what i am this early. wednesday morning in moscow sarah but they watching my name is kevin and it's easy to lose track this time and what i can tell you our top story it's an historic day for western europe's energy supply which has now been bolstered by a russian gas directly through a brand new pipeline president dmitri medvedev chancellor angela merkel and their partners in the project of turn the valves open the receiving end of the north streamlining germany the ten billion dollar scheme as the longest subsidy gas route in the world. was at the scene of the nord stream which. it will provide long term energy security for europe which had been affected by previous transit rails with the likes of ukraine and belarus it will also fill a shortfall in gas which is projected to reach some one hundred million homes by twenty thirty now this is a europe wide project why european leaders are here is because french dutch german

companies energy firms have taken stakes in the north stream pipeline that will guarantee supply to homes in those countries for the next fifty years at least the last time of this current project there are plans to send this gas on to berlin and then on to the existing european network and to countries like the united kingdom as well is that is that with this russia is always going to great lengths to fulfill its energy obligations because it's our highest priority we will continue to supply our european partners without interruption in the future in order to attract more investment for the project i'm convinced that such involvement will minimize risks along the entire energy supply chain. but now this should also provide cheaper gas for homes in europe with no transit fees to be paid for the likes of ukraine and belarus with gas going direct for the first time from russia to the e.u. german shores langley merkel is optimistic about the future relations between russia and the european. when speaking about energy supply security we also speak

about diversification and russia is one of our most important partners the sources of supply have to be safe and the demand from europe is also guaranteed we need russian gas for the economic development of our continent and this means that we will be closely linked to each other for decades to come. it is the longest subsidy pipeline the gas pipeline in the world it took some engineering brilliance just for one example compressor stations which keep the pressure in gas pipelines usually there are several across the route this one just has has one the beginning of the route it's been planned since the ninety's ninety's construction did start a few years ago the second line will come on stream next year and we've just spoken to some of the heads of the of the project who say that a third line will be discussed by shareholders very shortly because they expect demand for gas to grow and to keep growing even through this crisis the euro crisis that we're seeing to keep growing through the e.u.

in the coming years to a bushel europe correspondent there last post where the journalist julian leaves said europe's come to rely on russia as its main source of gas because the supplies always been accessible and reliable. but there is an overriding view within europe that diversification is important and this is a fein that we've heard echoed for many many years now but within that act it is generally recognized that in europe and i don't think know some dissenting voice really anywhere in europe that russia is now and always will be a principal provider of gas to the european continent it is simply a vast repository of natural gas resources it is on europe's eastern border it has very stable turn gas supply relationships with european countries and and nobody is looking really to supplant russian gas what

europe wants to do is to ensure that gas comes from other places by other routes in addition to russian gas but not instead of it as the chairman of an austrian project former german chancellor gerhard schroeder tells r t why the pub lands important for the russia your relationship is a brief preview of what's coming away in full in fifteen minutes. feel politician call it the european union needs russia or geopolitical if you like but the reverse is also true of it's not a question got kind of the time has come to start cooperating and start looking back i'm ideological differences or niches in a situation where you could ship gas to china and all of asia and europe you know i hope russia never has to make a choice for the russian government is evidently pro european or europe cannot keep pushing washer away it hurts russians pride or is it if you know we have to keep in mind that all russia has the alternative of shipping to asia or europe has no such alternative activity drugs europe's geo political position will only be approved or

if it manages to enter a tight partnership with russia in value and at the same time grand session a turkey or that would be a sound strategy again or into the future by the rest of us the world's debate on name. well she's called the release of the u.s. atomic watchdog report on iraq and inappropriate says that the new findings suggest iran's been working on developing nuclear weapons and as credible evidence to prove it we're ready and president mahmoud ahmadinejad's criticised the report and said to run won't stop its peaceful nuclear development this all comes as the russian president warned the militarists rhetoric in the middle east could lead to a catastrophic war in the region russia's voicing strong words against an attack on iran following statements by israel that a strike is more likely than diplomacy the u.s. foreign policy expert bob of slaven from the atlantic council discussion group who told me action against iran would undermine diplomatic efforts. obviously the

israelis are very very worried about iran and what iran would do but i think they also understand that the consequences of a strike could actually be worse for israel than allowing iran to proceed on this this path hezbollah has forty thousand rockets that it could unleash some of them can reach tel aviv hamas might attack israel would be even more isolated in the region of course it's very isolated already because of developments in the arab spring i don't think the united states would be pleased the french have said they don't want this and in the strength of the campaign against iran is building an international consensus against iran having nuclear weapons and that would be shattered by by a military strike at this time. because israel flexes its political muscle over around the jewish states hit by a recruitment crisis as we report later these young israelis are increasingly finding ways to try to avoid conscription good report coming up for you. be

italian prime minister silvio berlusconi says he will resign after parliament passes economic reforms required by the e.u. approval could take place as early as next week the government earlier won a crucial budget vote but only lost his majority support debated public finances experts warn the political turmoil could tip it lead to even greater instability now the country's we've been closer to the epicenter of europe's financial crisis with debts piling up borrowing costs continue to rocket to the university of reading in england says that italy leads not only berlusconi's resignation but structural changes to survive the deepening crisis. it's very naive to foreclose the entire political debate justin berry sauna i think the counter is going to a very difficult time and what is required is a say a serious political debate on what kind of measure. one to take to tackle the krises it's not much about risk or in italian people in case should war to end the

side what their replacements should be rather than being done through parliamentary gimmicks i think that we should have stepped down at least one year ago or and been able to survive just because the corruption and bribery in italian parliament is so widespread that these has been possible but honestly i think that's what is required is serious change and serious change can come just through going back to the people and asking them what. school and he should be. meanwhile in greece ministers of offer their resignation to pave the way for a new government comes as the country's leaders struggled with agree on a new prime minister the talks over unity coalition into the second day towards perfect dro will stand down as pm once is replacements advanced the interim government will lead the country into the elections there expresses reality in february greece of course under pressure to ratify that one hundred thirty billion

euro emergency rescue package and end its political crisis that's put entire eurozone in jeopardy our correspondents are a first responder low tom in greece lately she's been asking greeks know for their take on the situation and the prospects for the embattled country they think. as the euro saying crisis rumbles on greece is once again found itself the focus of international attention and it seems like everyone's had an opinion about the situation here in the country we decided to come. which is really been the epicenter it's very much of this year a quite the find out what the people of greece have to say about it all. so he stands at the camera and. let the people of greece take it away alone. we are in greece. of this one. all the people who. are saying. everything is made money board

actually. it's like they're trying to frighten us or something like hi my name is vicky i need in i've been living in greece for ten years now. my grandfather fought for this country and it saddens me that. right now there's a chance you might lose everything that we know in this country and. there's really not much we can do and i want to ask something else. if all the european snow but all these dead cannot be big but. why do they lend his money question don't they want their money back the thing with the situation right now and grief is that we don't feel real secure about anything but our salaries our health and you know in my aids thing about the team that i'm going to make and the decisions i have to do from then from now it's really sad because. everybody here things that you know the

things could be better there are something more than that there's something more very very angry because often there is a lot of fun employment in greece now. that the people in greece are very skeptical about the euro i think. it's better we are in euro. of course definitely but there are so some serious problems. because a lot of people lost they lost their jobs you don't know what. you can do you can plan your life i'm twenty two years old and i don't have a job. i have to leave with my parents i don't have money i can leave i hope for everybody to be calm and. try to get out of the crisis and i really hope everybody can help us to do that is a european country in greece and euro is a greek word

a greek word i hope something can be done so we can save this beautiful country and be able to pass it on to our grandchildren and the children after that the people of greece the steps up to the mike and had a chance to have their say the question now is whether anyone is going to be ready to listen to them or the decisions again to keep being made behind closed doors surface syntagma square in athens. still to come in the program we meet one of the members of the seventy muslim r.'s five hundred experiment says the project sort of a regular. impact on his life now that he's quote back then on about. next third a time when israel is threatening iran with military action confidence in the strength of the jewish state's army is crucial but every year more and more israelis are seeking ways to avoid conscription choosing to defend themselves rather than their country are these paula still reports next door why the young

generation is turning its back on military service. for years it's been the cornerstone of the country's security but these days there's a real risk these rady defense forces could be left defenseless conscription is at an all time you know about fifty percent of the. jewish males. don't serve in the military twenty back on a spend most of the year and a half he was in the army trying to convince his superiors to release him on medical grounds they eventually did but only after he'd wasted months searching around he says doing nothing while in uniform get drafted for a. because of this feeling that it would be a parasite if i wouldn't and a couple months later i realized that i just couldn't take part in a longer in what's called the israel defense forces which has nothing to do with defense other than by name and a growing number of israelis agree with him mr friedman made sure she scored low on

her army entrance tests so instead of serving as a soldier she's not doing civil service working as an art instructor in a center for the mentally disabled i have our friends in the army and they saw. how they were when they first came to them in how they are now and it's a lot of brainwashing actually and they just take you down from your identity and make you basically a soldier ten years ago they refusenik movement started in israel youngsters refusing to serve in the army on political grounds add to that the nearly fifteen percent of potential draftees who don't serve because of religious reasons and a recent series of scandals also so public trust in the military decline state it's about just. this video posted on you tube says a true israeli doesn't evade the truth in other words a true israeli avoids conscription fifteen or twenty years ago an advert like this

would have been unthinkable in those days not serving in the army was something shameful but now young. those have role models like activia nodded a copy former girlfriend israeli model bar refaeli who evaded service and gave it to richard timoci violations of human rights. carried out by israel's absolute disrespect of international law it's crystal clear there's no question about that study showed that by twenty twenty the number of military age jewish israelis who will not be serving will be the highest ever the growing trend has the military worried it won't have the troops it needs especially now as the region heats up and the army needs all the soldiers it can get. r.t. tel aviv. bringing up the of the world news in brief now in india first at least twenty people have been killed and dozens injured after a stampede broke out during a religious ceremony in the north of the country the instant when tens of thousands of hindu pilgrims rushed towards

a holy site to offer their prayers now some of the name tripped and fell while those behind continue to push forward many women and children are reported to be among the dead and injured unfortunately deadly stampedes a common in the last january more than one hundred people died on route to a strong and very serious oppositions reportedly appealed for international presence in the central city of homs the activists say at least eleven people were killed monday it comes after damascus accused the u.s. of being involved in the violence and asked the arab league for support on the issue the u.n. claims at least three thousand five hundred people now have been killed in the crackdown since anti-government protests began back in march. polls are closed in liberia as presidential elections a middle position protests and a boy called over fraud claims winston tubman who won some thirty three percent of the first round in october withdrew from the race last week alleging the process is rigged in the ruling party's favor is allegations that were rejected by

international observers who urged people to cast their ballots it is the first election since the country's fourteen year conflict in two thousand and three. michael jackson's doctor conrad murray has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in an l.a. court he was found guilty of administering a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol which killed jackson in two thousand and nine murray could receive a maximum prison sentence of four years and lose his medical license now the jury took two days to reach its decision. members of mars five hundred experiment that simulated round trip to the red planet who spent over seventeen months in isolation by the way are enjoying their first few days back on earth i was one of the participants of the project says the mission became a life changing experience serious. i knew no one was just to have a world which was two hundred meters square big and only five person that they could meet it was very exciting and very intense and the last period was

a definitely the highlight of tree. even though we knew it was a simulation and it was not at all like a real trip to mars which would be like ten thousand times bigger and more exciting it was it was very different. and we felt like being on the front place even of the real mass but it was very different if i was asked to go to the real mass i would sign up directly. centers western europe then for the first time a top story today we next talked to the man who's been at the head of that ambitious project former german chancellor gerhard schroeder tells us why the pipeline is so important for all sides involved.

gerhard schroeder was chancellor of germany from one nine hundred ninety eight to two thousand and five he's now chairman of the board at nordstrom russia's new gas pipeline under the baltic sea europe mr further why should the e.u. increase its dependence on gazprom. we're not talking about a dependence on russia we're talking about cooperation between russia on the one side and the european union on the other in the energy sector. north stream is viewed as a priority project by both russia and the e.u. because it's been part of europe's energy networks since two thousand and six is

recognized by the european parliament and the e.u. council of energy ministers from or part i meant. that the energy minister to nordstrom pipelines have already been laid what the third one will be added and what will be its capacity. that we currently have at least two pipelines with a total capacity of fifty five billion cubic meters the question of whether a third or even fourth pipeline will be laid should be answered by. european stock holders of as you know we have gazprom on the one side and holland's got sunni france's g.d.s. suez and germany's on and b.s.f. windowsill on the other if investors decide to build a third and fourth pipeline privately financed mind you we're not talking about stink financing and then it could be done i do not know whether they will make such a decision as it was not part of my work of. brussels wants all russian energy companies not just gazprom to be allowed to export gas to europe what are

the implications of that for gas prom and europe. regulator a position is not the issue but the e.u. germany and the rest of the e.u. nations need gas to sensibly reform that energy policy russia on the other hand has to sell gas to keep its budget in order so there's a codependency which is a good thing i would be happy to see european companies invest into russia and european markets open up to russian companies it's a good free market economy is good for marc rich or what do you think of the recent new raids on gazprom and its partners in europe think of the or gas i think europeans need gas gas has many uses with the political uncertainty in north africa it's good to have a stable partner that you can rely on and russia is one of these you know better than anyone else for instance that britain recently switched from export to impune old europe needs a gas supply to maintain a stable mix of energy sources that it's climatic conditions require and it needs

no way to get outside but also russia's gas and therefore i think opening the market up to goshen companies would be a wiser man of. the name to do some officials oppose russia whatever it. is ford or. i guess it so we have to admit that way but i hope we will get over it or it's understandable the european union needs russia geopolitically but the reverse is also true there's no question. about it the time has come to start cooperating and stop looking back at ideological differences. that misrata could russia switch supply to china if brussels keeps up its hostility was that it's unknown as it were to your involvement of wishes in a situation where it could ship gas to china and all of asia and europe i hope russia never has to make a choice the russian government is evidently pro european but europe cannot keep pushing russia away it hurts russians pride and we have to keep in mind that while

russia has the alternative of shipping to asia europe has no such alternative and europe's geopolitical position will only improve if it manages to enter a tiny hard to ship with russia one and at the same time grant only u.s. session to turkey that would be a sound strategy and into the future the rest is yesterday's debate alice and it did but of guess that if russia does decide to go east could that mean a gas shortfall for europe does that a snake know that will not happen russia was an exceptionally reliable supplier during soviet times so no one has to worry about that judging what i will say again that you're a canard it is incredibly important for russia to keep it a budget balance among other things therefore we're not talking about dependency here but a codependency to get that we've heard plans to lay an electricity route alongside the nord stream project could germany in your opinion in your opinion be interested in importing electricity from russia if i snitched funds i can i've not heard about

such plans you want to have long since been rumors about it but so far the talk has been detached from reality i doubt the plans will ever be realized in but ultimately it's up to the pipelines owners not the chairman of the stockholders committee or the progress in shipping liquefied natural gas. makes europe less dependent on pipelines can that affect this project now. i don't think it would have a negative effect on the project as. europe's liquefied gas market is quite limited to move there's nowhere to sally's in germany or poland has a developing market important is that it's in no way a danger for us and that's not the reason i'm criticizing it's the indication that there are alternative sources of the low spot prices and gas there to be assume the spot deals can be of no more gain than long term supply agreements in the short run but they do not offer stability for three to five plague of course in the wake of the fukushima disaster germany is closing all its nuclear power plants do you support that and how will it change germany's energy mix. have been in your mid

mind consider this me and my team or the people who would rigidly negotiated that deal with our energy suppliers and we had agreed to make a sensible exit out of nuclear strategy that was followed by a short period when the federal government thought our agreement should be overturned and of course they've since gone the other way and started supporting what i had negotiated on this does not mean bridge technologies like nuclear energy cannot be used until energy efficiency is sufficiently developed that we need gas as an interim energy source for the sake of energy security that's the reason we need to buy gas from new york from other cultures but primarily from russia and the reason we need to build gas power stations. gerhard schroder chairman of the board for the north stream gas pipeline thank you for speaking with r.t. .

wealthy british style. market why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy. with mike stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune into cars a report on our. close up team has been to the penitentiary for technological breakthroughs save human lives. now on she goes to the scene. a little unusual ways to protect nature. where farming pioneers place local cuisine to the highest pitch. but where future

developments depends on the way. russia's black sea coast should close up on the marquee. in canada and the us that it is legal for you to use a bubble bath on your baby that contains a known carcinogen something that causes cancer most of the most independent they are sponsored by industry and most of the guys they don't claim it's a conflict of interest today an average cancer drug prescription costs nearly one thousand six hundred dollars a month oh my god i'm a nobody with cancer in my five therefore i protect focus because ninety to ninety five percent of cancers occur among people with health family history of cancer the pharmaceutical industry spends about fourteen percent of their budget on research and development and about thirty one percent for marketing and ministration. in

fact there are more pharmaceutical industry lobbyists in washington d.c. than members of congress.

live from moscow this is r t one thirty am here top stories for you moscow ushers in a new era of energy security for western europe as the landmark street pipeline begins pumping russian gas straight to germany and feel. moscow describes as inappropriate the publication of u.n. atomic watchdog report the states or rather has been pursuing nuclear weapons it comes as russian president dmitri medvedev issues another stern warning against an israeli attack on terra. on the italian prime minister says he will resign after parliament passes economic reforms required by the e.u. which could take place as early as next week the announcement comes after silvio berlusconi won a crucial budget vote but lost his majority support in parliament as the country moves closer to the epicenter of europe's financial crisis. next on our team.