some three thousand people have already been killed since clashes between protesters and security forces began eight months ago with the death toll still belting. reports from damascus. the protests the government crackdowns and violence that continue to plague parts of syria the capital damascus is still largely sheltered from but beneath the calm many will remind you that in syria walls most certainly have years more but at the country's intelligence service has political clout in syria that's one of the state's secret and says the unrest began in march protestors have accused them of violent interrogations for a little bit before i was chased and arrested by security forces in a very tiny cell be beaten severely damaging my back and me be electrocuted and be accused of sort of receiving money for taking to the streets of america and israel after forty eight hours of detention and torture it took all my money and belongings in threw me out into the street. didn't cooley is

a lawyer who deals with detention cases she says the influence of the security police extends even into the courtroom mohamed mohamed we have three authorities in the country the legal authority the legislative and executive but it is the security police who make the real decisions the court judge for their decision and i feel sorry for the judge because he is not independent. and good he believes this constant state of fear is thanks to decades of living under the emergency law in place since one thousand nine hundred sixty three in two thousand and eleven assad repealed it to appease and to regime protestors this man who's worked for the more but after twenty seven years sustained gunshot wounds in what he says was an ambush by a group of terrorists we asked him about people's fear of the mob but not accusations that they are behind the violence detentions and torture. this is the wrong idea we're protecting our people are the terrorists shoot civilians you shoot us and then. security forces are doing such things accusations that we. are also wrong if

this person has political activity without any intention of harming the country and he is free to do this and no one will chase him if he has links with terrorists and works against the country naturally justice we pose the same questions to the deputy foreign minister you know it depends on the people who talk to you if you ask me as a citizen of syria i have to do a different view i have never ever been asked by the security or anybody for something which i am to those who fear are either people who take part in illegal activities or carry arms or put themselves in suspicious waves well this right here is a very open and colorful flights if syria were going to come to talking about security services like anywhere destroyed by intrigue but here their presence is so widely felt that it's not quite possible to determine just what local feel is normal and what is if. and when twenty percent of the population is rumored to be in the

intelligence service it's no wonder many prefer to keep their voices down in the light of day but within a crowd that fear is temporarily forgot. yes i'll take to the streets again and again i'll raise my voice and all fear nothing and no one will one freedom of expression but we get nothing only bashar al assad and his security and enjoyed it as for us we are nothing why is that if they. are. you know we discussed the situation in syria with the beirut based political analyst was in the assad's opinion that the country is under arrest is part of a foreign a plot to topple the syrian government. i think it's a conspiracy by the regional power that they wanted to change the regime of bashar al assad they wanted a different regime different government was different had and that's why there you

can see the regional power hasn't been friendly to the situation it's taking the place inside syria actually some of this country has been funneling weapons and money and certain i just to topple the regime of president assad the president of syria acknowledged there is opposition in that country and he extended his hand to reconciliation within the his country for those people who are asking for change and that's why today they have a constitutional reform but there is an external power of what they say in opposition an exile those are backed by the western powers some persian gulf country. meantime historian and author f. william things that the west's interference in the uprisings in the middle east and north africa has left post revolution countries in tatters and you can watch his full interview next hour here on our say. the economy is in far worse shape libya

had the highest living standard in all the africa before the bombing of nato today the country is in ruins because of those bombings not because of gadhafi. the economy of egypt is in dire straits the military remains in control they were the military high command of egypt was sitting in the pentagon when the revolts kicked off and waited for a signal from the pentagon when to return and take control of those events. and that interview was next hour here on r.t. for now palestine has for the first time ever received recognition by a u.n. body its cultural arm has accepted it as a fully fledged member but this decision comes at a price for unesco with the u.s. cutting its funding to the organization which represents almost a quarter of its budget guy nature counterparts. there certainly was

a lot of jubilation in paris cheers went up in the assembly hall where the final tally was announced but the vote problems at a price welcoming palestine to the united nations educational scientific and cultural organisation means saying goodbye to as much as twenty two percent of the organization's budget washington as being the agency's biggest contributor so far and the state department has confirmed that they will stop sponsoring the organization on what grounds a u.s. law passed the ninety nine obliges washington to cut off funding to unesco if it is made palestine but nonetheless this u.n. body facing huge budget cuts voted one hundred seven four and fourteen nations against the admission of palestine a very sensitive and jubilant moment for the palestinians and a sour point for these release and for the united states it seems they've been doing everything possible to do rail to vote but to no avail although the u.n. body in question deals with science education and culture the vote is being seen as

very much political as a first step as a reminder of the popularity of the palestinian bid for full u.n. membership. application is now pending before the u.n. security council where the united states is still reckoning to use its veto power most of the international community is for palestine becoming a full member of the un and the us position on this is considered to be very much by its. he's got an extra reporting right there well we always go to get your take on our top story here today we're asking you what the admission of palestine to unesco means let's have a look at how you vote you know the numbers speak for themselves just forty percent of you don't think the move will change anything the palestinians while slightly above of those think it clears the way for the country statehood and the rest almost evenly divided between two options where the u.s. goes with difficulties putting its bills now although the if you. you know

palestine would sweeten the pill of a future rejection by the un to do take a moment to have your say on the issue by simply logging on to our dog called. ramsey but over the meantime the editor of the palestine chronicle dot com things that washington's move is unfair but says you know sco will survive it's an act of good up to punish and that's what's exactly what it is and the sad thing is that you have many members and the congress is talking if the outlaws and other conservative republicans and to project members will be pushing for the u.s. to use its iron fist as far as willing to punish it took any organization that either recognize this palestine as a state or giving it membership and that international body will be didn't always struggle any membership it seeks it any given organization any way its exchange and that as what is going to suffer not just the palestinians alone but you know various countries because it is from mazen programs that you describe funded as

well how they use this one but this is what's important to my going to out here and this president really gets one point cut funding to this one pulled out and you know what you this will survive and it will survive this time as well dr somebody who's an advisor to the palestinian president thinks the recognition that unesco increases international pressure on the u.s. and its allies to follow suit. but you kind of get the united states of america celebrating the arab spring going into the heart of a square in egypt and shaking the hands of demonstrators seeking democracy while banning palestinians from having their own democracy on their own independence that's. totally unacceptable what's also this is the fact that the united states of america has in the past but it's not in the partisan and i thought it would now we hear the foreign secretary secretary clinton is calling upon congress to reconsider

this position i certainly hope the american administration would reconsider the issue also financial would not be off and the. national income from. independence would not be subject. to hold by. anything that has to be total indorsement now there's an international voice but it's the new invoice and i think this voice ought to be addressed and addressed carefully. with r.t. live from moscow and still ahead for you this hour tough tactics as i say shins of u.s. police brutality against the wall street protesters battle to be told to the witnesses of the crime. plus. markets worldwide is sinking as investors brought to the surprise decision by the greek prime minister to call a referendum on last week's new bailout package but the debt stricken country more in business in ten minutes.

british. market. find out what's really happening to the global economy with. global financial headlines. is

a report. with r.t. about seven minutes away from the business now this halloween the f.b.i. decided to share their own ghost stories a code name given to the operation that sold ten russian agents uncovered last year and the agency released surveillance video saying those featuring famous film. chapman. has more from moscow. perhaps spookiest overall is that this footage doesn't contain any actual spooks there was no charges of espionage leveled against the ten people who were arrested in the united states in june of last year instead they pled guilty to conspiracy to act as a rule for agents of the foreign governments now the case these videos that have been released coping stories course released on halloween something which did raise a few eyebrows however the f.b.i.

. this is just purely coincidental now the footage shows members of this alleged spy ring. doing such things as shopping in macy's and using laptops in popular branches of book stores the f.b.i. saying that operation ghost story sends a clear message to any foreign spice wanting to operate in the united states over critics have suggested this the release of these documents is something of the publicity stunt. more of that story as well as other news we're covering available on our website. right now if you take a look. at those who. literally feel like a second skin. too much

taxi driver went on the rampage. simply in the name of. three sixteen pm here in moscow the ever growing occupy wall street movement in the u.s. is drawing more dissatisfied university students into its ranks the cost of national student loans and high unemployment are putting unbearable burden on the backs of young people. spoke to some of those already facing a future cost in debt. they call it the american dream because you have to be asleep to believe that student debt is crushing the american dream for millions of students and college graduates it's this thing that eventually you'll have to kind

of face but until then you kind of pretend it doesn't exist because if you did then it's it's a bit daunting vast majority of youth are unable to pay these pay for college unless you have rich parents for the first time in the u.s. total student debt has surpassed one trillion dollars now more than the nation's credit card debt this as unemployment amongst college graduates is at an all time high president obama recently announced his plans east to loan debt we're going to make it easier for you to have one payment. at a better interest rate and this will pass it will cost taxpayers a dime but it will save you money and it will save you time but his plan won't help millions of americans already drowning in debt and it excludes private loans which is where many students run into trouble due to their high interest rates move on dot org launched a petition to eliminate student debt which has garnered over six hundred forty seven thousand signatures if you put more money into the hands of people they're

going to spend and that will create demand it will create economic growth and it will create jobs robert applebaum says bailing out students rather than banks will stimulate the economy by putting more cash in the pockets of the educated middle class they're not starting businesses they're not buying cars they're not buy houses they're not starting families not having children in other developed countries getting a financial education isn't such a financial burden you have free tuition in france denmark and sweden finland they don't pay anything of public universities and when they do pay the price tag isn't as shocking as it is in the u.s. twenty one countries in europe for which we have data. there's only four. you have to is more than two hundred dollars compare that to an average of over eight thousand for public and over twenty eight thousand dollars for a private u.s. college as many cost much more the average schools are charging thirty five to

forty five thousand dollars a year and we say i work at two universities and i net about. twenty eight thousand dollars a year and it's not getting better over the past two decades to asian has skyrocketed over four hundred percent this year alone the cost of college shot up over eight percent occupy wall street protesters camped out here and across the nation say this is yet another example of rising inequality shackled to college debt for years and in many cases decades and washington artsy. of course are not only the students who have been standing defiant on u.s. streets as part of the ongoing anti wall street protests of the movement that has attracted thousands of people from all walks of life demanding economic justice has recently seen a sweeping spread around one hundred protesters were arrested nationwide in the last three days for fusing to leave comes in denver officers in riot gear used

pepper spray and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds eyewitnesses accuse police of using brutal force some say authorities are manipulating evidence to discredit the activists. illusion. kind of ready for you know for the chance when all at all totally armed to the t.v. and ready for war so to speak and they move very quickly we do know that one protester though in fact the gentleman who's army showed a picture was shot for climbing the tree and those actually we found out afterwards were ever walls they're calling them they're like bowls filled with chemical agents from not rivers i'm seeing a few videos want to arrest you particular one officer drove his motorcycle into the crowd. this one will. look at this guy. how we do this. and you can clearly tell.

then seems to interest rate. back onto the floor. at which point also comes to control. some down and asked. well our u.s. correspondents have been keeping their eyes on a close watch on the developments in the us protests. videos available on our twitter feed you can see right here if you log on to the web page you can find out more about what's happening directly.

in just a moment. with the business but for now the world update for you will start with china. and the spacecraft from the gobi desert of the country's northwest. is due to join another module within days and what would ultimately be that the first chinese docking with a spacecraft already. the exercise is part of the country's preparation for building its own space station by two thousand and twenty china. and became the third country to humans into space after. like the airplane taking off from the mexican city of tijuana has crashed into a shop near a populated street market and the pilot and his seventeen year old daughter were killed in the accident along with another victim on the ground at least eight cars

caught on fire at the scene which is in a neighborhood of quite close to the u.s. border authorities are investigating what caused the accident. protests have flared up in the capital over the government's handling of the ongoing flood crisis with many of bangkok's rural areas affected residents accuse the government of sacrificing their neighborhoods to save the in the commercial district of the city the inhabitants are suffering from food and water shortages as panic spreads amid the ongoing fight with floodwaters thailand's heavy monsoons of killed nearly four hundred people since july with the severe conditions suspected to continue for some time. well if you can join us for a walk through the wild nature of russia's remote city of it's where icebergs survive through the summer and september sees the first snow fall that's in our special report are coming your way very soon.

discover it's. communicate with. yourself and become free. see what nature can give you. time off the business with you. thanks rory a very well welcome to the business program global markets have plunged into another round of volatile trading as uncertainty comes rushing but that's after christmas prime minister george papandreou unexpectedly called for a referendum on e.u. plans to bail out the country last week european leaders a great to hand athens a one hundred thirty billion euro bailout and a fifty percent write down on its enormous debt and the say

a no vote by austerity where we greeks could lead to the end of the country's membership of the eurozone and trigger a default or a friend of call be held as soon as next january. let's have a look at the markets the reaction gold prices in the red all fresh worries about europe's debt crisis blights which is not trading at ninety dollars per barrel while brant is still holding at one hundred seven dollars. and european markets is sinking extending monday's losses as a greek referendum spurred concern that the country may default mining companies are also tumbling on the lower chinese manufacturing. moving on it's a sea already across russia the r.t.s. is down four and a half percent while the might six is under three percent in the red let's have a look at some of the individual share moves on the minds it's most energy mages are down on the crude with gas probably losing more than three percent banking stocks and no exception would be to be under four percent in the red russia's

telecommunications main jet telecom is also losing ground the company has approved a buyback program worth the billion dollars. well capital flight from russia is expected to double by the end of the here to seventy billion dollars the central bank says investors are leaving the merchant nations and with global economic uncertainty the performance is still expected to be better than in two thousand and eight when one hundred thirty billion dollars left. in russia in the fourth quarter alone while the central bank also points out that international reserves and not affected by capital flight and exports driven budget surplus will help russia grocers that spike twenty three billion dollars this year. and russia's direct investment fund is going to strike five billion dollars worth of deals by the end of that yet that's according to the found guilty fund me triffids says they're now considering round twenty investment projects stephen gaika from school of the foundation believes it's the right time for russia to try tracked cash from

report what's happened since two thousand and eight. and the subsequent issues are now occurring in europe as well as the situation in the american economy i believe american investors are taking a fresh look at russia because they realize that there are problems in emerging economies there are problems in developed economies i like them so russia with very low debt load and a very strong economy is more attractive than it perhaps was two years ago simply because other parts of the world have developed significant problems in the meantime. that's it for more you can find more stores no website archie dot com slash business. coming.

up the most success bringing you the latest in some instances cuts some arrests the huge earth coverage. the east side. loses her the saddest sight to see.

us.

the arab league makes a last ditch. bloodshed in syria president assad. and. the streets. between protesters and security forces. three thousand since the unrest began in. cultural agency. membership by a majority vote the move is seen many as a sign of growing international support. treat the mainstream media. stories. including of course the famous.