village and. the road that ran right through the village used to be called the shackle road it was a route where convicts were taken on to siberia as a result it was also named the siberian root. if this road formed a link between russia's capital and its siberian part. it connected the country's western and eastern region it's. russian poet alexander pushkin once travelled along it it was used by stage coaches. has been at the head of the district for several years during this time he's been able to restore a dozen historical landmarks. we marry from the western bank of the volga are not great in number there are only fifty or sixty thousand of us in the world. that is why we seek to stick together in order to safeguard our language culture

and of course the land where we live symbolism is to be missed especially when. the burial site is the only one of its kind in the region cattle breeders of an iranian tribe were buried here in the second millennium b.c. the time when the egyptian pyramids were built when excavation work was over scientists restored the burial place to its original appearance. there is a hole in the world with twenty eight men between the ages of eighteen and twenty five are buried here there was also a woman and a man who was forty five to fifty years old when he was buried we think he was a blacksmith those men had died in battle arrow heads have been found and some of the skeletons the skulls of other men were fractured with an axe in.

with. the romans convoy suddenly stops at the edge of a swamp it's too dangerous to drive any further the traveler spend a good deal of time walking around the frozen silt when they manage to measure the swamps depth everybody realizes that attempting to cross the swamp is out of the question. we can't go any further here we'll have to look for another routes the ice of a year off to thin and there is one and a half meters of water underneath it. however another road makes up for their misfortune it leads to what for centuries has been known locally as the fortress mountains. the maori people who lived here a long time ago used it as a hideout against intruders legend has it that the maori people were terrified of being caught by the of new forest creatures covered with hair who had chosen to

settle in the mountains caves. were black haired women with enormous breasts. if they felt their breasts were a hinderance when they were on the move nice long them over their shoulders. like you were they had little contact with people. everybody was afraid of them. this happened and long time ago. there were launch forests with tall trees. legends about to go in a muddy screech and have been handed down over the centuries by welsh mouth to

mouth of a tribal knows a great many ancient stories relating to the maori people. one of them tells a story of an old oak tree several generations of mari people have posted it shades for a rest. of the good it will go with the local people regard this tree as sacred it is around one thousand years old while the old healers living in this village say the oak tree used to help make women fertile and restore the mill a bit o. well. this giant of a tree is seven meters thick and more than thirty meters tall some scientists believe the mahdi el oak is russia's oldest. and medieval mari city is found several kilometers away from the ancient oak in the middle ages the maori sought protection from invaders by building their settlements in out of

the way places one of them is high on the bank of a river in the garden district. natural obstacles provided protection for the inhabitants of these fortifications. you know eight hundred thirteen people came to this grove from all over the region to pray for a russian victory over napoleon people in the surrounding villages still tell the story of the maori who sacrificed twenty six horses to the gods. but. now it's time for ghanian vereker mentioned off to join other worshipers at the all maria prayer in appealing to the gods they do so to the singing of an exodus touched sacrificial animals. this is followed with a meal shared by all those taking part in the ritual giving out food from enormous pots serves to bring the maori people together according to their beliefs all these

people get closer to the gods by eating in this way. mari people from all over have come here even those living in moscow and st petersburg. everywhere in russia trying to be here for these prayer service. before nightfall the romans finally find what they set out for at the start of the expedition the depression. seeing them norma's pit in the very center of a field they hold their vehicles at a safe distance from it is the people living in this village used to plough these fields and grow crops on it. but. they were awakened by loud noises. when they came here they were surprised to see a large crater in the middle of a field with some water at the bottom. scientists have found

a subterranean stream beneath the depression when it erodes the top layer of the soil the ground sinks. this slope is very slippery and very steep i get scared at times i might be buried by sliding rocks a prospect i don't particularly relish ok i'm almost there now where there is no water here local people prefer not to descend into the depression because this kind of cataclysm might happen at any time. some good at that there is much to be learned from such expeditions people think that such things are only found in faraway lands but they are much closer to home. thank. you have gainey come in she coughed was pleasantly surprised just as he and his

wife vera what about to head home after the service. you get a good to come here for a moment. the priests whitecap was ceremonially placed upon his head as a token of great respect. for. those that know i'm not able to keep a low profile far more stand on the sidelines i will have to be directly involved in the prayers of just ordinary people cherish hope that they will look to me with hope and in my words expressed their sentiments in front of the sacred tree of your fallacious or i wish you good sales and happiness. the come in cheek of couple has taken a plunge into the ancient faith of the people. by coming here they have truly

experienced the joy of communion. they hope it will stay with them for the whole of it until the next president that will once again bring the maori people together. he is easy to be. easy to feed. into.

the syrian government feels of the u.n. ramps up the pressure on the syrian regime as violence escalates but russia calls for talks to break the stalemate while damascus promises reform. iran looks to boost its nuclear program in the face of u.s. and e.u. condemnation as israel calls for more sanctions accusing top of attacking israel israeli diplomats. and greek anger spills out onto the streets once again as lawmakers clear more cuts to secure vital rescue cash in the wake up days of violent protests.

latest news in the week's top stories here on r t the un general assembly has adopted a non-binding resolution this week calling on syria's president assad to step down russia was among twelve states who voted against it saying the draft fails to address the armed opposition while damascus is vowing for major reforms reports of violence continue artie's more if a national is in syria. this is a shot here in syria mains volatile with tensions between security forces and the armed opposition groups continue in claiming lives of both mildred and civilians almost every day on thursday we attended the funerals of a young boy who was gunned down early here in damascus during the n.t. government protest and the procession itself eventually turned into hostile to mr asian in the clashes that followed and that continued the next day five people were

killed and many others injured one violence one day causes even more violence next and so on and so on we also can see political murders as well this week shake of one of the most of damascus was assisted native apparently because of his pronouncements to shake came out with strong condemnation of the terror groups of the armed groups he blamed for the bloodshed calling for to stop the violence to stop the bloodshed we're also hearing about hostilities in other parts of the country reports from the opposition activists that in the city of homs many people die every day in the city of hama they've been several explosions all pipeline in the midst of violence these tensions all across syria syria reforms. to go in this week the date for the national referendum on the country's new constitution was announced the vote is expected to take place next sunday as far as the ministry of internal affairs of syria has said around fifteen million people in syria today

have the right to vote this new constitution was drafted. and the monopoly of the ruling party the bath party here in syria had been in power for the last fifty years but people on the ground are actually fearing that this referendum and this new constitution it's too little and too late this week the chinese delegation visited syria both russia and china are calling for the dialogue to be restored between the syrian opposition and the authorities. saying that this is the only way out of this crisis. a top u.s. intelligence official has admitted al qaeda is working alongside serious armed opposition as washington considers extending support to the rebels activist a marvel call from a syrian pro-government group believes the u.s. has now realized it could be teaming up with terrorists i never thought that the americans would want to publicly admit that is actually operating in syria what we

know for sure is that. clear involvement started with a videotape by amazon right here in the head of al qaeda back in july calling for jihad in syria and nobody actually took notice that when the first suicide bombings in damascus took place there were less than twenty four hours before the huge explosions. here are they carry the same fingerprint now the american position is very interesting it just says that her hang on a minute this is a an enemy that we want to fight and suddenly they're operating in the same theater that we're trying to overthrow this government and perhaps it may signify that the americans are trying to understand what the syrian president had said previously that there might be tens of longest hours in the in the region if they keep pressuring the syrian government i would say let the syrians sort this thing ourselves and do not interfere with us the more you interfere with us the longer

this drags on and the more bloodshed we will be seeing. iran looks set to expand its controversial nuclear program reports that just new centrifuges are going to be installed at the fortified underground enrichment facility near the city hall earlier in the week domestically made nuclear fuel rods were loaded into the research reactor at the same time the islamic republic is accused of being behind bomb attacks on israeli diplomats in india georgia and thailand. which is under international pressure over its atomic ambitions denies involvement israeli pm however has called iran the greatest exporter of terrorism in the world and called for more sanctions against it says its nuclear work is peaceful and says israel is waging a psychological war that some fear is paving the way for military action. i think what you really are trying to do is trying to up the ante and so the americans will do something they aren't capable of taking out around nuclear program they don't

have the means to do it at best it could mean more as a hit and run as a run of the time but i think it actually behind the rhetoric about nuclear weapons the reality is what they are worried about is the increase of the increase of influence in the in the region who really is of constantly said that they're not going to be nuclear weapons international it's all the inspectors have just been to iran the came by seems a good visit so they're going back to iran they're getting cooperation you wouldn't know this report in the western media so i think there is a rush to your but my opinion is the ratcheting up is not by the iranians it is by the israelis and by the americans and i think there is a lot of hypocrisy a boat iran's nuclear program preventing iran from getting nuclear weapons isn't the real driving force for the u.s. and its allies says anti-war activist brian becker. the united states government has created an artificial crisis that's first and foremost it's a manufactured crisis iran is complying with the. iran does not have

a nuclear weapon iran is not threaten its neighbors iran has not started a war with any of its neighbors israel on the other hand has hundreds of nuclear weapons and unlike the run refuses to sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty does not allow. inspectors into its country so there's not really a nuclear menace or a nuclear danger from iran and so what is the cause of the artificial crisis the real goal is the united states government has embarked on a course of extreme economic aggression against iran with the hope that by creating economic suffering economic isolation economic misery that part of the population will rise up or become disenfranchised with the government so that the u.s. can do as it has in history carry out regime change. you can hear more from brian becker in about twenty minutes from now on the full

version you hear on our t.v. coming up in the next few minutes pro-democracy anniversaries marked across the middle east fireworks replace gunshots in libya four days of celebrations but an armed to the teeth militia isn't going anywhere casting a shadow on the country's stability. and in another middle eastern country police come down strong on anti-government protesters with the help of one of britain's top former cops. frustrated greeks are filling central athens once again crowds gather outside parliament to protest after more austerity being pushed upon them greece's cabinet has passed the final set of massive cuts e.u. creditors demand in return for a one hundred thirty billion euro bailout which could now be cleared on monday but the rage of a beleaguered population is still at the forefront of greek society artie's jacob grieves reports. a system under siege m.p.'s

drowned out the pleas of tens of thousands of demonstrators amassed within a short passing another round of unpopular cuts. the results proved incendiary. that's uganda protests turned violent as protesters including fringe anarchist clash with police again leaving their mark on athens. a day on this is the remnants of public anger but glass isn't the only thing that's been broken as governments past increasingly unpopular austerity cuts will be left asking who can they trust serve their interests to measures are very very tough part of the poor people especially and this is the reason that they feel. today i think more measures have been taken and they're it's not going to work in the end it will be another bill he clearly badly and. oh i hope for the best but

i don't see it coming. under pressure from brussels berlin and the international monetary fund the greek government has cut more jobs slash funding for the nation's pensions a minimum wage but current policy appears to mainly expose those most vulnerable to crisis conditions is a mindset some feel is doomed to fail and they already have destroyed the whole generation of young people in their dreams they will destroy. the sabian infrastructure of the whole country we know that it is impossible to read a piece there that we have now signs that these illegal or old news we cannot continue like that because the policy that the government is following actually increases the did instead of finding the solution at the heart of activists claims is their search and that they've known as their. he for the best part of

five years now and the time taxes have risen incomes have fallen but the country's deficit only seems to grow and in this austerity cycle is something sought by an increasing number despite the turmoil the governor wallace will follow but what is bad about our political system is that they have the right exactly even more. going to come the only way out of this point is the default default is going to be very tough for us but there's going to be the solution of the slow death for now relative calm has returned to the streets of athens smashed buildings have been patched up the signs of damage swept away but the simmering discontent hasn't been a mass force medicine appears to bring nothing but pain many are continuing their call for turned to treatment agrees r.t.

athens. one of the creditors is conditions that's riled greek politicians are their demands for written guarantees that they will stick to the cuts regardless of whom wins the next election your m.p. nigel farrar says athens is losing its sovereignty to brussels what the e.u. is now doing it's trying to influence the outcome of the greek general election not satisfied with getting rid of the last democratically elected prime minister and putting in a puppet in the form of us to papademos it now says it's now saying to the greek people unless you vote for the right party is unless you vote for parties that are happy to be subjugated do you control we will not give you the rest of the money and you will go bankrupt i suspect that despite the dissatisfaction that is felt by many german politicians i think the german parliament will continue to toe the line and continue to say that buy it out so the answer as far as i'm concerned it's rather like saving the cancer and not saving the patients we saw one of the

commissioners e.u. commissioner is nearly cruz said the other day that if greece left it wouldn't be a man overboard situation so even at the top there is now a crack beginning to appear and very interesting leigh what i've seen in the european parliament is for the first time in years we're hearing real criticism and the the socialist criticism is that these austerity cuts are damaging living standards to such an extent that they now want to acceptable so i'm beginning you know i'm not the lone voice anymore in this place that these policies are mad. as week libyans have been celebrating the first anniversary of the uprising that led to the toppling of colonel gadhafi the united states congratulated the people while urging the libyan government to protect civil rights history international has been reporting that gadhafi supporters have been subjected to abuse and torture this as concerns grow that libya's armed militia are still roaming the country unchecked pharaoh's mangi who's editor in chief of the pan african social justice network

told r.t. the situation now is much worse than it was during the colonel's regime. ever since the nature we envision of libya there has been. gross human rights by way she says not just torture there is. indiscriminate killings there are extra judicial killings there's summary execution leave them cold or gadhafi. members was found to have been some really executed nobody has been through to do justice all about the huge amount of sort of being taught in the by problems but europeans by the americans. this place is going to descend into into an ungovernable civil war the situation though in that sense is worse than it was under the the rule of law of gadhafi. so i have for you this

hour wooing voters with just two weeks until the russian presidential election we'll look at how candidates are attempting to attract to the electorate. also friend or foe while washington had a valentine's day dinner with beijing the media is fueling china valby zero zero month americans. and spent a year since another pro-democracy uprising this time in bahrain but it was tear gas and rubber bullets that rained down on demonstrators as they faced a tough police clampdown and as i've ever been at has been finding out security forces are being helped by foreign advisers. tear gas and stun grenades supposedly the work of a reformed police force but one year on since the first anti-government protests will crushed in bahrain it seems not much has changed the only difference now the crackdowns been planned by one of britain's former top cops john the eights used to

be assistant commissioner of london's metropolitan police he now works for bahrain's monarchy which says he's there to oversee police reforms the police have borrowed or behaving despicably their latest trick is to throw cancer tear gas into homes of people they don't like shut the doors and people have died choking to death to just sort of use out of doors and i think for any british police officer overstimulate is retired to be associated in any way with that is is his role yes resigned from scotland yard last year in early fix him of the phone hacking scandal he popped up in bahrain in december as part of the regime's p.r. campaign to clean up its image a campaign pushed hard it seems by yeats himself he recently told the daily telegraph his new charges had a well rehearsed plan for the anniversary of the uprising adding the concept of reasonable reaction to provocation has been reinforced. as for the uprising itself

he said this isn't organized protests it's just vandalism rioting on the streets claims hotly disputed by london's bahraini community immediately. demanding their rights. you seem to forget sixty sixty five people actually died from police brutality activists in bahrain insist their protest was peaceful their aim to reach the iconic pole roundabout in the capital manama they say they were met by tanks toxic gas and rubber bullets what we witnessed on the ground as not. the front of. this previously but it's been extend through the toxic and use of poisoning of. mr john contributing we should see a positive things at the ground what we are seeing today.