decision day for the syrian people as they take to the polls over a new constitution that would herald an end to a single party rule. but the opposition is split that's in the clouds and in the country with the crazy forces on high alert fearing terror attacks polling stations so anybody in the syrian capital damascus. thousands join hands in a massive flash mob for fair elections by trying to encircle moscow's city center a week before the country heads to the polls to select its next president. thousands of again march and 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 bail at. seven pm in moscow i matras are bring you today's top stories and a look back at the week's news here on r t the syrian people are voting on a new constitution today the most significant poll for forty years this though amid a backdrop of violence plaguing the country since last march the opposition though says this boycotting the poll artie's marie if an ocean has the latest from damascus. but we've been hearing lots of alarming reports on possible terror attacks and provocations and strikes here in the capital damascus and everywhere in syria for that reason clearly security has been tightened up and police officers are literally everywhere we've seen many of them today patrolling the streets trying to watch the situation their position has indeed been boycotting the vote

not only that they've been calling actually on all people to go to strive not to go cast ballots and to take to the streets to protest against president bashar assad and to ask for him to step down the violence is continuing in the country with reports on people dying literally every day but as for the vote actually it is progress thing we've been able to visit to polling stations here in the capital damascus and people there are people there are voters we've been able to speak to them they don't feel afraid some of them have said that yes we know that there are armed groups in the countries who are trying to make provocations who are trying to prevent us from voting but we have that this referendum and this constitution as part of the package of democratic reforms promised by bashar al assad and his government will be able to bring peace and stability to our country so we are

voting no matter what they say but of course the pressure from the opposition as well as from the international community is very hard because they call this vote laughable. ballots instead of bullets mesta mistress shoes and violent protests have been rolling across syria for almost a year. the syrian government desire calling for the people to shape their future together by taking part in a referendum on the country's and you constitution fulfilling its pledge to reform . a boost who's very excited that he'll be able to do. side his own tomorrow. it's a completely new era is good for everybody even opposition can take part it's for all amendments to the country's number one law have been among the key demands of the opposition since the uprising began 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 number three says every muslim can be a president so what about the other term percent we're not here temporarily we've been living together for ages who want to be counted. now maybe ten percent of the people they speak about this ok but maybe if i was removing this article from the new constitution the ninety percent who said well why you take this article out. public debates on the draft constitution have been organized to bring the people and the authors of the new documents together they

don't trust. their own sources and the sailors are sophisticated to meet you work for hire if you make the c.d.'s he says becoming but some say there is still a long way to go to that new syria and they don't believe the government will follow through with the reforms i'm a thirty five again is 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 and you constitution it might even be able to stop the bloodshed refinishing r.t. damascus syria. in a few minutes putting the smart money nuclear intelligence un's atomic agency struggles to reach a conclusion on iran's nuclear weapons u.s. intelligence agencies have their own evidence that may not sit well with israel. but first a ring of solidarity that was the hope of protesters calling for

a free and fair elections in russia thousands took part in today's attempt to surround the center of moscow holding hands they wanted to complete the city's garden ring the road that encircled the historic center archy's peter all over was there. the goal of sunday's demonstration was to form a human chain around the garden ring in moscow and i want bodies as a ring road that goes around the downtown area of the russian capital. now the activists who organizing this event today it called on supporters to come out wear white and support of their cause which is to see free and fair elections in russia no they were able to complete that journey around the garden ring that human chain around sixteen kilometers from one end to the other so clearly masses of people coming out and taking part there well there were also some supporters of the blood of mia putin for president who turned out it is a week before the presidential vote and there were some heated exchanges at times

between supporters of the various political factions here in russia all of them peaceful but a few raised voices at times all of this coming as i say a week before russians go to the polls to elect the next president and we've seen a a space of political rallies in the last week we've seen supporters of the to me of putin for president also supporters of the the the leaders of the liberal democratic party and the communists as well as other groups coming out and showing their support for the particular candidates that they want to see take the top job . next sunday's presidential elections. next sunday russians will choose our next president selecting from a number of candidates who have been hard hitting the campaign trail but there is a contender who is keeping a relatively low profile but stirring a lot of buzz abroad as artie's laura smith reports from london. russians a used to seeing blood 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 crowd. but there are always new heights to scale and deal currently find him looming large on a london icon the double decker bus tootin is coming it proclaims so may find the wording of the adverts 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 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 you know it's about it might be desperate or russia today. people are so cozy probably a person who supposedly russia who is i don't know that. the prime minister of russia. was quoted 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 youth group nationally and the other a critically acclaimed full part counter through 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 a man we've seen before or is he changing. can he face the new joneses and how does the recent purchase movement affect his politics and his outlook having his faith.

help you say that's russ and 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 kids and old in the u.k. and elsewhere whether it's fame or infamy it's an open question numerous mentality . stay with us here on our t.v. still to come this hour work hughes day 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 more on that if you must. but first spain's students refusing to sit quietly with thousands of again turning out mainly overplan education 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 r.t. sarfarosh reports from the coastal blocker. we all know the problems that face

every day students lack of money a fierce competition for jobs add to that this plane has the highest unemployment in that year of food the nine distance the sixteen to twenty four year olds unemployed in the country and factor in that they just had recent spending because that is the fact that education in fact say badly to some of these students have come to the streets say they haven't even got basic heating in the coliseum said well this is the result really thousands and thousands of people already out on the streets good to protest some of them that goes right the way along the main high street here in the city of valencia now some of the signs reading and now students a battered enough that's mbak friends to the protests we saw at the beginning of the week where the police were condemned for their actions which were seen as being excessively violent scenes of them chasing and hitting some of the protestors despite very fierce reaction from a lot of the public and

a lot of anger his guilt about these actions huge number of people joining in this protest and a lot of anger and of course this part of the why did demonstrations we've seen happening in recent days as the all star acknowledges that have been voted in by the new government have provoked this angry reaction. standoff over iran's nuclear program shows no signs of reaching a resolution soon with the 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 suspect iran is preparing to build a nuclear bomb but iran says it has a right to a civil nuclear program the country is currently struggling under harsh sanctions from the u.s. and israel is threatening military action in response to this enron is reportedly cutting off oil shipments to greece let's get some insight on all this from someone specializing in planning for the worst strategy consultant guns all the lira

joining us from chile so greece is relying on iranian oil as some other export or export or as have stop trading with actions with athens rather over its credit worthiness if this is confirmed that they're holding these oil shipments what effect do you think it will have on greece. it will be catastrophic. but it will be just as bad for the europeans. but the european funds. need to deal with greece is not a done deal they've been talking about all those big amounts in a month. and there is no deal on march twentieth. working point three twelve billion euros to. read you've been getting uranium all summer has been over fifty percent of all consumption and it's been getting the oil and the favorable terms from law. and the international community so they have essentially. real oil and now they're going to know it does not have the means to

pay off its march and or people from saudi arabia or russia if you lose any oil except for our parents now if. we cannot meet its market. for them in the fall and this is because profits with european financial sector is going to be there in banks specifically the french again so this is a big deal it could potentially trigger a financial crisis. of course the people are so the consequences of it all but in this chess game that is going to west and iran iran is just me to really and is really going to be your check not check mate but certainly check and it's gonna be hard to get out. all right unfortunately we're having some technical problems or and i have to leave the interview there thanks paratime gonzalo era strategy specialist from lehrer s p g dot com. for some time israel has been threatening

a strike against iran saying slapping sanctions on the country is not working but western allies have warned against the move saying it would be disastrous for the region as artie's are in a delusional reports and anti-riot offensive though may already be underway in 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 eating from iran. a potential israeli rocket clash looks more likely than never 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 that up i think they're probably going ahead with . with sort of a thought we're back 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 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 fully israel does not have us poured the white house secretary adviser 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. he made up i think one of the things

the 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 whether we have the capability. of creating the image 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 if there are 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 having to fight back you imagine you run sitting still you know all day day after day day after day while 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. the consequences could be far reaching and destructive. to zero has been suffering some bad weather is 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. turning to afghanistan where seven u.s. soldiers were wounded when angry protesters threw a grenade into their base this image the sixth day of anti-american riots across the country sparked by news that copies of the qur'an had been burned at a u.s. air base washington apologized for the illness of what it called a mistake and urged afghan president for and the afghan president is urging for calm but hammad karzai said the sentiment in his country was a legitimate reaction and called for those who burned the qur'an to be punished dozens have been killed in the arrests since tuesday including two senior u.s.

officers. a think tank director in neighboring pakistan says americans thinks the americans are neither understand it nor respect the culture. in the decade that the u.s. military has been enough but it's time for the first time even if you do smaller places and provinces in towns where ever there is a u.s. presence ordinary afghans are laying siege to these places even after two. it seems the americans don't know who they're dealing with the don't know the of get on very well the us military are increasingly treated into what i would call anti islamism and they're constantly sort of indoctrinated into into into treating in islam disrespectfully i fail to see how the u.s. military personnel and the of east and of gun army personnel would be able to restore the level of trust that existed listen five days or six days ago turned out

of some other stories making headlines across the globe a car full of explosives as the rammed into a church in nigeria killing at least three people wounded and several others the church was packed with sunday morning worshippers when the suicide attacker struck in the city of jos radical islamist group boko haram is being put blamed although no one has yet admitted to carrying out the attack the sects killed more than three hundred people this year alone in its quest to impose sharia law. pakistan more than halfway through demolishing osama bin ladin this final hideout the al qaeda leader was shot dead by u.s. forces ikea bought a bad compound last may after hiding there for several years no official reason given for the demolition but it's thought authorities don't want the site to become a shrine to the terrorist leader. if yemen army shelling has killed five al qaeda linked militants officials say the strike began in the southern town of zanzibar 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 have failed to oust militants from the south of the country who've managed to seize control of several parts of the region in the past year. 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 and passed on the siding whether he wanted to be tried by a military jury or a single judge if convicted of aiding the enemy he could be headed a life in jail term with no possibility of parole he's considered a hero by some americans and is being nominated for the nobel peace prize by a group of icelanders but there's doubts over whether manning can get a fair trial after president obama publicly stated he broke the law joseph shore from the socialist equality party says that the government's using manning as a tool to bring down weiqi leaks founder julian assange. it's freidman demanding as

a whole is. brutal inhumane according to amnesty international amounting to torture according to many top us 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 they are you know the u.s. government is seeking to eventually extradite a saw and they're certainly trying to trying to go after waking leaks for the release of the documents are and they're really must be stressed that this is really devastating explosion of the obama administration the treatment of this young man for all the talk of democratic rights and freedom of broad this is how the united states treats opposition here. here at home. so is more in line for you what our team here is what's a click away and then proclaim the hero for overturning

a third of all the war alert his story at r.t. dot com all right now what's. real is legendary carnival is coming to a colorful end with a massive show of fireworks and thousands of exotic dancers joining in the celebration if you're not in brazil having fun you can also check out the footage our team. and coming up all for in the next hour a former american presidential advisor tells r t how his country should give up trying to end world tyranny and focus on its own interests here's a preview. the idea that we're going to end tyranny in the world is utterly utopian

we never are we've had tyrants from time immemorial and what the united states should do in my judgment in its foreign policies is build a defense establishment strong enough to protect our vital interests and our vital allies and when problems arise whether it's in zimbabwe or somewhere else the people there have got to deal with their own problems there's no doubt about it that throughout history tyrants have arisen and seized power in one place or another and as long as they don't threaten our vital interests or threaten and kill our people the fact that they rule and or misrule certain countries is none of our business. little later we take you on a trip around one of russia's largest and oldest cities that's coming your way after a recap of the headlines stay with us.

it's not going to. be a bolt of war lords give him an oath so we have a lot of illegal groups the cause of his influences also i've used him. you know for my mother it was like when you had that marriage that wasn't. the

smadi when i was fourteen yes you can liberate other women and you certainly can't do it through the barrel of a gun only effective social change you can be the afghans themselves afghan men and women we believe i'm going to stun them not to across. the patient it's coming up on the show and at a construction stop people in the obama administration talking about how much they care about the women of afghanistan it's not true they don't care about the women of afghanistan. to the. league of people to the looking glass at what will be the homes of the future where the walls might just be smarter than the residence every day trash protects you from the elements outside and the whole system works to save you money

to shine the spotlight on the leaders and building projects all around russia technology i'm doing here on r.g.p. we've done the same church. he used. to.