of websites including we can pedia went dark in protest this week patrick hayes a reporter for online magazine spight thinks the proposed us legislation might make the web as we know it cease to exist. we could see much more regular occurrence the this this if these acts are put through also i think we could see the u.s. government designating of a science is science that it doesn't like and pursuing them internationally it could mean that they could effectively have jurisdiction to close down sites worldwide it is actually far more easier ways than they would make or upload the web as we know it's web two point zero which is the fine by user generated content where people put up their own material could effectively disappear it could mean that what you have is a much more tightly regulated internet which could have massive implications for freedom of speech for file sharing for the sharing of information worldwide and it is really important that we don't take the internet as it exists now for granted and we resist all of these attempts to regulate the web and to say hey

a lot of these pirates a lot of people putting out websites are actually doing something really quite innovative and dynamic that's why they are getting a real audience for it let's work with these people let's put let's develop a more dynamic in collaboration with people rather than just trying to shut it down strangle it's an stifle what is one of the most democratic initiatives of the last decade or two the u.s. senate has postponed a test vote on the contrary on one of the controversial web control bills in the wake of the online protest campaign but barrett brown and outspoken person who has worked with the hacker group anonymous on various operations and is widely seen as the group's face told r.t. earlier that if the u.s. decides to push through the legislation it could start a huge cyber war. the problem is that the track record of the us and all governments. is such that giving them power to do one thing is almost always interpreted by themselves as a means of giving them power for many other things so and the way that you know

this that this raid on mega upload cards in this opens it shows that even without sopa already in place fear they are already arresting and resting the owners megaupload and shutting it down so imagine when some post. in the meantime my group project. issued operation dog park which is the latest effort. to ensure sopa that the and that those who support so are rather than intimidated and otherwise the nature of these things don't happen in the future and very near future and you'll see there will be a number of other groups that will pop up using more more military not goods and situation it's worse in the grass and cells of war and the notable civil war in the us the kurds he wasn't the only one facing accusations of censorship in britain is under fire after the country's media regulator revoked the license of press t.v. the iranian english language broadcaster the watchdog says the channels in breach

of its violations because it doesn't control its content press t.v. thinks it's being silenced fillery say u.k. based media analyst and author thinks the station was taken off the air not because of its journalism. if this had been separated from geopolitics then no this would not have happened most of the criticisms of press t.v. ad been due to its coverage because you know it sees the middle east very differently for example than the mainstream media in britain this repeatedly comes up pro israeli groups repeatedly complain about it and we know by the way through wiki leaks we know very well that the british government at the very highest level was discussing with the american ambassador to get how to limit press t.v.'s output in britain throat we certainly know that press t.v.'s journalism is not viewed purely in terms of its journalism but its viewed in terms of british iranian relations. watching our team live from moscow still to come this hour with less

than days to go we take a look at the current political climate in a rush ahead of the march presidential vote. turning first though to syria where the opposition is holding rallies across the country in support of prisoners held since the start of the anti-government unrest this despite a general amnesty granted by president assad earlier this week that seen almost two hundred detainees released or he's very if an ocean a looks at who's calling the shots in the protest movement. people taken to the streets may look like a real force of power and indeed the one that. did syria trend test has apparently failed to prove that months of bloodshed with no sign is going to stop anytime soon. how it hold jeff from the syrian national council the country's main official opposition body says making the people's voice louder and bring in an end to the violence is what the essence he was created for our main goal is to

help the syrian people there present them and their to national community in order to reach this syrian people's freedom and although it's been run by paris based exult about hamdani in the absence he has been recognized as the country's leader de mint government by the new libyan authorities and supported by some even and nato countries which has made some doubt the council's innocent intentions with regards to libya the promise that nato made to the national transitional council perspective leaders was that they be given a major seat at the table in a new libya so there is power broking going on behind the scenes and i absolutely wager that the same thing is happening with syria they've either been bought off financially or they've been promised a major role in a new syrian regime the national poll was in there are clear is national

transitional council and the syrian national council and it's not just their names they haven't come and supported and sponsored from abroad i think he likes opposition forces and their main to go is to overthrow the regime but there is a difference to the absences huts cortez are not in damascus but here in istanbul we are not talking about democratic regime if i go to syria now we have. you know. we have to be executed there howlett says he spent fifteen years in jail in the one nine hundred seventy s. and eighty's just because his father supported the opposition he claims nothing has changed since then and the oppression has to stop but how is another matter his addicted to resume and cannot be most of without any pressure claiming they're only going to rely on political and diplomatic pressure the asson see to is now copper region with the free syrian army fighters who have defected from assad's

military in was a clear shift from the essences initial entirely known armed peaceful stance. the cowsills to seize humanitarian corridors and buffer zones as options to protect civilians in syria even though these might mean foreign troops arriving this isn't legal is that all bad is operation word this year that the gas has been used to at best an agenda they need to look at that because they don't want they want to destabilize syria because they want syria to be part of nato at least lead to label the opposition claims is just a matter of time before the joint after his sooner or later will force president assad out on his attorneys to stay but the question remains exactly how long should these people have to wait for the bloodshed to stop and how many of them will actually see the end of it. turkey. meanwhile the head of the syrian

national council is arrived in cairo to join arab league officials ahead of the group's meeting sunday once the observer mission in syria head over to the u.n. security council urged by the opposition to establish a buffer and no fly zone of the country some experts believe there are a weak members pushing for military involvement also. we expecting now that the arab league will request they extend it which the syrian government has already said it would welcome but the point of view of. others who have really been pushing for regime change in syria that the arab league mission here has then been exactly as they would have liked is that we have seen in the last week that the prince of quite openly cooled for what i would treat occupy syria as a common invade and occupy say we. really. believe that shows that the arab league has seen playing a little bit more of an object to some arab countries on to happy with it so we can

expect it's a purse full of our objectives of regime change in the way our correspondent in syria is at the moment following all the developments keeping you updated by her twitter feed you can check out star first tweets at r.t. underscore com. a multi-billion pound london court dual between russian tycoon and chelsea football club owner roman abramovich and fugitive russian billionaire boris berezovsky is close to its conclusion the judge is considering her verdict in the financial showdown after armies of expensive lawyers went to war for their clients exposing some juicy details on the way our correspondent in london i for better has more. it's been dubbed the trial of the century for two reasons really firstly because of the sheer money involved there's six and a half billion dollars at stake here making it the most expensive civil lawsuit in u.k. legal history and more importantly perhaps is the subject matter it's really laid bare all those dodgy dealings of ninety's russia in the wild east reaffirming all

those stereotypes there are that i don't think anyone actually thought because could possibly be true but it turns out they are and what makes it even more unbelievable is that they've come from two of the main players in those turbulent times remand every moment. to former friends now arch enemies as for juicy details will some of the really big or believe the recent claims we've heard are that actually turned up to meetings wearing nothing but a dressing gown that he frittered away millions in the flash of a private jet that even signed off threatening text messages to his rivals with the words i'm watching you i'm dr evil promote it or he's been accused of every dirty tax dodging trick there is in the book and we also know that he was involved in murderous al-ameen you was in the ninety's where you now know for sure through his own admission that one person was killed every three days in that kind of grab for wealth what is the really boils down to is the relationship between the two main

there is also he claims that they will business partners and that he was blackmailed by a remote village forced to sell his stakes in shares in the oil company sitting there for a fraction of their true worse. he dismisses that payment as purely protection money paid to his political godfather of the banks for his mentor ship a severance package now i know it's up to the judge to decide whether if anything all of this is true regardless of which man actually survives this battle i think it's safe to say the real winner here is the british court system because it's believed to be raking in as a result of this trial eighty dollars a second. and london has another conflict to resolve with russia after a former senior official admitted britain was caught snooping but how moscow uncover the secret of the body in stone on our website r t dot com complete with video and photos. some of it would be nice if i scanned those sparks up as russia and have it wage a battle of he said she said all that and more

a click away at our t.v. dot com. turning now to some other stories making headlines across the globe france's president nicolas sarkozy says his nation is suspending military training operations in afghanistan after four of its soldiers were killed in a gunfight a rogue afghan soldier who has since been detained is said to be behind the attack that also injured a dozen more soldiers attacks by afghan troops and police on their foreign partners are becoming increasingly common something's arcos he says is unacceptable so far eighty two french soldiers have been killed in afghanistan since two thousand and one. a search for twenty one people still missing after the kostitsyn courtier cruise liner disaster has resumed been halted after the ship began to move eleven were killed when the cruise liner ran aground a week ago in the ship's captain is currently under house arrest a new audiotape appears to show the crew downplay the extent of the catastrophe only reporting electrical problems for half an hour after the vessel struck three.

and as russia's presidential candidates are busy gearing up for their campaigns ahead of the march vote some members of the public are stepping up their efforts to ensure a transparent vote in light of the massive rallies against the parliamentary ballot in russia last month both authorities and protesters had met the need for more discussions artie's arena gluco has more. with just under fifty days before the march presidential election and major campaign still simmering in the candidate's headquarters mr putin decided to unleash his powers of persuasion on the electorate and nonpublic speaker for change he's decided to be more scholarly picking up the pen for the first in a series of articles outlining his vision for the future of russia what he's calling for its new economy to get built. the gravitation away from dependence well i standing welcoming political dialogue and the strengthening

of civil society in russia putin however said people should concentrate on just what candidates are promising to do rather than the theater of personalities we need extended dialogue about priorities about long term choices national perspective and development this article is an invitation to such dialogue it's important to say that prime minister has never denied the possibility of establishing such a dialogue and i just pray come from his rather than us and this is what is making people take the initiative into their own hands this week some of the most prominent participants of december's post-election protests pulled together to form the league of constituents so they all know where she's from then the new public mood has blossomed people are showing a desire to make an educated vote to know where their votes are going on the understanding that the country needs competitive politics those behind the other group are quick to point out they're not going to turn into a political party but do go to become

a major support group for anyone wanting to make a difference with their vote i didn't have the elliptical activists are nothing without this type of newly found public support there to help boost them are the key to public support is going media and that's recruiting found he's down to a record low criticizing one of russia's most popular radio stations and moscow for being too pro western in its coverage. the prime ministers. in chief. since you don't get mad when you meet with liquid crap from. the government. all seem to realize they have to think fast and act quickly in order to get the ball rolling with the presidential elections just around the corner. which. for years the political life in russia. r t. ok back with the r t headlines in about ten minutes up next the moscow team heads to horace italy looking for traces of russian culture in the country stay with us

here on our.

hello and welcome to the program today the moscow team are in italy as we continue our exploration of russian culture abroad bit music from. condition ski racing creativity has been studied and celebrated for centuries around the world so jobi motto down roots as we take a look at russian influence and connections one of the most beautiful historic and romantic cities in the world florence. christians have been fascinated with italian culture for centuries florence is often compared to st petersburg. with its talk of texture and classical entertainment see consisting of music and literature it's easy to draw comparisons to the cultural grand jury of russia's film capital. around the major cities in italy today and you didn't hear the chit chat excited recent tourists they devour the social. see here and there exploring what it has to offer now more than ever before. i feel him in florence and my children

in russia does raise studying the culture of the renascence and the principles of humanism and this city is the essence of such cultures. you just are stuck with it to feel comfortable here it really doesn't even seem like a foreign country and italians are very frowned like early in all my life was time interest it's hell and art and russian art nothing else because it's the last may be fancy is the most difficult difficult technique difficult colors. everything else there will dozens of connections between italy and russia dissociation within the field of arts goes back centuries. we arrived at the russian art academy located in a grand building in the sense of the city it brings together all levels of all ages and nationalities you can almost feel the creativity as you walk in here. many

students have taken sabbaticals to come to florence and learn more about art the school is angled towards classical russian teaching methods and takes individuals back to basics studying the works of old masters. nice work but. classes are taken as part of the full time course we can't or evening classes and a whole range of subjects to study from canvas painting to much touring but why come to a russian arts school in florence. because we're kind of training to see fair play when you can get a did you ever see the like other. art schools around here it's just very focus of spirit fact you actually i never planned come to parents to painting i can't do sculpture but i was convinced by the russian math and all the way that they they teach me my dream and improved as soon as i came here most of the

buildings are still authentic show it does appear in the sort of prose the ideal background for all to make sure. many lines models are using the conses tools in english russian and italian shouldn't take visual photographs with the aim of recreating the image in sketch form. based on consequence additions and values in the modern art world because here is learning about site size technique. of the training have decided on the basics of technique the use of color and the study of and that's made out of portraits most of the changes here offer russia and they bring with them a whole range of classical knowledge and experience having trained at various prestigious universities in moscow and st petersburg are being sent to and say help

each student find that expression whatever stand it about very very the school in france is aware that many other colleges around the world are opening up to contemporary styles and radical new training methods and on that note to discuss the economy. let's meet this week's guest. and as you let me to meet you so tell me about the academy here in florence of a here during two years which is to you as a girl the start of the first course. into a funeral of all that either during ten years doing different kind of water crops and gold here as i care to man i want to bring a russian academic classic school. of european stay with us and of course bring spiritual wildness and art which is very important you mentioned european students here you have russian orthodox or italians it's almost an international of the students which is a half from belgium from italy from even glance from america around the wall can

anybody come here or they have to be you know a decent. nun i think anybody can be here which is normally students just sending their application form together with the board but after one the year or so of professor choosing if that student will continue filthier or second there which is a don't have an answer or an exam but they would have exam after one year were serious and the tutors are mostly russian teachers that most are russian which is that its teacher is a who are already graduated from russia and who is a professional artist but himself the most time of. war in the russia russian government academy. many of the art schools around the world they focus now on contemporary arts maybe here the training is more strict with its russian roots maybe. balance because our opinion of where giving plastic

foundation school base without foundation a classic school because you can develop your own style a diverse a school the nonprofessional way. which is the to me in our opinion the bringing school in the people and. this is cool will develop there. is great to meet you and good luck with it thank you very much it's a lot but. so what other cultural links is florence have with russia one of the most celebrated filmmakers of the twentieth century person director undertow kosky lived in france in the one nine hundred eighty s. in the capital of tuscany to work on his two lost films and the sacrifice he was even pronounced as an honest citizen of florence by its authorities took the left italy and nine hundred eighty six and moved to paris where he died the same year now a memorial plate to be seen on the house and via some nicolo but the filmmaker lived

and worked. in the beautiful surroundings of florence nestled in the tuscan countryside as a hotel bearing a russian name the damage of country result is a modern four star hotel then after the famous for some wealthy and influential demetre family from the eighteenth century the german just had a villa in this part of italy and they definitely chose the location wisely as the views here are spectacular and relaxing. about twenty minutes drive from the center of florence the hotel offers one hundred rooms and suites with all modern comforts absolutely. how the hotel is up there for business and nation's chains that the middle family used to enjoy the surroundings many centuries ago and now our guests can enjoy the same nature and the more festive it is to relax.

florence is a sensational city the center is an open air museum itself every corner is a photo opportunity no wonder many famous russian figures came to live here. to see s.q. for example chose florence. only because of its inspiring the true so many other foreigners but many because of the library they contain russian periodicals he wrote the idiot here in january one thousand nine hundred ninety after seventeen months of work. another russian legend spent a considerable length of time in italy was the composer tchaikovsky he came to florence in the year eight hundred seventy eight to write quietly in a villa overlooking the city situated on the beautiful street via the sun live another twenty minutes outside the city it has a completely different feel to the center of florence it was stated that tchaikovsky called florence the city of dreams for him it was one of the best locations in the world as he enjoyed the architecture landscapes and soul of the

area he said it was one of the most inspirational places to live and to work he wrote the famous russian opera the queen of spades here in italy in eighty ninety and back in russia to celebrate his beloved city he wrote the piece souvenir to florence. from the art world in florence or oligarchs and their glamour shots on the island of capri the prison of russian influence and connections in italy and vice versa isn't it too apparent and not just here but it is closer to many european cities than you think is the love affair with all things european shows no signs of slowing down. the punch of that your bridge is a beautiful mediæval landmark not to be missed as a focal point of the city it represents medieval florence in all its glory and

whether you are chinese english american russian the historic landmarks and fantastic cultural world of florence with a long standing russian italian connections or some. i think everyone should watch what an amazing city one unfortunately that's the time we have left on this week's program see you again the same time next week until then for me and the rest of the team for now. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else you hear or see some other part of it and realize everything. you don't know

i'm tom harpur welcome to the big. twelve thirty am in moscow the zero r.t. headlights hackers strike back anonymous cripples major u.s. government and corporate websites in response to a crackdown on a file sharing service and pending anti-piracy laws. in britain facing accusations of censorship of a different kind it's media regulator revokes the license of all wrongs the english language broadcaster press t.v. . syrian opposition holds more mass rallies demanding prisoners released despite a general amnesty granted by president assad earlier this week. and

a multi-billion pound battle between a russian tycoon. and fugitive mobile boris berezovsky in a london court finally reaching a conclusion. more stories coming your way in thirty minutes up next our team takes you to siberia where the ancient tradition of shamanism is alive and well special report coming up. the sons. of beriah a dusk by year in chino one of the most celebrated and experienced shamans east of lake begins his shamanic rituals today's ritual is designed to invoke the spirits healing abilities and thank them for their powers at one point during the ritual a spirit penetrating by his body is expected to help the shaman deal with people's issues as well as heal them when a shaman becomes aware of the onset of the state trance he puts on a cap that covers his eyes the cap protects the shaman from evil spirits and safeguards the on.