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resistance on marching. in russia would be so much brighter if you knew about songs from first impressions. means for instance on t.v. dot com. the culture is the same us i can tell you that you love her even more so because the word tough to take your pick oh my one of them i'll be in britain and argentina again sparring over the legal status and future of these islands is this disputed. wealthy british style most of us not on today but by the time.

margetts. scandal. find out what's really happening to the global economy cause report on. the main stories we're covering for you this hour arundhati rallies to mark the anniversary of a pro-democracy uprising in bahrain put down with tactics and weapons from the u.k. sparking claims of western governments hypocrisy over different votes in the region . and sizing up their rivals u.s. leaders could jolt china's visiting vice president and leaving waiting she jinping as a two nations buy for the upper hand in a turbulent relationship. one sided reports from syria blaming only the regime for atrocities seen by some as an attempt to hide the truth of the conflict sweeping

rebel crimes under the carpet. laura smith talks to middle east expert taricani on the situation in syria and what it could mean for the entire region. i'm talking to tariq ali who's a historian and author and writes mainly on subjects to do with the middle east of course we're talking about events in syria tariq ali thanks very much for talking to us now president assad seems to be clinging on to power in syria do you think there's any chance of him stepping down in the near future well it looks unlikely as if he'll step. off its own accord i think he has to be pushed out the syrian people who are of course doing their best in the country. what is more dangerous is the pressure of being built outside especially in istanbul and by nato to try and

organize an intervention that i think would be disastrous and lead to enormous bloodshed much much worse than what's happened in libya. so i think that be a disaster i think the best way is for pressure to be put on him from without by countries who are not seen as hostile to syria which include russia china and others. and the pressure should be kept on at home and he should be told in blunt terms that he has to go there his father shed a lot of blood in syria he is now doing the same and that this family's on the except to pull in syria needs a nonsectarian national government to prepare a new constitution the arab league supposedly calling for a joint arab league u.n. so-called peacekeeping force to be sent into syria president assad has already rejected the idea do you think it's a good idea i don't think it's a good idea to send any so-called peacekeeping forces i mean first we have to say

what is the arab league the arab league is essentially amaury bond organization which is brought to life when the west needs it too it is played no active role for the last twenty five years in any positive sense in the region it failed to stop the war in iraq it back the war on. libya and it's probably being used as a surrogate to try and push through foreign troops an intervention in syria which i'm totally opposed to i think that is the one thing syria does not need is foreign armies we've seen what's happened in iraq and we've seen what's happened in libya but surely the involvement of the arab league which is kind of a local regional group is better than the involvement of the un or nato as exterior organizations well it's fine having observers from them if they do their reporting accurately but foreign troops i mean you know who will be the foreign troops there

the arab league said saudis said cut through these these sort of big vote crews of democracy in the region i mean that's utterly ridiculous it doesn't make sense at all i think the pressure has to be kept up on the externally nonviolent pressure that he has to go and i think the chinese and russians are now. in a strong position to be saying we've effectively prevented any foreign intervention in syria but you have to go. and push through. a national government the other people of course who are people getting pressure on most of our me and hezbollah in lebanon and i think all these forces should now see that it is impossible for syria to be governed by this family and this sectarian clique that has ruled it and the sooner they go the better for syria in terms of external forces well the our police decided to halt all economic and diplomatic

contact with the syrian government will that have any practical effect do you think probably not because the. other countries are not going to do that the reunions are not going to do that they are a strong crating partner and lebanon i don't think is going to get involved in that on that level so it's not going to have a huge impact i think the only language. the clan and the military around him will understand is very firm language from russia i think they are now in a strong position to push through change without violent action do you see syria as becoming increasingly isolated in the region and what effect will that have on iran in turn do you think well i think they are becoming isolated i think the iranians are such an independent state to me one of the few sovereign states in the region

that they can look after themselves i don't think the fall of us as such will affect iran because it will be in the interests of the syrian government if it is a democratic and representative government to maintain good relations with all these countries i mean you know i i have to say that when you look at what the west did in relation to the our pride seeing some of the crisis in the yemen where killing still go on and what they're doing in syria it just sort of stand for the former yemeni president is having medical. speech. so this double standards that operate make you suspicious of western motives and be keith people pushing for the intervention in syria after saudi arabia gotter essentially they would like a syrian version of the muslim brotherhood to true to run the country that is the

new plot for the arab region and then the united states will do deals with them as it is done in the past and you say china and russia are in a very strong a geisha eating position now however. foreign minister lavrov says visits to syria recently seems to have yielded no results whatsoever well i think that you know if it carries on like this and that the. for. amalie and clan refused to budge and refused to relinquish their stranglehold on the country sooner or later something disastrous will happen possibly including some form of foreign intervention and then where will they end do they want to end up like about do they want to end up like saddam hussein lynched by mobs backed by western troops that is the future that stares them in the face there is no other breach let's talk about the sheer complexity of the various forces that seem to be at large in syria at the moment we heard reports that british and cattery forces are operating undercover in

syria do you think that could be trained it's perfectly possible british and catherine forces were operating undercover in libya long before it became public now we know this is what they were doing intervening in these conflicts to bend in their own direction so i have no evidence for this but it wouldn't surprise me at all if they were behaving like this and what about the iranians we've also heard that report although they've denied it of fifteen thousand iranian troops going into syria well that i don't know i mean i would have thought that given the pressures on that around the moment from the west with the european union imposing sanctions the americans rocket playing the israelis threatening to bomb it it could be ordered to put it mildly if they started sending troops out of the country but we have no real evidence of either the british and the cut through all the uranium

i'm saying one is possible the other may be possible both are equally foolish we've now seen violence spread from homes to a second city aleppo and the us say that al-qaeda is involved in that if syria is substantially infiltrated by terrorists what do you think will happen will it give the west essentially an excuse to put up some sort of military operation in the country or on the other hand will they let the terrorists do the dirty work of overthrowing president us out themselves. they might do that i mean the very weak force at the moment it's used essentially to frighten the children that it has very little military strength its leader this is why he really has issued a statement saying that he is part and parcel of the struggle to overthrow.

fighting alongside some group or the other but they have very little actual strength and i don't think one should take. all exaggerated ideas of the threat it poses to seriously i mean the fact is the overwhelming majority of people in syria of want the outside the family out and that is the key thing which we have to understand in which he should up just. a lot of commentators have been saying about the arab spring in general that the violence and uncertainty in the aftermath will enable the muslim brotherhood as the only organization that is organized enough to take advantage of it to essentially step into the fray are you worried that that will happen in syria well i don't support them politically and i don't think it will be in the interests of syria to have an islamist government you know a moderate or extremist the baton seems to be at the moment of saying that the turkish model a moderate islamist government is the best model for the arab world i disagree very

strongly with that i don't think it's a good model for turkey either by the way. but the fact is if it's the only power in the land it will and there are elections that will come to power like it has into this year like it has in egypt and then one has to deal with it i mean i regard these groups as the slum equivalents of christian democracies socially conservative organizations but perfectly happy to follow the latest economic trends. which dominate western do deals with the united states they've done them before the turks are part and parcel of that the strong member of nato and these countries will probably follow suit whether this is what people really want is a different question altogether but you make the muslim brotherhood sound fairly benign really do you think that christian minorities and other minorities have something to fear from that well i mean there is always within moderate islamist

parties a current which feeling that they can't really offer people what they want which is a decent standard of living which is a social safety net to work then divert attention by targeting minorities the brotherhood has done it in relation to the copts in egypt and it's not impossible the sort of peers in syria. we'll do the same so that is not a good thing i told but you know we have to wait and see if this is what the majority of the people want unfortunately it will happen late. thank you very much thank. you british.

markets. find out what's really happening to the global economy for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines to cause a report on. the official location. i pod touch from the. video. tease my old costs and feeds in the palm of your. question.

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rallies to mark the anniversary of a pro-democracy uprising in bahrain put down tactics and weapons from the u.k. sparking claims of western governments hypocrisy over different revolts in the region. one sided reports from syria blaming only the regime for atrocities seen by some as an attempt to hide the truth of the conflict by sweeping rebel crimes on the carpet. and sizing up the rivals u.s. leaders could join china's a visiting vice president good way to feed in pink to nations vie for the upper hand in a turbulent relationship. rogers had now the sport and you got some reaction from last night's european football weather was shock in the snow in moscow. right to

have a carrier despite the ice and bitter cold in p.r. cost from greece got the better of russian side to be where they did have to rely on some goalkeeping heroics to you i've got the details just after the. hell are you watching the sport and these are the headlines it's not over yet rubin boss day of remains defined despite his team's europa league loss to a limpy all cost him. while barcelona put one foot in the quarter finals of the champions league with a three one win over by labor in germany. and full marks start she gets praise from a limp and athletes is tested for the twenty fourteen winter games gathered. first the football and ruby manager believes his side can still progress in the europa league despite their surprise won their last two with n.p.r.

the first leg of the last thirty two clash was held in moscow but the freezing weather didn't affect the greek champions they took the lead through. the eighteen minutes left rubin did have a golden opportunity to level shortly after that but n.p.r. allows him a good eight percent off for a file on goal then he's got it in the goalkeeper roy carroll save the resulting penalty nacho all through it through the day of promise to take the game to the great in the second leg next week in the other europa league tie their last year's final sporting braga course to the turkish side. now let's go to the champions league a hard for win over yesterday and defending champions barcelona there went to the all the way to reaching the court is with a three one win over by les because in germany sanchez with a brace his manager with the result. was but i think by a live look who's did not allow many chances in the first half but in the six. if

we continue pressing and we manage to create a lot of chances to school two additional girls finally and i am aware of the skills that we must be. champions league season and should secure against german teams and speaking in general it does not matter how good or bad it looks like on the pitch when it comes to the games against germany teams one was simply try and find a way to be about it all tonight it is the turn of russian champions then eat they have spent and urging fans to behave after trouble as a nice last champions league home game against apple well in november that saw the club get a thirty thousand euro fine. and the governing body has warned they'll be a heavier penalty if there is a repeat temperatures are expected to drop to minus fifteen celsius for the gang and there will be a late inspection it was much warmer when he trained yesterday and notable absence a midfielder danny he was told. they would also be without defender domenico. although top scorer alexander is raring to go and thinks home support will be

a big advantage. we have played in such weather already probably more often than our pullets i don't think that's a major advantage for us because we also like it when it's warm we like playing when it's football weather and the current weather isn't exactly that but i think our supporters they will fill the stadium something that will help us. will be looking to exploit inside and have plenty of quality they talk they're great to get this far and they currently five points clear at the top of the portuguese league with jesus saying russia's winter his teams are progressing. without question both teams will be facing problems of course we have little experience of playing under such conditions which we are ready for this we perfectly realise what are facing based on this where ability or tactics and the system of play we are ready for tomorrow. and we'll do all we can so that the cold

weather doesn't affect the quality of our team's play and our technique. but in the other champions league game on wednesday arsenal travel to the san siro to face city alley does ac milan the goal is beat the italians on their home turf at the same stage of the tournament four years ago it was too little then and he will be doing his best to get more goals tonight is his last game for arsenal people returning to the new york red bulls aston venga is slightly worried about the playing surface. try to play the whole game and me on his good side we think. we really go off to work talk. to new readers words which would be an exciting game i'm a bit worried about the quality of the pitch doesn't look exceptional and hopefully on to two or three. i mean man have struggled against english opposition apart from that defeat a asshole they also lost last season and are struggling with injuries defenders

alessandra nest matter yet first are back in training after long spells but are unlikely to feature and that also applies to kevin prince by a tank and former arsenal man mathieu flamini. meanwhile colace tevis is back in england trying to resurrect his career with premier league side manchester city he returned to manchester after three months of unauthorized leaks in his native argentina and hasn't played since september after refusing to warm up in the champions league game but city manager roberto mancini has welcomed him back and terry is now undergoing fitness tests at the club city currently top of the table two points clear of manchester united with thirteen games left meanwhile in scotland glasgow rangers have gone into ministration the winner with a record fifty four domestically titles were immediately hit with a ten point deduction and that leaves them fourteen points adrift of league leaders celtic with twelve games to go fans were understandably angry at the decision the

club owner craig whyte is adamant it's the right thing to do. he was the star on the soccer like the vision was to be with the rangers. to try to train that was. saatchi's preparations for the winter games in two thousand and fourteen seen to be well on track the city hosted a couple of major tests events over the weekend and the olympic chief young claude caley says there are no burning issues at the black sea resort. on a peak with two years to go before the olympics we are confident the games will go smoothly but to make it happen we need to create all the necessary conditions i'm not saying there are any issues but preparing for the olympics is always difficult no matter where you take place transports accommodation security and infrastructure need to be looked tats. now also full of praise of the athletes themselves by

athletes got a taste of the limpid course during the recent russia cup and were pleased with what they found. with just two years to go before they start a little when a second winter olympics in sochi more and more venues have been put to the test no later as was laid by athlon and ski complex called lower after local mythical hereon and which is one of the most ambitious projects of the games located on that see how to reach across nearby am at a height of one thousand five hundred meters above sea level at these height the lack of oxygen makes the competitors breathe harder increasing their efficiency and boosting their results complex lower is supposed to. become one of the best in the world while the trek with their loves is already considered to be one of the toughest in the sport. is the hardest track in the world with sixty three percent slopes with temperatures varying by as much as four degrees it's absolutely unique

this is our country and we have every opportunity to succeed the go on blix includes two stereo each with their own story and finish zones shooting area and warm up zones the designers of the venue try to make the conditions interesting for athletes and spectators alike the track is very demanding with numerous turns which make it hard to pause and rest on the slopes and those by athletes taking part in the russian cup became the first competitors to appreciate our is facilities at the summit. the track is very challenging lots of turns lots of slopes if an athlete has some alpine skiing skills to turn on the slopes they can win back some vital seconds just. an average time on the european tracks is around twenty five minutes here it's over thirty the nature of the course is very hard. the complex is still under construction and will be finished in june twenty third teen however the

weather in the mountains is unpredictable and why. well wind is not a problem here for can alter the game plan of any competition. but. we have a proverb when the weather is getting worse it's time for biafra was over and when it's foggy here it reminds us of the famous german venue in except for the wind the same situation could arise at the olympics but it's good that we've got different weather conditions here. russia is one of the leading nations in bio fork and the country skiers and biathletes big days the lower to prepare for those olympics in sochi with the hope of luke raising their medal chances at their home winter games his name by the r.t. soccer. and also moving fast to london's preparations for the summer olympics in five months time the velodrome hosts the track cycling world cup from tomorrow and is seen as a key test event ahead of the games it will attract around three hundred forty

athletes from forty eight countries and is the penultimate event in which cyclists can qualify for the lympics the four day competition will test the new newly built venue in a competitive environment with up to seven thousand spectators expected to create an olympic like atmosphere director of sport for london's organizing committee says it will greatly help preparations. the primary reason for us in running these events is to make sure that in twenty twelve we've got to get everything right so when we hear we test out the new operations we test the field of play we test our work force we test like to test the sound every hour that we don't leave a stone unturned so that when we get to twenty four these athletes at him now have to worry about is that the formants so that's how the sport is looking far today i'm back with more in.

any much once lived is bound. to burn for ever more eternal fire is on think about what possible future. do we old wants to see this on forever. you know how sometimes you see a story and it seems so for lengthly you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else and you hear or see some other part of it and realize everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm tom harpur welcome to the big picture.