to focus on the edge of the pool the problem is you've got countries in the arab league like saudi arabia like qatar now seem to settle head that they're preaching democracy to syria when of course they themselves don't have the money the. question is once again that this should be easy to resolution with now as foreign intervention now i've actually spoken to the national coordinator council which is the opposition within the country they welcomed the maven again reiterated best felt that as long as there is no move towards foreign military intervention that they're very pleased with the response from the arab league mission because you've still got observers on the ground it's expected. the mission is actually now going to continue possibly for another month and pulled usually think of their powers and their numbers as well of course what you don't want to see happen now is that the arab league mission which is really the only rig there remains a plenty for seeing dialogue in the country to now have blocks put in its way so

the question really is how to make the mission the observer mission more effective because as we've been witnessing in the past couple of weeks really at the moment in the country what you want to be thing is the sightedness and not third division but it's not for civilization it's for. going. to homes the conflict has moved ever closer to the country's capital now many damascus suburbs rule so embroiled in the conflicts between government forces and the armed opposition well this is all that's left of many of the houses now inside just absolutely gutted it's broken glass you've got bullet holes lining the walls you've got close around the house where people have left them behind fleeing very quickly you can really see the devastating consequences that this conflict has the picking up the pieces easy. the amongst the opposition themselves there are

worrying divisions and as the conflicts become increasingly violent there are now areas of the country where it's unclear exactly who's in control what do the people here and somebody in the diet think the syrian army having control. of the free syrian army that have called. a lot of numbers a number of suffered severe heart is in charge inside that. courtroom issue that could diminish the diversion of the stuff arab league observers like set to remain in the country for another month trying to build the basis for multi-party elections even seen by the international community or that you are into or sort of to or you are indeed opposition you have to put in your mind that you have to work with the other side's working with the other side uses their look instead of fighting it with thousands killed bringing the different factions to the negotiating table is going to be a major task sara for

a damascus syria. the e.u. has imposed fresh travel bans and asset freezes on the syrian regime as punishment for the ongoing violence but they were based analyst dr omar and i shot a so the responsibility for the bloodshed should be shared by the syrian opposition and it's time to engage in dialogue. the opposition or what this so-called city and free army or the desert there is from the syrian army have been also using heavy gunfire against civilians they have been using explosives apparently they have been using and the armored. rockets and you know some weapons that cannot usually be used in civilian areas and against civilians there is president said also enjoys. popular support and said you know one cannot deny this not even the institute in qatar denied this when they did the research last

month and they found that fifty five percent of the city and population opposed to down for or didn't even of president assad it's time for dialogue a pleasant side has tried. somebody formed some democratic reforms there is a constitutional council now in syria trying to rewrite the constitution they will be elections in the coming months there are some of the forums i think that the opposition shows face because it is of the interest of no one of no one's interests that need two steps in there would be destruction and they would be chaos as was the case in libya. egypt is one of the countries where people are now seeing the consequences of the democracy they fought so hard to achieve as the newly elected parliament holds its supposed revolution session many egyptians say they are betrayed by the muslim brotherhood and its march to a majority. but first e.u. nations have formally adopted an unprecedented set of sanctions against iran

including a block wide embargo on iranian oil the move targets iran's per nuclear program which the islamic republic insists is for purely peaceful purposes russia says it regrets the sanctions adding that they undermine diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis artie's our tests our sylvia is in brussels with more on the e.u.'s latest measures against iran. it's sensually a total oil embargo it will have immediate effect on new contracts but that existing contract will be allowed to run for another six months they've also agreed on a ban on gold and gold trade and other precious metals with the iranian central bank all of these of course aiming to financially and economically cripple iran over its controversial nuclear program with western leaders still insisting iran is trying to build nuclear weapons while terror ron denies this now the e.u. embargo follow strict new a u.s. sanctions that were passed into law by president obama in january so as far as the e.u. is concerned by july it will be a full and total implementation of these new sanctions this is unprecedented in

terms of the scope and the desired a potential effect on iran but it is also one president in terms of its potential economic impact on the european union itself let's not forget the e.u. imports up to twenty percent of the ring in all its second biggest buyer and one of the twenty seven the biggest buyers within that are elite spain and greece the very same countries that are now struggling to deal with that sovereign debt crisis in greece in particular heavily dependent on the radio or oil with up to one third of its total imports from iran also it's relying on terror for easier credit terms so they will definitely have to find alternatives for these countries these are what the leaders will have to talk about how to cushion the potential economic impacts on the several member states and of course because of all the uncertainty oil markets have already reacted pushing oil prices up and higher oil prices will just mean higher prices of goods. this is the implications of the fresh sanctions against iran we're joined now by pepe escobar columnist for the times who's joining us live from bangkok thanks for being with us so we have another round of sanctions

editorial embargo in particular what if it will come from this. it's a nectar of economic war you know i said nobody ever lost money betting on the foolishness of european union politicos in fact it's another stake in the grave of italy spain and greece top five markets up oil exports for iran four are in asia defaced it's all but spain in greece else a very important so why are they going to do people are going to set up a third country bank accounts or make payments through third banks india for instance india peace for you run them oil in a turkish bank this is something that this spanier city tallinn's and the greeks could easily do they will bypass because they need iranian oil just like u.s. allies japan and south korea they ask exemptions from twelve to ministration they

will get it because they need it's ten percent of south korea ten percent of the oil is important for iraq it cannot buy it from anybody else and according to them if saudi arabia has america passage to supply the markets they don't and on top of that they don't want to because they need the money oh you prices have to drive down our own populations against any arab spring the movement in saudi arabia un's nuclear watchdog has confirmed it's sending a team of experts into iran later in january why do you think the e.u. rushed in with a drastic measure as a total oil embargo why not wait for the i.a.e.a. mission to see how that pans out first well it comes back to the foolishness and the fact that they'll forget that the country that proposed these sanctions at the european union what's frats led or misled by nicolas sarkozy was probably going to lose the next french elections so they have the europeans have an extraordinary

kept bassett shooting themselves in their feet. they keep complaining that. d. are hostages of russia in terms of gas sales in europe and they are not hostage to iran in terms of oil sales but the need to rein in oil specially do most vulnerable countries in the clip mad countries let's put it this way if you talk to anybody in brussels that it's not replaying the official line all the time independent minds in brussels they are somewhat about the fact they say look we would google to run so mara sit down with them and do an overarching deal of buying their oil and gas efore not constrained by the u.s. sanctions and now they are doing the same kind of sanctions proposed by the obama administration only two weeks ago so then it makes no sense that they defend this as a dual track approach sanction sanctions sanctions and then we fight iran to talk and

there and says what kind of talk is this when they were being pushed against the wall all the time you don't respect us as a nation any of trainers like a pariah why should we talk to you and now we have russia's reaction to the embargo the foreign minister saying it could be a mistake that could undermine diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis do you think this has the potential though to bring terror on back to the negotiating table. you know this thing is did. the five plus one as it's called the five permanent members of the security council because germany does should sit down theoretically by the end of this months with iran in this stumble the whole thing is brokered by turkey to start talking again about about iranian nuclear programs but i wonder if iran has any incentive at the moment any fact to hard line their interest say exactly that. after the sanctions a nice day are fully implemented on july first we're going to close down this street of hormuz as a reaction so do you think that iran will do that now it's now

a good question but you know they won't but that this is something that they need to see themselves their internal public opinion because they're being pressured all the time by the europeans the americans in the europeans any really eighty million iranians are asking themselves what is our government doing to defend this in effect that we have the right to to to develop a peaceful nuclear program and there is no if it is eighteen the year we're glad you eat by national intelligence estimates in the united states that they are developing a nuclear weapon so the government has to talk to the europeans today i'm accessing time to talk to their own dog obedience but from now to july fourth is going to be really really hot all right pepe escobar asia times correspondent live from bangkok thanks for your insights thank. you with us here on r.t. still to come later in the program the twists and turns of the russian politics as the electoral campaign intensifies presidential hopeful wants to get tough on

immigration. but first any you entry ticket has been approved by the people of croatia yes wasn't as solid as expected because more than half of croats simply ignored to vote in the national referendum the country will become unions twenty eight member state by next july if weekends were at a five by only other members curry show was split on the issue with those in opposition saying there. nothing to gain from a bloc that's currency currently experiencing its horse ever crisis as are his tom barton reports there are divisions that they may be there to stay even after the. big. violent scenes in the croatian capital it is the country's speedy referendum that setting. let me let. history being made behind me the police turn to the protesters away as they take and see protest his way six ways to miss a tense here in the creation capital and financing has been going on with the

candidate well now. you know you hear. these anti protesters say the government is trying to suppress the dissenting voices they are and joining would surrender croatia's independence to brussels. helpful in another street nearby the foreign minister is trying to convince people that accession is vital to the current economy actually with the stability that scouting laid it into the credit rating the ratio. that is translated into membership of the union gracious budgets would be in serious trouble everywhere you turn in croatia the e.u. is being discussed whereas most of the political class no longer question the europhiles stance public views differ widely should tell you as we come into or

see and touch all our fish and that's our biggest problem you know if you go there after you though they told us we have to buy the e.u. has regulations those that don't want to obey must stop trading here in memphis even if we have two sons turn employed and mainly because of that i would be piously meet them reasonably simple as well you know all those worries about solvency. industry and economic well being a former student and there are still some voices in parliament think the benefits of what joining in on it would be better than with it we're now going with our heads high up we're going in our knees because our economy our non-existing our exporting is pretty bad our be very low so we don't really have anything to offer if you back out on the streets the arguments quality will not continue with ferocity with such strong emotions it seems unlikely this referendum dissolves the

nation's division of the european and. tom box of. i. and there is still tension one of the newest e.u. member states romania the country's foreign minister has been fired for criticizing the protesters angry at the government for more than a week people have been demanding the president and his ministers to step down at this against the backdrop of wage cuts and tax hikes in the e.u. second poorest country which is struggling to meet the demands of its international creditors and quattroporte said earlier by our teams tom barton who was in the middle of the recent violence in bucharest on our website our team dot com. with russia's presidential election just around the corner the candidates are wrapping up their campaigns prime minister and hopeful runner latimer putin is proposing stricter immigration rules in his second major newspaper article in the run up to the vote or he's peter all over reports. both talking on multiculturalism a migration vladimir putin praised what he sees as russia's long history as

a multicultural nation a history he says goes back to the days of the russian empire it said if there have been some very serious problems though when it comes to migration and integration of migrants in russia that these problems over the last twenty years since the collapse of the soviet union were very serious indeed in our problems that russia is still struggling to to deal with today to speak. about what the results can be of migration going wrong he warned of the rise of nationalism the rise of xenophobia these type of issues that we saw acted out in reallife eight in moscow in two thousand and ten with ethnic clashes taking place i'm right next to the kremlin in the heart of the russian capital a hit so to. see nationalism rising hit out at those who have slogans such as stop feeding and stop funding the caucuses saying well the caucuses are a part of russia talking of multiculturalism he said that russia had a very unique system of multiculturalism something very different to say what

happens in europe he said basically multiculturalism had failed and that russia system was something this had a very different over to me and said that there's no way that you can completely get rid of all illegal immigration into russia but if he's elected president in the elections in march city hopes to be able to make significant cuts to the amount of people that are arriving in russia illegally you know he wants to do this by toughening the laws to try and deter people from entering the country illegally he also wants to see a system put in place not just to monitor foreign immigrants coming into russia but also to monterrey internal migrants also by twenty thirty he wants to see an exam put in place to those wanting to come in settled and live and work in russia but they have to be able to pass the russian language exam also an exam on russian culture russian history so those are the things that he wants to put in place to tackle the issue of migration and multiculturalism in russia. as the marja vote

approaches our teams keeping a close eye on the campaign trail of course you can find more on our website r t v dot com. pre-election scandal around a veteran liberal candidate he may be pushed out of the race because of the violations in the registration process all the details on our website. parliament in egypt has started its first session most of the seats are occupied by the muslim brotherhood and other islamist parties who won an overwhelming majority in the first post poll. tells us many now feel the brotherhood lied its way into power. there is a growing auction here in egypt already that these new policy changes will actually not be as dramatic as people in the revolution demonstrators protesters have expected them to be the muslim brotherhood's freedom and justice policy has indeed won the first vote in the barak egypt mostly because it had voted had promised people all to aid to house to touch in transitional transition from ministry to

civil polish something people have been calling for have been demonstrating for since the supreme council of the armed forces took power from mubarak last february because to them they say that the ruling generals have been actually representing the old regime something they've been fighting against and something actually they revolution has been designed to gets read off but over again today we have many signs indicating that these on this day in this new parliament the muslim brotherhood as well as some of the business second talked to didn't. actually go in . the rate we called and that's why many people who have been able to speak to he wrote say they feel a little bit strange. or he's worried if an ocean is tracking the latest developments in egypt in capital you can check out our team's twitter feed as well as her personal one for all the latest on egypt's first parliamentary session and

the growing frustrations in the region one of her latest tweets she writes the demonstrators are calling for a presidential elections in two months instead of waiting till june all the updates for you now. turning a country over in libya at least four people are dead more than a dozen injured after fighting broke out in the former khadafi stronghold of bani walid fighters still loyal to the deposed leader a clash with militia there it is after warnings from the leader of the libyan national transitional council that there is the real threat of civil war protests in the city of benghazi force the resignation of his deputy this past weekend in. arranged libyans took to the streets of the city which was the center of the opposition in the uprising against gadhafi demonstrators are now accusing me and you see of corruption lack of full force and favoring former government loyalist all mucked our president of the arab lawyers association tells r.t. that libya may be on the edge of a return to chaos. there is the risk that for two reasons the reason number one is

that the arms are still in the hands of the various militias at various areas of the differences between the tribal bases and what have you and of the same time the ideas the political views of the people in conflict you have some people who want rights to have more than ten percent seats in the parliament well at the same time you have others who saying you shouldn't have percentages women should have equal rights but no special favors for them you have a situation where people who want islam to be part of the constitution well you have the other the liberals who don't want to do that so you have a conflict on policies as well as the availability of arms varian is up next with all the latest business news stay with us. hello and welcome to the business here on out so we start with the e.u. which as we've been reporting has formally adopted an oil embargo against iran over

its nuclear program this involves and the media ban on all new oil contracts with the country but all existing contracts will be all out until the first of july energy strategists carrots low as they have us from b.m.p. power bar believes any sanctions against the middle eastern country will only lead to minor fluctuations in the oil price. e.u. sanctions on the oh no i don't think that significant exports run about two point two million barrels a day of oil. goes to europe it's only represents run about one quarter over. to a ship so we expect. that the u.s. sanctions that might take effect in the end of this year. removing all of a sports two point two million barrels a day and i'm going to i think we'll have greater price impacts. but let's take a look at what's happening with the oil prices right now light sweet is currently

trading at around ninety nine dollars or thirty four cents per barrel while the brant blends is approaching one hundred eleven dollars per barrel unproved quizes are of course heading higher after the e.u. oil embargo against iran. let's take a look at what's happening in the u.s. markets there are four and that's an early train in as investors are still waiting for some more concrete news to come out from europe and let's see what is happening in europe shares there are in the lack of this hour the ukraine's benchmark stock index inched higher boosted by gains for banks and oil stocks but investors are still awaiting news from two that talks in greece. where russia the markets are closed both the arts yes and in my stocks under the trading session on a positive note for the r.t.s. adding over one and a half percent so let's take a look at the top movers on the my sex rushes a largest oil company was that recovered from earlier losses and gains of one and

a half percent sperm bank which was up earlier in the day they're going to manage to escape the negative territory and drop into one percent and greater and three as managed to come around the end of the day over one or sides of the black michael stipe from upgrades the wraps up the day straight for us. on the domestic side. remains quite positive supported by the high oil price with that support potentially getting a further boost from news today that the e.u. has imposed an embargo on iran also we note that putin's popularity has risen substantially to highest levels in six months in the latest opinion polls and this substantially reduces the chances of a second round of presidential elections and to some extent improves political buzz ability. ukraine has strong plans to cut imports of russian gas at least for this year gas from c.r. let's say miller says the country has promised to follow the terms of the existence

applied contract now earlier claim that the haul of purchases starting from two thousand and twelve as a price to see a hike but must go against the terms of their contract which obliges ukraine to buy effects amount of gas every year the annual volume can only be changed if the parties sign a special agreement no later than six months before the year of supply is. not all the business is for now for more stories you can always had so our websites are to dot com slash business by 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 that everything you thought . was a big. oh

i'm. more news today my boss says once again flared up look these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. china corporations are relieved a. coup. british science. 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 khan's report.

eight thirty pm in moscow these are your r.t. headlines syria slams an arab league plan to solve the country's crisis that required president assad to step down damascus says the initiative was an interference in its internal affairs and an attack on syria's sovereignty. the e.u. adopts unprecedented sanctions against iran which include a complete embargo on its oil a move targeting tehran's nuclear program russia calls of sanctions on a state that undermines diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis in the a bardo both make iran change its policies. and gratian voting in favor of joining

the debt stricken e.u. in a national referendum but a low turnout and some violent protests preceding the vote show there are still deep divisions within the country. coming up the u.s. often calls for democratic change in the middle east but some say it remains reluctant to recognize the right of palestinians to self-determination president of the palestinian national authority mahmoud abbas who's been on a visit to moscow to talk with r.t. about the latest moves in palestine's bid for statehood exclusive interview coming up. vizard is the final stop on your european tour palestine is still waiting for a resolution to the statehood issue what do you expect from russia's leadership at this stage when the issue of palestinians legal rights is being decided according to international law.