all sides he thinks. the oil prices now have increased this comes at a time where birth europe and the year worse are witnessing a very very dire economic situation economic problems both in the u.s. and europe and this latest step taken against iran will only of course that the president for increasing economic problems for the west in general escalation won't serve any side whatsoever we've seen the the economic situation in europe they'll be somewhat i believe very soon between the french leader and the german chancellor angela merkel to discuss the economic situation and so it's in nobody's interest to continue with this and i have to head back to the negotiating table the european union has agreed in principle i repeat in principle for no for an embargo on iranian soil now will that happen in effect will they take this measure in practice june will will see a meeting on january the thirtieth for the european union regarding this matter i doubt that that will happen on i believe in a from now until the end of this month until the end of january we might see some

kind of a solution with players like turkey coming in trying to bring about a solution. the editor of the colbert report current affairs website says that by trying to slap more sanctions on iran the u.s. and e.u. are only staring a dangerous tension in the region. i think it's quite remarkable to think that france and the u.s. and other countries would be willing to step up sanctions that have already had such a profound effect on the iranian people on the basis of their hunch that erodes iran is developing nuclear weapons as as france has basically put it is quite remarkable because that really does is tantamount to an act of war the idea that iran would really close off the straits of hormuz or attempt to do so would only be an absolute last measure resort for a country that relies on the importation of refined gasoline and other things through the very straits that they would be a sensibly sabotaging and planting mines in so it's it's quite remarkable to think that that iran would do that in any other situation other than they felt that the

entire existence of their country was under threat so adding more sanctions to to the mix is is really just a recipe for military disaster i think. you can always share your take on this developing story on our website r.t. dot com we're asking this afternoon in fact what do you think of the new sanctions on iran and what they'll achieve this is what you've been telling us in response over half of you who go back to or say rather you think will be pushed to desperation saying you sanctions is not to war increased number nineteen percent up from fifteen think that the u.s. measures simply won't work the rest evenly split as you can see they're saying the world economy will suffer a sanctions drive all prices sky would start to see that already and saying they will only hurt the common folk around the ordinary people there let us know your thoughts are t. dot com. the process of finding a republican candidate to contest the twenty twelve american presidential election officially got underway in the state of iowa the results so anything but decisive

with career politician mitt romney beating his conservative counterpart rick santorum by just eight folks just a few points behind the two of them was libertarian wrong poll the only antiwar candidate in this year's lineup even hours before the vote though many people were still undecided after a republican election run up marred by sex scandals mudslinging and tit for tat. despite it all former congressional aide and diplomat joel rubin believe paul who stands out from the restaurant. in his foreign policy is very distinct from the other candidates in that he has a more isolationist viewpoint he wants the united states to retreat from international conflicts and the rational fear is in some areas that can be good he's opposed to military action with the ron who is opposed to the iraq war but the other candidates are all extremely hot on foreign policy very neo conservative and ron paul does stand out among them makes voters want to support him. leading the

party and getting other republicans on board to really. know he hasn't done that someone who says i am a free american and i can make it on my own and that's what ron paul really embodies but republicans also understand that kind of positioning will not win the general election against president obama. as republican campaign develops democrats are beginning to wonder just how much appeal president obama still has come to power in a wave of hope four years ago is chance is now beginning to look dimmer with complaints from voters of broken promises and corporate favors driving them away when important as the latest. three years ago one historic campaign turned u.s. politics into a pop culture phenomenon in. the world the democratic candidate achieved unprecedented support international fame and

a record breaking six hundred fifty million dollars in donations. thousands of new yorkers celebrated the victory clutching an enormous american flag hand sewn by obama supporters but the winds have changed and the very same democratic symbol waved in honor of the president elect in no way each straight from a straight has been donated to the movement that became a phenomenon in two thousand and eleven there are about twenty people holding a david my food out organize the flag project after being inspired by obama rhetoric a dream shattered by the subsequent years of politics as usual curly what's inspiring me as up as a lot of us like that that's the thing that's inspiring you know like that's why i brought the fight so ws and the thing that inspired me about it is the fact that it's a grassroots movement. that had a like

a very clear and transparent process artist shepard fairey seems similarly disenchanted releasing an updated version of his iconic hope poster replacing obama with his now clear support for occupy wall street with an economy still in crisis wall street largely unregulated social programs slashed and over forty five million citizens on food stamps it all starts with you making a decision to get involved obama's familiar prose may not be enough to win back his familiar fan base he didn't produce what people wanted him to produce in two thousand and eight professor and author talk to cornel west was one of obama's biggest supporters i think he's got the beers you've got the newness he's. at the freshness taking part in more than one hundred campaign events but last april the prominent intellectual told r.t. that obama has failed he's the friendly face of the american empire abroad he's in the process actually of becoming very sadly

a pawn of big finance and a puppet of big business and any politician here knows they are in trouble when the hollywood a listers start turning their backs are you happy with the way that obama has been running the country. you know. and i think i really think he. misinterpreted his. yes the approval ratings show voters are even more turned off with the alternatives leaving obama seemingly the lesser of two evils america's president clearly enters the twenty twelve race amid a growing band of disillusioned democrats most will still back barack obama over his republican rivals arguably with heavy hearts in two thousand and eight he was the unassailable candidate of choice this time mr obama is likely to stay in my default. artsy new york. coming up earning their daily

bread we tell the story of two wealthy exploit them for murders their way to the top tier of russia's top pastry sector. and the euro's woes flare up again into a new year with athens now threatening to pull out of the eurozone unless the e.u. and i.m.f. funnel more bailout cash or goods collapsing economy. egyptians are heading to polling stations once again as the country's first democratic election in more than half a century enters its last day final results are to be announced next week with the muslim brotherhood being the favorites after clinching the lead in the first two stages of the vote last year earlier poll rounds were overshadowed by clashes between protesters and the army egypt's ruling military generals have been accused of clinging to power and now face anger over their handling of protests that left fifty nine dead since mid november recent army raids on western sponsored n.g.o.s

out of even more concerns of the country's stability middle east expert tariq ali told us that in order to ease tension the military has to give its people what they want and step down a. large majority of egyptians want the military to be a defense outfit defaming the country against outside. intervention and mostly a political role at all because for the last thirty to forty years. egypt has essentially whether under mubarak or under sub-arctic being a multi eaten dictatorship run by the military and people want an end to that so when the middle creek works mobarak on trial again it's an attempt to divert attention from its own rule in the concrete that is what is really worrying people and his or should be discussed and attacking the g.o.p. and kim k. is is i think to show that foreign buyers are manipulating of concrete and synchro

which is again nonsense i think washington has a great deal of influence within the military after all big big billions of dollars i mean begin a billion dollars a year bets a huge amount of money. mideast expert terry galley speaking to us the rise of islam is parties in egypt prompted western concern for the policies that countries may adopt if the likes of the muslim brotherhood step into power we caught up with regional politics expert jeremy salt we've got his outlook on the developments in the arab world coming up next hour in our latest interview. brimley look at what's been happening in the middle east policies the western governments of followed since the beginning of this year they have always had the noble motive we're doing this for this very very good reason but we don't have to be terribly skeptical or cynical to understand that actually behind the noble motive is self-interest if we look at what happened in egypt the west backed mubarak right to the very last and

there was no longer possible to back him when it was indefensible they dumped him. greece has announced that it could ditch the euro an exit the euro zone in as little as three months that is unless the e.u. and the i.m.f. fund it with a second one hundred thirty billion euro bailout talks over the cash lifeline of stall for months now over the poor performance of a sturdy measures and fears for the future bulge a business journalist your mo novell's believes the numbers say it all the greece's exit is unavoidable. the greek economy is going down like a stone. g.d.p. contracted by four percent in two thousand and ten by six percent in two thousand and eleven and there is probably worse to come in two thousand and twelve and i think we are now at a point where everybody in research realizes that we cannot go on lying list and that unrest and even an arche in the country is becoming so much of

a threat that some drastic things need to be done and my reading of what a greek government is doing is that they are trying to they are looking for an alibi to offer to their public by which they can say well it's not our fault it's the international community that pushes us towards the exit of the euro zone and i think also here in europe at the brussels headquarters of the european commission people start to realise they really are at the end of the road there is no other option left for them they're in a deadlock they cannot rewind the greek economy and so they are facing in a big black hole it's seen as one of the biggest blights of modern day britain tackling gang violence that is proving very difficult with the government saying a firm response is the only means of dealing with it but there's growing criticism that attempts to improve that situation than addressing the roots of the problem is laura smith explains.

the dark underbelly of life in britain in a city's gang culture dramatized here for a television series for gavin it was real life he got into a gang to escape a feeling of powerlessness an abusive home life where money was a constant struggle. so. over the top. people. at his lowest ebb gavin admits to having stabbed girl and his story isn't unusual in deprived areas nowhere is the question of how to solve the

gang problem in london more relevant than here in new. london two thousand and twelve olympic park but it's also got more guying than almost anywhere else in london around here young people say you start just by hanging out with your friends on the streets and you end up in a spiral of gang violence and fear. in you're more than half of the kids are living below the poverty line and they don't feel the government's doing anything to help them how can you hold me. you have to have. a government really understood we have. when gavin met sheldon thomas an ex gangsta

himself he turned a corner and they're now working in a team to get young people out of gangs the government claims it wants the same thing and having laid the blame for august's riots firmly at the door of gangs their solution the carrot and stick method are as you found some excellent police work to identify and manage the highest risk members through a combination of targeted surveillance enforcement and arrest for any offense however minor and positive offers of training employment and drugs treatment for those who want a different life. but for those not prepared to break away from violence they will face harsher and tougher punishments but this isn't going to work according to shelton thomas who feels the government is forcing him at every turn what they do is they look at. the manifestation of gangs gun violence burdens gang rape drugs to deter that's just the manifestation the causes of it to cause and stemmed from family breakdown morals gone out the window from society as

a whole while the government rhetoric sounds encouraging other policies will undermine both carrot and stick economic austerity cuts will mean sixteen thousand fewer police officers on the streets and services that deal directly with gangs now will have their funding cut by between twenty and ninety percent in some areas that means young people like gavin in the future will have nowhere to go but the st lawrence smith party london. born was towards recovery of course on our web site r.t. dot com online from there right now we focus on turn of events that shaped twenty eleven and bring you our correspondents first hand that comes about reporting on the world's top spots in our testimony series which encourages suite also at r.t. dot com but like the planet party the picture galleries capture the high spirits from around the world as we should in twenty twelve. up next

expert entrepreneurs based in russia tell us their success stories describe the path to prosperity in the latest from our pathfinder series. and today we speak to two very hands on bosses we've got the story of it and go out to coloring gurus who break their way to a fortune in russia's premium pastry sector for more than four years now they've been running the most successful business of its kind here having started from scratch and they give us a taste of what it took. i am twice only in the production sector and the rest of the time i'm in the restaurant genya. genya but here that's just to make sure everything is ok definitely in the west when you're starting something new everything is more subtle the industry has existed here we had to do

everything from scratch. when we started the business we realized that we had to. really difficult objectives one was that we had to create our own brand and we decided to license at least initially in the nation's national brand for us and the whole point of our project the whole point of the business was that these products high quality bakeries hardly exist in russia today you don't have many customers here you can't help being the only this and that customer should be greeted every time every time you are developing a company culture you know one of the most difficult things in russia a few years ago was to make sure your line staff smile is just smile if it's not the culture at the beginning i would say if i come to the restaurant and if you're smiling i really give you a hundred. if you're not. really have a mind is where your is away so good we've made it again be still but it's still

a chat the first step was that we spent in two thousand and six we spent nine months developing a very small factory we basically had a thirty square meter room where we were trying to make something like fifty products fresh every day and the biggest challenge was the local ingredients it would be insane to import let's say flour to russia when russia is one of the biggest slow exporters in the world we were very very lucky that we did this because by the end of two thousand and eight when the recession started the first thing that happened in the recession in russia was a collapse of the ruble exchange rate compared to the euro so suddenly overnight imported prices up. thirty forty percent and that is deadly for any kind of business like ours but for us at least the cost of our products was relatively stable because for the main ingredients like sugar like flour we were using locally made products. it's still a lot of things happens in russia mechanically in the service industry we have a hard time meagerly the idea they followed the rules or did they have

a problem so this is the difficulty in russia we are nice it states or in europe it's a little bit easier because they have be used to it. you need to empty the garbage cans you need to clean up that place what is that card from there however on the other hand if we see that you are rooting hard to take it to heart. in other cultures that may be a little bit more difficult the idea to build a bakery business in russia was exactly right and the idea that the competition wasn't so high in the sector i would do again but i think i would make sure that we raise a bit more capital upfront than we did i would also make sure i think that we invest at the beginning far more in training of production people than we did we should have outsourced much less than we did four years ago we should have made much many more cells and then we would be even more successful than we are today i think but yes i would absolutely be.

and we've got more features about foreign entrepreneurs doing big business in russia in our pathfinder series here on r.t. throughout the week as well a couple of world news headlines a brief to bring you up to date on a series of three explosions in the second largest city in afghanistan has killed at least thirteen including a child the first blast happened as a suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint then two other bombs went off later the violence comes a day after the afghan taliban announced plans to open an international liaison office in qatar something that could be a step toward formal peace negotiations. thousands are taking the streets of northern prove protest against the development of a gold mine the demonstrators say waste from the works will taint their water supply the protests come in one of the country's most heavily mined regions it's also got a history of troubled relations with neighboring farmers and ranchers. next incredible

story of two girls who were born just minutes apart of the same ward in the russian urals but were accidently swapped by a fateful mistake it meant they ended up with the wrong parents at his current terrorized she reports on how the blunder was only discovered more than a decade later. meet anya she's thirteen years old muslim and lives with her father nine month in the chalabi town of kut based on the other side of town also thirteen lives with her russian orthodox mother despite their differences in religion and culture they are recent friends sharing the same birthdays and ties that bind them deeper than what lies on the surface the long and simple in that moment i was in such a state of shock that i thought it was all a joke in one thousand nine hundred eight anya an arena born only fifteen minutes apart in the same hospital were accidentally switched at birth the discovery happened with us ex-husband who claimed arena his daughter looked nothing like him

he refused to pay alimony but yulia insisted upon her innocence had the family take not one but two d.n.a. tests the results showed that in fact the ex was not the father and both results showed that yulia was not arenas mother but that a good one was my first thought was that irina doesn't find out and the second was where is my biological child born with her lawyer and investigators by her side yulia discovered her biological child anya was living on the other side of town with ny much. they told me they switch my child with another at the hospital they said your biological child is with another family they gave me a picture of her and i was in shock for about forty minutes my hands and legs were shaking. two days later nine reluctantly phoned yulia they met and decided to first introduce the girls to each other after they became friends the truth would be revealed to each of them separately but i was relieved the first time we introduced the girls to each other we came to this we took pictures walked around and ate ice

cream later she told me that my mind was my biological father in the beginning i didn't believe it but my mother said it's true i'm not lying. irina ananya now close friends decided to remain with the parents who raised them but the inconvenience of living in different suburbs. makes it much harder for the families to meet often so it's a problem it breaks your heart one day back and forth i don't think that's the way to live it just adds to the suffering it's the teenage girls that now face social hardships their separate cultures beliefs and habits make understanding each other difficult very different they pray they don't speak when they speak i don't understand what they are saying what if this saying something about me. regardless of their differences irina and i are happy to have each other as friends no matter the reasons that brought them together karen tara r.t. moscow. coming up we've got a special report for you about the deadly threat of avalanches and the people who

survived that we talked to skiers and snowboarders about how they survived it plenty of spectacular pictures along the way to. follow them to come here on t.v. from moscow.

this is our time to reclaim the american dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many we are one that won't win free though we hope. to me the american dream is to live in peace and prosperity and freedom and a government under socialism is not a government afraid. that i might think. you . have very motivated people out across the country who are activists who are willing to fight for what they think is rights for themselves but the fact is forty four bridge and. i think. mean. we are drowning in property drowning and i think it's spread by it's cutting off our. it's making real democracy.

all but impossible. couldn't take three. free. free. free. free. free. free. will with the. technology. from russia.

despite. the standoff continues to drive. the republican presidential candidate.

to the polling stations for the final round of the parliamentary elections. coming up next the snowboarders and skaters who've seen and survived the dangers. the koehler peninsula in russia's north home to the q.b. in the massive mountain range this is the cold and windy bolshoi pass the snow here between one and a half and four meters deep avalanche safety specialists are probing the snow structure on one of the slopes. the top layer of snow drifts on a slope is unstable and skiers could trigger an avalanche shift attention those of you who are keen to scale mountain peaks please be.