right. from the studio. starts on t. dot com. decision day for the syrian people as they take to the polls to vote on a new constitution that would end the ruling party's fifty year monopoly. a week before russians vote for the next president thousands of hellhounds taking polls and they must have flash mob and circling the center of the city campaigning for the elections join me get a few moments to more on this. thousands once again march in protest against education cuts in spain is the euro crisis takes a greater hold around the mediterranean while greece breathes a sigh of relief with the final approval of a much needed bailout. for

pm in moscow i met treasurer bring you today's top stories and a look back at the week's news here on r t it's a historic day for the syrian people who are voting now want to new constitution put forward by the government that could pave the way for free elections and bring an end to nearly a half century of one party rule artesian worry if an ocean has more from damascus . ballots instead of bullets messed him astray sions and violent protests have been rolling across syria for almost a year. the syrian government is now calling for the people to shape their future together by taking part in a referendum on the country's new constitution fulfilling its pledge to reform. a boss who's very excited that he'll be able to decide his own tomorrow. it's

a completely new era is good for everybody even opposition can take part it's for all the amendments to the country's number one law have been among the key demands of the opposition since the uprising began and the draft seems to cover the most pressing issues it starts with eliminating baath party supremacy which have ruled the country for the last fifty years introduces a multi-party system and sets a two term limit on any future president however even these reforms a cause in controversy. jihad and his friend odin flower shop in damascus he says this new document draws a line between him and his muslim business partner. there is a big contradiction article thirty three says all equal regularly number three says every muslim can be a president what about the other ten percent we're not here temporarily we've been living together for ages we want to be counted. now maybe ten percent of the people

they speak about this ok but maybe if we was removing this article from the new constitution the ninety percent who said war why you take this article out of public debate on the draft constitution have been organized to bring the people and the authors of the new document together they don't trust. their own sources tell us is the fans. outside. the city as he says becoming but some say the reste a long way to go to that new syria and they don't believe the government will follow through with their reforms i'm afraid if i work again as the constitution somebody will in the world will shoot me clashes and protests almost every day but some hope that the referendum will not only breed a new constitution it might even be able to stop the bloodshed. there are

people who want to improve and develop but also others who want to divide syria we shouldn't help them we should go and vote for a future. the draft of syria's new constitution has been made public ten days before the national referendum fourteen new and forty seven amended articles are all here with comments and details the baser also on t.v. and the internet never in the country's modern history for its residents so close to policy making its many here on the ground fear that the ongoing violence could marry any hope of reform reform altie damascus syria. and we're joined now by our t's maria for an ocean who is live in damascus with the latest so the opposition is boycotting the vote in there have been fears of provocations ahead of the poll how's it's all been progressing so far. well

indeed days before the referendum started here in syria on the country's new constitution we've been hearing lots of alarming reports on possible terror attacks and provocations on sunday during the vote for that reason clearly security has been tightened up not only here in the capital damascus but everywhere in syria we've seen many police and security officers today literally they are everywhere control in the streets trying to. to watch the situation to one to receive tuition but of course this is quite difficult to run for the ballots to go had in this situation the opposition is has not only been boycotting the vote but they've also been calling on all people to go on strike to take to the streets to protest against this vote and to protest against president bashar assad to call for him to step down so they've been actually calling for kind of provocations and

on their website we rad just recently that just like that the the one who is going to avoid or who has voted already no matter constitution against this constitution is considered to be the one contributor contributing to killing people here in syria so opposition is quite strong on trying to. hamper this vote to happen to. a to make this. to make some provoke ations but so far we haven't seen anything here in damascus the situation is quite calm and we've also been able to visit to polling stations here in the capital of people coming there they're voting what we've seen most of them are pro quo situation so we've been able to talk to them they don't they don't even feel afraid of this city. violence in the country is continuing situation here on

the ground is very difficult but people are hoping that this referendum as part of the reforms that president bashar assad and his government promised democratic changes in this country they're hoping that this will be able to bring peace and stability finally to their country back to you all right artie's marie if a notion of life for us in damascus i will be checking back in with you throughout the day to get more updates on the vote. well in a few minutes putting smart money on nuclear intelligence while the us comic agencies trying to reach a conclusion on iran's nuclear heem u.s. intelligence agencies have their own evidence that may not sit well with israel. but first our ring of solidarity that was the hope of protesters calling for a free and fair elections in iraq thousands took part in today's attempt to surround the center of moscow holding hands they hope to complete the city's garden

ring the road that encircles the historic center for more on this we go live peter all are standing by near the garden ring so it has so has this been a success if you're going to as we're hoping for what we are hearing reports that yes they were able to complete a human chain around the garden ring not swell ring road that goes around the downtown center of of moscow now to complete though we were told that they would need around thirty four thousand people to come out onto the streets but we're hearing from the authorities that one hopes is as few as eleven thousand may have taken place so exactly and to what extent. that god that ring road has been covered by this human chain will find out soon enough well what we also saw today though these people who were out there wearing white to hold hands what was supposed to be quiet solidarity and they were campaigning full for free elections fair elections coming up in a week's time here in russia but they weren't the only people out on the streets

today where i was there was a very loud very large group of pro. the president supposes that came out today at some points we saw basically a standoff with one group on either side of the of the sidewalk shouting their various slogans and occasionally. having a confrontation with somebody from an opposition point of view now these were mostly harmless sometimes a few raised voices but the most is on they were in quite good humor and know what we have seen is this. protest this demonstration human chain apparently yes. the circle routes around the garden ring. and tell us more about this latest spike in political activity that we've seen. since the parliamentary elections that were held in december of last year we've seen much more political activism in russia that we've seen over recent years there were mass protests over allegations

of electoral impropriety following votes for the parliament on the fourth of december and we've seen that continue with demonstrations rallies over the past two months ahead of next week's presidential vote which russians will go to the post decide who will be the next president of the country in this last week we've seen the the largest rally to date that took place at the luzhniki stadium usually the home of the russian national football team it was taken over by the supporters of a lot of me and putin the groups that want to see him elected in a week's time as the next president of the country we also saw rallies in favor of the liberal democratic party the communist party as well as other smaller groups. yes on this demonstration that we've seen today and favor of the free and fair vote so with a week to go you can't really imagine that we won't be seeing more demonstrations more rallies over sorry about that over the coming few days and weeks.

later all over a wire for us from. and as we heard there next sunday russians will head to the polls to pick their next president choosing from a number of candidates who've been hitting the campaign trail but a contender keeping a relatively low profile is storing buzz abroad as artie's laura smith reports from wonder. russians a used to seeing putin in all manner of surroundings not only in top level meetings also out in the wilderness and even singing to a hollywood a list crowds. but there are always new heights to scale and currently find him looming large on a london icon the double decker bus. is coming it proclaims so may find the wording of the slightly sinister but it's all to do with a new book which analyzes putin the man not the politician the books the results of

a six year collaboration between a british author and russian journalist alexander caught up put in is probably the most interesting political from in the world at the moment and yes the right people who feel and be violent towards putin the rebels who love him or those who do but the most important thing is that sort of more would you can see that they don't. although as it turned out that wasn't quite true. but it may be desperate or russia to name. those you probably appreciate the surprise of russia. i don't know about. the prime minister of russia but basically what. the authors say friday's book release isn't connected to next month's election in russia but it does come hot on the heels of two separate british documentaries

involving putin one a look at the controversial political used to create the. mashi and the other a critically acclaimed full pause come to three relations with the west during his twelve years at the top there will be the world's attention on him again and people want to know is this the man we've seen before is he changing will he change can he face the new challenges and how does the recent protest movement affect his politics and his outlook having his face. help. patsy go to the polls but love him a little bit since reputation is russ's strong man has captured the imagination of to make his and old in the u.k. and elsewhere whether it's infamy is an open question numerous mentality. stay with us here on r.t. still ahead this hour accused of aiding the enemy america's most famous

whistleblower gets his first court hearing after nineteen months in custody and just two weeks after being nominated for the nobel peace prize for the human. but first spain's students refusing to sit quietly with thousands again turning out mainly over planet occasion cuts but also after police came down hard at their last rally officers were accused of brutality at a protest earlier this week that left several people hurt and more than forty arrested arche sara for reports. it's being done in the spring and you can see thousands upon thousands of people. to. come to this event.

the great. the great. even.

across the mediterranean greece managed to snatch itself from the draws of default this week it took months of waiting but leaders eventually cleared the latest hundred thirty billion euro bailout but it's at a cost of imposing further cuts something financial journalist johan got overbuilt says could prove destructive. it will make things worse for the greek economy the greek economy is in a deep recession at the moment the austerity program that is imposed on the country will worsen the recession which in its turn will worsen the budget outlook and so the negative spiral in which breeds economy and greek society has been imprisoned

for almost the last two years it will only get worse so this is not really a solution to the greek problem what you need for greece is to have a growth perspective for the economy of greece and you don't have that at all at the moment and the longer we wait the more it becomes obvious that the only way we can get the greek economy growing again is by indeed exiting the euro zone which will lead of course to a devaluation of the new direct me but that is exactly what is needed to get the economy through international trade growing again the afghan president is it urging following a week of deadly anti-american riots across the country they were sparked by news that copies of the koran had been burned in a u.s. air base in afghanistan washington apologized for what it called a mistake but hamad karzai said sentiment in the country was a legitimate reaction he also wants those responsible for desecrating the holy

muslim book to be punished dozens of people have been killed in an arrest since tuesday including two senior u.s. officers. think tank director in neighboring pakistan says nato neither understands and respects the afghan culture. in the decade that the u.s. military has been in the but is done by the first time even if you have smaller places and provinces in towns wherever there is a u.s. presence ordinary afghans are laying siege to these places until now the americans were facing the various insurgent resistance groups the of gum taliban but now after this incident we're seeing ordinary out of force pitched against the u.s. will be presence but also u.s. trained police in and he was training soldiers now an ordinary american working you know honest down to be doesn't know whether he should expect a bullet from afghan taliban and al gun policeman or not gun soldier whom he might have trained earlier even after ten years it seems the americans don't know who

they're dealing with they don't know the good honest very well and u.s. military are increasingly treated to what i would call anti islamists and they're constantly sort of indoctrinated into into into treating islam disrespectfully i fail to see how the u.s. military personnel and the of the east end of gun army personnel would be able to restore the level of trust that existed let's say five days or six days ago. turning now to some other stories making headlines across the globe a car full of explosives were headed into a church in nigeria killing at least three people and wounding several others the church was packed with sunday worshippers when the suicide attackers struck in the city of jos radical islamist group boko haram is being blamed although no one has yet admitted to carrying out the attack the sex killed more than three hundred people this year in its quest to impose sharia law across the country. a trial has

begun to egypt for dozens of pro-democracy activists including nineteen americans accused of illegally using foreign funds to organize anti-government protests the son of the u.s. transportation minister are among those charged the obama administration is in talks with the egyptian parliament to resolve the case that has damage relations between the u.s. and egypt with america threatening to cut off its aid. in yemen army shelling has killed five al qaeda linked militants officials say the strike started in the southern town of sandra bar saturday night and continued into the early morning a yemeni soldier was also killed when he stepped on a mine in the same area government forces failed to oust militants from the south of the country who have managed to seize control of several parts of the region this past year. the standoff over iran's controversial nuclear program shows no signs of reaching a resolution with u.n. atomic officials saying tehran has failed to cooperate they visited the islamic

state twice this year and say iran has stepped up its uranium enrichment western allies say to iran is building a nuclear bomb but iran says it has the right to a civil nuclear program the country is currently struggling under harsh sanctions from the u.s. and e.u. with israel threatening military action but u.s. intelligence reportedly now says there is no evidence to support accusations iran is pursuing nuclear weapons pressor of political science at the university of tehran said exile says the growing tide of us delivery to iran is unfounded. iran knows that big know what he can use i'm not told me i mean imagine that iran has a nuclear bomb what is the good of that what is the point of death which conky can be contemplate that iran will use i told me can bomb. inspect. they have every corner of it all nuclear facilities deployed he is that every now and then they say that we want people dead we want people here who want to

speak that goes on to want to make the space not the point is that those places are not. international atomic agency the are not part of. nuclear sites. israel has been repeating its threat of military action on iran's nuclear sites saying that slapping sanctions on the country isn't working but the u.s. and britain have warned against the move saying it could be disastrous for the region authorities or any who show reports from tel aviv in anti-riot offensive may already be under way. israel's leaders are actively drumming up the military rhetoric. iran is the biggest terror exporter in the world the israeli government and its security forces will continue to act forcefully systematically and calmly against international terrorism dating from iran. a potential israeli rocket clash looks more likely than ever there is speculation a preemptive strike against iran's nuclear sites could happen as early as spring or

summer although that's not causing undue concern in israel i think possibly people you know they make their plans for a vacation you know pass or a vacation summer vacation possibly people are beginning to wonder well is there going to be a war is something going to mess it up or i think they're probably going ahead with it with sort of a thought we're back tomorrow it would be nice if we could get a flight that we could cancel you know is that sort of thing israel has previous experience when it comes to putting an end to nuclear ambitions which pose a potential threat in one thousand nine hundred one is jets wiped out reactors in iraq they struck again in two thousand and seven hitting sites in syria but with iran's nuclear program things may not be so simple if israel attacks iran it will not stop iran forever from getting nuclear weapons the only postpone it for a relatively brief amount of time the. installations are too diverse and far

flung to destroy a fact of holy israel does not have us poured white house secretary advisor was in israel warning against a move on iran saying it was better to wait for tougher sanctions to take effect in the coming months but mines may already be made up i think one of the things to create this aura of inevitability is to shut them up to shut up opposition at home and of course to convince the united states and europe that this is an inevitability it's going to happen don't oppose it in fact why don't you help us out there is a question mark however over whether israel has what it takes to carry out the mission i doubt with we have the capability. of creating damage is to the extent of the mediating the program and even if israel's military prowess will allow it to carry out a strike on underground facilities in iran chances are it won't and there as you

know saddam hussein and bashar assad by the time they knew what was happening was over and could just you know grumble without adding to fight back do you imagine you run sitting still you know all day day after day day after day what israel is hitting troops are going to hit back i think any any sane person realizes that there will almost guaranteed be missiles falling on israel and considering your own fault one of the twentieth century's longest wars against iraq in the one nine hundred eighty s. it consequences could be far reaching and destructive. to zero has been suffering some bad weather as of late but it's unlikely that even the strongest winds will blow the country's foreign policy off its course and when it comes to israel's forecast for iran this storm clouds seem to be growing ever darker in tel aviv r.t. . there's more reaction online for you to be escalating situation just click on r.t. dot com where you'll find the latest pumping arms the pentagon wants an extra hundred million dollars to prepare for a hypothetical war with iran. plus

a man proclaimed hero for overt ing a third world war two story at r.t. dot com right now. the u.s. soldier accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of secret military files to wiki leaks chose not to enter a plea during his first court hearing thursday bradley manning faces twenty two charges also passed on deciding whether he wanted to be tried by a military jury or a single judge if convicted of aiding the enemy he could be given a life jail term with no chance of parole but he's considered a hero to many americans and is being nominated for the nobel peace prize by an icelandic group there are doubts though over whether manning can get a fair trial after president obama publicly stated he broke the law joseph shore

from the socialist quality party says the government is using manning as a tool to bring down we can leaks founder julian assange on. the treatment of manning as a whole is. brutal inhumane according to amnesty international amounting to torture according to many top u.s. legal scholars i mean there's many reasons behind this but i think the u.s. government certainly sees the treatment of manning from the beginning both as an example to anyone who would seek to expose the crimes of american militarism abroad as well as a fairly transparent attempt to get out it's on the founder of wiki leaks. you know the u.s. government is seeking to eventually extradite a saw and they're certainly trying to trying to go after week eight weeks for the release of the documents you know really must be stressed that this is really a devastating explosion of the obama administration the treatment of this young man for all the talk of democratic rights and freedom abroad this is how the united

states treats opposition here but here at home. headlines coming up stay with us here on our team.