixty million barrels of oil movies hope to counter the effect of halted exporters from libya and across asia asia the nikkei is out well thanks a lot the negative sentiment is optimism that the greek parliament will vote in

favor of more austerity measures two of the. banking sectors and exporters are among the gang is it's a big financial group is adding around a percent in tokyo petro china is gaining almost two percent in hong kong. and here in moscow the trading session will kick off in around the time the market finished in the red on monday on negative same for the european. the one six individually ha five percent lower and the odds against not going into the same. russian stock markets have been largely negative at the start of the trading week. investment bank says docile from a slew of annual general meetings this week but keep investors busy we have a wild week and we're waiting for a lot of a.g.m. june comes to get towards the end and we don't expect any fireworks per se we have you know no but just having these meetings and proving you know dividends and elect a new boards we've seen a few positive developments in the boards in that more market friendly people have

come on the boards and you saw the impact of stocks like the. for the rest of the week we're just waiting for again the greek and then the us data as well and it's been on and off in the last couple of weeks so you know any positive news coming out of the us will foster a bit of the global growth in the picture in general because europe it's moving on to worse you know a bit more forgetful and how do we go forward. the international financial corporation is buying seven point seven percent of russia's trans capital bank the private sector arm of the world bank will buy in through an additional issue of shares worth around seventy one million dollars the i have seen would advise the bank on launch a new financial product it will also lend trance capital bank of around eighteen million dollars for this program the banks other institutional investors the european bank for reconstruction and development will keep it stake of around twenty two percent. global investors are gathering in moscow to brainstorm their strategies in russia the event is being held by when i saw this capital has been

investing in russia for twenty years business r.t.s. dmitri medvedev caught up with the company's c.e.o. stephen jennings to find out how the investment climate has improved over the. obviously twenty years ago there was no market there was literally no market no infrastructure no capital markets no private sector companies to try to change it's been virus but i think the point is every every phase russia has al performed relative to expectations one of the perplexing things is this is a perpetual somewhat negative attitude from the west towards russia but if you look exposed the results have been very favorable over a long period of time given the current market conditions do you think right now is a good time to invest in russia because a very interesting time in russian assets are very cheap but not much more expensive than pakistan which is clearly ridiculous russia has a strong track record in large scale privatisation i won't be surprised if it's bigger if it goes further than people are talking about i think will be progress in

building the moscow financial center where would you invest today and what sectors of russia's ago. no there's still an enormous potential really across the board a natural sources there are a large scale assets that are still not being with the war within corporate structures or being necessarily being managed well across all the so-called new sectors the economy whether that's financial services retail consumer what manufacturing this is the highest return significant market in the world over the last ten years by very considerable margin it's a market that's been open to foreign investors for fifteen years both strategic and financial investors so there's ample opportunity the market is very liberal and in my view will continue to see strong returns and that brings you up to date with business will be back with more in just under an hour stay with us.

the e. limits. to. be coming. to. him if it was. if. he. sees.