operation today. top news stories tonight from our team moscow vote counting is almost over in russia's parliamentary election the united russia party is in the lead winning the majority of seats in the lower house but still losing a big share of its previous popular support the communists is second in the race through fair russia or belittle democrats also making it to parliament. as global players meet to decide the future of afghanistan and pakistan whose role is key this debility in the region boycotts me in bed it's the latest sign of his love of

bad relations with washington taking a turn for the worse following nato the recent deadly air raid on a pakistani port of poti. a moscow downgrades diplomatic ties with catarrh after the russian ambassador to the country's assaulted by airport security proclaimed the instant could be linked to moscow's position on syria. will stay with that story to international pressure mounts on syria artes of abene talks to one of britain's foremost journalists next jonathan steele of the guardian newspaper to get his thoughts on possible solutions for the country's political crisis right now . i'm joined by jonathan steele former chief correspondent of the guardian newspaper and now a commentator on international affairs jonathan thanks for speaking to r.t. europe now the u.k. recently been approached by the king of jordan to spearhead a diplomatic offensive against assad william hague the foreign secretary is now met with opposition leaders is this the preamble to another libyan start intervention.

it could be i mean we can't be sure and i think it's dangerous it might be i mean they're trying to be hague's message to the opposition is to get your act together unite on a common platform in other words to turn yourself much more like the libyan opposition who the government also talked to and then eventually recognized as the official government of libya so i think it is the first stage to trying to recognize the opposition. there are hints more from france than from britain at the moment that there would be some kind of foreign intervention i mean the french foreign minister and i should perry has just called for humanitarian corridors to be opened into syria with or without the syrian government's permission of damascus when he was asked does that mean who would protect these corridors would that be military protection he said of course so in other words they are thinking of having a limited number of foreign military people moving into syria perhaps against the

will of the government of damascus what must the opposition now do to gain recognition has there militarization made it easier to achieve that well i think the unity thing which was going on about is what they want they want to sort of feel as united platform so they know who they're dealing with they don't want a lot of different competing groups but the question is what will the platform be is it going to be a very hardline platform that keeps repeating that asset must go or would it be a platform that says we need dialogue and and a transition which is peaceful there was no civil war of armed struggle like in libya so that's very important. the the other thing is is whether they will try the tactic of saying we have to protect civilians you know the benghazi syndrome if they could save the city of hama. needs protection. you know and then they could have a no fly zone over that city and then they again it's the thin end of the wedge which

would move to becoming full scale support for. civil war the trouble is of course that hama and homs the two cities that have the most fighting are not on the sea because it was on the coast in libya that made it much easier to have a no fly zone lawmen to start bringing in ships bringing weapons and supplies and all the rest of it more difficult in syria unless they nominate one of the coastal cities or the mediterranean and the safe zone but it's a bit unlikely at the moment because those cities will to be quiet in this uprising the arab league's already suspended syria and recently issued that three deals made and that's now passed these attempts were portrayed as last ditch a tense that conventional diplomacy but could they not do more to mediate isn't that their role. yes i mean very keep saying that assad should have dialogue with the opposition but the opposition including the people that hague was meeting in london this week. are getting stuck they just simply say assad must go and that's

also the line of the british government of the french government and the u.s. government i mean they should be putting the same pressure on the opposition to enter a dialogue as they're putting on the government in damascus i mean it's ridiculous to say one side will start talking who's going to talk to if the other side refuses they seem to be siding with the sounds opponents they want why do you think that is well i think they've decided that. it's a lost cause in the sense that they don't like his links to hezbollah in lebanon they don't like the fact that he is sort of in the front line of. opposition to israel you know jordan and egypt have their treaties with with syria as the only country was a sort of long border with israel it is not sort of peace at the moment and so they don't like that and syria has quite good relations with iran. so they've decided i think that it's almost like a proxy war against iran if you can topple assad it's like it's considered to be

a sort of proxy of blow against the government in iran so it is the fear of iran really outweigh any concern of syria descending into civil war well i'm not even sure it's fear you know are they really afraid of iran i think it's more that they want to undermine the regime in iran and i think i think it's hostility to iran i would say rather than fear of because what is there to be afraid of with the ground you know the only thing is this question of nuclear weapons which is still a long way down the line before iran would have a deliverable nuclear weapon it's first got to create the warheads on the weapons if it's building them and then it's got to have the delivery system that could transport these things safely and you know drop them. position and father at the right target which is some way off so there's no reason to be really afraid of iran and anyway there are other ways of dealing with the so-called iranian threat the military you know where they could be some plenty plenty of diplomatic ways of

minimizing whatever. worries you you have about iran surely the arab league and western countries have some sort of duty to prevent syria from slipping into a full blown civil war i mean it's not the first time middle eastern country with a complex religious and ethnic makeup has has descended into civil war have lessons not been learned well i agree with you i mean i think i think it's quite irresponsible and it's really amazing in a way that these arab neighbors of syria and the other members of the arab league are taking such a hard line but i think it's this cancer of the sunni shia thing which is as i said proxy war between the gulf arabs are mainly sunni against the iranian regime which is causing the cancer and i'm afraid it's been the united states have been pushing this line is the threat of danger we must be afraid of it and we saw a lot of it in iraq of course the sunni shia thing of that created a near civil war in iraq it's terribly dangerous and one would have thought of

course in lebanon also earlier one would have thought that people would say look the last thing we want is another sunni versus shia military civil war going on in one of the major arab countries they should be doing all they can to try and stop it. obviously that assad has made many many mistakes he should have not used for so much at the beginning he should have offered more serious dialogue at the beginning his office but quite flimsy and probably deceptive deliberately and you know he has been very hardline but the other side is now being equally hardline in the situation is becoming polarized the worst case scenario should syria completely collapse into civil war well the worst case scenario is massive. snick cleansing with their lower majority from whom the assad family comes from the ruling elite being forced to flee the christians who brought at least ten percent of the population possibly more in syria are very worried very probably most of

them as one understands prefer the assad regime which has been very tolerant to christianity no problem with any kind of religious discrimination they're more worried about the muslim brotherhood to other main force in the opposition the armed opposition to. them they are they are said to christians could suffer greatly look what's happened to iraqi christians most of them have had to flee the kurds are in a sort of wobbly position they don't know which side is worse for them is assad worse than the possible sunni arab muslim brotherhood coming in. so i think a lot of the minorities are really worried and i think that's partly why there are these big demonstrations in support of assad in damascus and aleppo they're not all people have been sort of forced out into the streets in some way or other some of them a genuine i think i do obviously we can't do this sort of exact analysis of how many are genuine and how many have come out because they might be government workers who think that they can lose their jobs if they don't come out but. you can't get so

many people out on the street without some of them being genuine on the other hand the prison as sad as certainly committed some terrible atrocities against his own people is that initial crackdown not to blame for the current situation well i think that's why you need mediation i mean assad has made terrible mistakes and a lot of people have been killed by the security forces and obviously the families and friends of those people you know if you explain your anger and they just want to disappear. so you can see why it's difficult but that's why you need mediation just to invite people say come to my office and we'll sit down and we'll talk about things it may be too late for that because there's so much suspicion so that's why the arab league ideally should. the mediators coming in and meeting each side separately pabst initially said what are you willing to give concessions. find a compromise learn some point everybody comes into the room together but may need

outside mediation ideally by the arab league if not by the united nations but i think one of the things that should be on the table is immunity for us sir he's not going to give up power peacefully when he sees what's happened to mubarak put in prison or house arrest in his case hospital arrest because he still trial or the gadhafi precedent which is to be lynched in the street on you tube. you know that's not so you need immunity and actually we've got a very good model in yemen they've agreed to signed a deal which the arabs broken the saudi arabians brokered whereby president saleh has now given up power in return for immunity for his family and himself under transition to new elections within the next few months both parliament and for president is very good model now why can't the saudis who did that with yemen do the same thing for syria what have countries like the france america got to gain

with syria here there's no oil wealth is it purely location or is the iran question is the ante raney and thing and the feeling that the. unreliable on the israeli question. that he's sort of they've had intermittent talks with assad but. they've never reached a peace agreement is not just because the israeli line is also very are hard and so both sides of where they found it impossible to agree does the international community genuinely not see then the dangers of civil war in syria or is that merely outweighed by the need for influence an intervention in syria well i think very problematic cynical. look at libya we don't know exactly how many people were killed in libya. people say thirty thousand people died in six months or so that it took to topple gadhafi and well they're sort of saying well. that's worth it if you can bring in a different regime which will be obviously more progress than at least initially if

it's had western support to topple the regime jonathan steele thank you.

it's all designed to keep you closed in your own small world as a prison. you know you leave somebody in there for a couple hours like that in a stress positions. you have this fear of the unknown and this stress sort of building and. seen interrogations go on ten twelve hours they chose songs i remember from marilyn manson and metallica slayer the two songs would be angel of death and raining blood to me going to war coming up here into iraq into baghdad. charlie poole to the bodies to the floor which is the rock n roll band it

was fitting for the job we were doing. the top stories vote counting is almost over russia's parliamentary election the united russia party is in the lead winning the majority of seats in the lower house but still this is a big share of its previously popular support the communists a second in a race with russia on the liberal democrats also making it to parliament. as global players need to decide the future of afghanistan pakistan whose role is caters to billet in the region boycotts the event is the latest sign of islamabad relations with washington taking a turn for the worse after nato recent deadly air raid on a pakistani border post. grades diplomatic ties with qatar after the russian

ambassador to the country's assaulted by airport security claims the incident could be linked to moscow's position on syria. if you're watching r.t. now let's catch up with the latest sport. larry thank you for joining me for the monday night sports roundup looking at how the. big battles need to prepare for a make or break champions league title courtside places in the knockout stages play if it's all cheers a night of european action. while a league of their own the league old boys need a messi and cristiano ronaldo are all nominated for the world football of the year award. for paul walsh pays the last respects at the funeral of brazil captain midfield legend socrates who died on sunday age fifty seven. and we have been with

football as russian titleholders and it's in petersburg are preparing for a winner takes all clash at porto head of cheese days crunch night of champions league action the second those russian champions can afford a draw which would be enough for them to qualify for the knockout stages they are still missing key striker alexander kozak off while the third place portuguese as you rightly champions only a win would see them go through ups porto are still flinching at the memory of september's three one defeat on isn't it in some petersburg and their form has been wavering since the top at all it took over from under a village voice as coach in june. was reported that it is the news that have to do without defender interview or file filled as un-christian rodriguez the dragons are a point behind city in group g. so as we said nothing but they tree would suffice and surprise package after well are already through they're the first cypriot team to reach the knockout phase even a porto coach but there is also

a prized either for i've got to solve the battle between the three teams for the two places in the champions league was something that i predicted a long time ago because it clear the field especially after what you played. group g. was going to be very competitive until the end to good last match and that's the way it happened. chelsea will host balance here in a crucial group each time a goal a strong all victory for the second place blues would see them go through to the knockout stage but a defeat or score draw would see the spanish team go through instead elimination for chelsea at the group stage would be the first since roman abramovich took over as owner in two thousand and three adding to the pressure on manager and the us in his first season in charge a drug is expected to lead the attack had a phenomenal taurus. and stay with football where the league a trio of leonor messi and cristiano ronaldo have been nominated for the golden ball award for the world player of the year messi is touted as the slight favorite

to make it a travel ballon d'or trophies the argentinian has scored fifty three goals in all competitions for barcelona since people got the award last year his tally includes three hat tricks in fifteen games since the start of the current spanish season. is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game having served last year round the year before while realm hundreds image being ronaldo like messi has netted fifty three goals the portuguese won the award three years ago while playing for manchester united is then coach sir alex ferguson as well as real madrid fans jersey when you ask how does the body were vying for the coaches of the world. and in the meantime former runner up david beckham has once again refused to pledge his future to any particular club the former manchester united and well madrid star is currently on a postseason tour with his l.a. galaxy side in australia and says he'll make the big decision after christmas

england's most capped outfield player will be out of contract by december the thirty first and has been repeatedly linked with mega rich french side paris and roma though in the meantime the veteran midfielder has dismissed the idea of hanging up his boots. no i don't feel thirty six years old and i still love training still loves playing so i will continue until i feel differently. well meantime in the english premier league liverpool will kick off a full in in just over an hour looking for a win that would put kenny dalglish's side level on points with fifth place arsenal and newcastle while following well they desperately need a victory as they're currently sixteenth and just two points above the drop zone while another i mean league match was going to come true for tennis legend or any satish the former wimbledon champion is a long time supporter of west bromwich albion but watched them from the stands for the first time as the baggies salvaged a one one draw at q.p.r. on saturday but it's even better that's the high profile found to be able to rub

shoulders with coach will hold some of that same after the game. fans turned out in their numbers to pay their final respects to brazil captain and midfield legend socrates was laid to rest in the city of river outlet on sunday socrates died in hospital in sao paolo on sunday age fifty seven following a short illness the sixty cow play will be remembered for his exploits both on and off the pitch the midfielder who turned professional only twenty five was also a trained doctor and an outspoken intellectual with strong views on politics as well as the beautiful game. of now former world number one tiger woods has won his first title for over two years the thirty five year old clinched the chevron world challenge in california by a single shot on the final hole fellow americans like johnson oh woods haven't won since the australian masters in november two thousand and nine which was followed by high profile revelations about his personal life and later divorce from his wife

as well as injuries but he's finally back to winning ways with two holes to go he was trailing johnson but then managed back to back birdies when it mattered a crucial one on the last hole this great approach shot setting him up for the winning part which in chile went on to sing the relief was obvious finishing on ten on the par to beat johnson by a single strike the victory also moved woods from fifty second to twenty first in the world of difference i know it's been a while but also for some reason it feels like it it has it because when i was coming down the stretch there if i felt so comfortable. i felt comfortable and i was i took off what augusta you know when i put myself there in these positions. it is discomfort as far as making a part and the feeling afterwards. it was you know i think i was

screaming something but it was just want to go after him and. pull that off with one dollar to go on. to go birdie birdie is going to gets. in the box of letting it go has called off his next title defense of the heavyweight champion was admitted to hospital on sunday for the second time in two days the thirty five year old ukrainian was due to square off against frenchman show muchmore mecca on december the tense the younger kids go brother had a kidney stone removed on saturday for being rushed back to a hospital in germany due to painful inflammation but the man is the reigning w.b. a super champion while also holding on i.b.s. heavyweight belts. hunt finally let's take a look at some spectacular snowboarding pictures as x. games champion travis rice strolled thousands of fans here in moscow where he was promoting a film that's captured breathtaking images of the sport and like us rafa ports. wyoming native travis rice has won two christie just eggs games gold medals in his

career and numerous other titles inventing new snowboarding moves in the process but his true passion lies in filmmaking with his latest movie called the art of flight making its final tour stop in moscow we were lucky enough to use some of the most dynamic and cutting edge film equipment in the world along with. sound design from. steven spielberg's facility california that is beautiful so you know this movie was meant to be seen on the big screen. it created for blu ray of a primary shot it for the big screen that's why we're here. the arms of flight concept was born three years ago following rice's directorial debut on an other cutting edge snowboarding film called that's it that's all the result of his work important ship with brain form digital cinema and director curt morgan are widely regarded as a new breed of action sports film for most people it's

a unique opportunity to experience in high definition one of a kind of venture that takes the you are through avalanches accidents and unexplored mountain. in remote corners of the world trying to strike is obviously not alone in challenging mother nature and popularizing snowboarding as a lifestyle helping him defy the odds and raise the bar on the quality of the video footage describing this brit taking pastime our crew of at least ten people including the star of countless snowboarding videos swiss and nicholas miller. this fail message. for other now and then anything else before and everybody talks about and it's beautiful i've been to huge premieres like here in moscow but also to small shops screenings and everybody it's just it's. just blown away by the pictures now that snowboarding was basically nonexistent

during the soviet period but it has now won over the hearts of millions of russia's youth at least two thousand people have turned up for the premiere of the art of flight in moscow's pushkin cinema and most seem to already be familiar with the concept as well as the stars of the film in the book on the back country snowboarding is old do why there are so old and know about competition this is exactly what these guys have done with this film they sort of united themselves with nature and i don't think there will ever be better writing then what's been demonstrated in this movie there was only one showing of the art of flight in moscow however it confirmed that the demand for adrenaline packs and masterfully edited footage is as high as ever in russia and the audience is already eager to experience what else try this rice or perhaps some other filmmaker will have to offer as their next snowboarding. artsy moscow.

and as often as forced us for this one lawrence. culture is the same of jargon genocide was under the model years taliban bad guys going for the exit after ten years of an inconclusive war began it states and its allies are desperate to leave afghanistan by the end of two thousand four.

news today violence is once again.