polling stations are closed and vote counting that has begun in syria is a referendum on a new constitution which could put an end to fifty years of single party rule. thousands of people have joined hands in the chain of protests calling for fallah actions in russia actually fall into sixteen kmita ring around moscow city center a week before the country chooses its next president. as students march again in protest against education katter's paid the euro crisis transit group around the med while greece improve is a sign of relief as a much needed bailout get approved. the

latest news and a review of the we can all see hello and welcome to the program first in syria the count has begun after the referendum on a new constitution is the most significant pool in the country for decades but the opposition boycotted the vote and made a bank drop of violence that's plagued the country since last march the results are expected on monday and she's married to an auction has been following the day in damascus. 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 there was issued and has indeed been boycotting the vote but 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 we've been able to visit to polling stations here in the capital damascus and people 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 hope that this referendum in this constitution as part of big 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 most of what they say but of course the pressure from the opposition as well as from the international community is very high because they call this vote laughable and the ballots instead of bullets must have a stray sions and violent protests have been rolling across syria for almost a year. that. the syrian government desire calling for the people to shape their

future together because 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 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 to harden his friend odin flower. in damascus he says this new document draws a line between him and his muslim business partner just a shot there's a big contradiction with the article thirty three says well you got a great number that he says you know muslims can be a president had so what about the other ten percent that were not here temporarily they have been living together for ages of those who want to be counted. now maybe ten percent of the people this speak about this. ok but maybe if

we was removing this article from the new constitution the ninety percent would said well why you take this article out 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 recent national party damascus syria. ahead of the vote an international coalition led by the u.s. teamed up against the president i found this week calling themselves the friends of syria sceptic entries agreed to slap new sanctions on damascus but beirut based political analyst on martin a shabby says that's counterproductive because it fails to drive the syrian people's real needs. the direction is. politics and the what's the plan to remove the president from office and they don't care at what cost if one wants to be really caring towards the city and really caring for basic human rights and

human preserving human life one should call for dialogue one should call for. more between the different groups within the syrian cultural diversity to come together and bring in a new solution and i think this step that was done today would evolve the referendum for the constitution and the amendments is a step maybe a small step but it is a step forward two words in that direction towards the reconciliation and the true reform through democratic reform that can save the city the destruction that is being prepared for it apparently from some forces in the west. this is still ahead for you this hour is image towards the british congress of the u.k. famous double decker buses advertiser revealing biography at the top candidate for russia's presidency ahead of next week's crucial but. the standoff over iran's nuclear program shows no signs of being resolved with un atomic

monitoring official saying to run has failed to cooperate they've visited the islamic state twice this year and say it one has stepped up its uranium enrichment and many western allies suspect iran is building a nuclear bomb but iran says it has a right to a civil nuclear program the country's current late struggling and harsh sanctions from the u.s. and the e.u. while eight zero thrashing military action however u.s. intelligence has reportedly now said there's no evidence to support accusations that iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and how an economist at foreign policy in focus magazine says the west concern over iran's nuclear program is merely a pretext to take control of its vast energy resources. i think. a nuclear bomb is really in many ways a smokescreen this is not about nuclear weapons if iran were to use a nuclear weapon say for against israel it would be an act of national suicide i think this has a lot more to do with the politics of the middle east and the politics of the

control of energy resources of the one hundred seventy nine revolution in iran essentially removed the second largest oil resources and the third largest natural gas resources from direct control by western oil and gas companies and essentially made it independent now the west would love to get those resources back and they would love to also not have that kind of independent force in the middle east. you know a laser has been repeating it threat of military action on iran's nuclear sites saying that slapping sanctions on the country is not working so the u.s. senate version of how warned against the move saying it would be disastrous for the reacher. a report on offensive is already 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 dating from iran. a potential israeli rather 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 . with sort of a thought we're back home i would be nice if we could get a flight that we could cancel you know you know is that sort of thing israel has previous experience when it comes to putting in to him bishan swish pose a potential threat in one thousand nine hundred one is just 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 factor fully israel does not have u.s. support the 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 mail ready to be 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. creating damages

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 their president 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 do you imagine iran sitting still you know all day day after day day after the what is this city trooper going back i think any any sane person realizes that there will almost guaranteed be missiles falling on israel and consider your own fault one of the twentieth century's longest voice against iraq in the one nine hundred eighty s. the consequences could be far reaching and destructive. his ill has been suffering some better weather as of late but it's likely 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 the storm clouds seem to be growing ever darker in tel aviv r.t.

. and later this hour a former american presidential advisor how his country should give up trying to end world dictatorships and focus on its own interests rather than meddling you know it is and has a pretty. good 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 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.

a ring of solidarity protesters links hands around the central mosque calling for free and fair elections in russia thousands took part in sunday's action in anticipation to the upcoming presidential paul our chief correspondent peter oliver 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 are organizing this event today had called on supporters to come out wear white in support of their cause which is to receive free and fair elections in russia though they were able to complete that journey around the garden ring that human chain around sixty kilometers from one end to the other so clearly masses of people coming out and taking part there there were also some supporters of the to

me of putin for president who turned out it is a week before that 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 either 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 but amir putin for president also still supporters of the the the leaders of the liberal democratic party and the communist as well as other groups coming out and showing their support for the particular candidates that they want to see take the top job after next sunday's presidential elections and as we just heard that next sunday russians will pick the next president choosing from a number of candidates have been hitting the campaign trail but they contend is keeping iraq too low profile here in russia is creating something of a dart and proud as a laura smith reports from the. russians

a used to seeing bloody mayor 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 always need heights just. scale and you 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. put in is probably the most interesting political in the world at the moment and yes the right people who feel him be violent towards putin the rebels who love him or those who do but the most

important thing is that sort of. can see that they don't. although as it turned out that wasn't quite true you know it's about him that might be desperate or russia you know it's a. little or so cozy probably appreciate the surprise of russia. i don't know that. the prime minister of russia. was going to feel to 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 to 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 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 double decker buses were helping to save as russians prepared to go to the polls but love him or lose him person's reputation as russia's strongman has captured the imagination of documentary makers and also the . here in the u.k. and elsewhere whether it's infamy is an open question laura smith r.t. . and still ahead for you this hour seeking justice and i've been sleeping that is hunted for killing american officials during widescale violent protest after u.s. soldiers burned copies of the koran. say students are refusing to sit quietly with thousands of marching again mainly over planned education cuts but also after police came down hard on their last rally officers were accused of brutality at

a protest earlier this week which left several people injured and more than forty arrested sarah for fourteen hours from the costa blanca. we all know the problems that face every day students lack of money face competition for jobs adds to that the pain has the highest unemployment in year two thirty nine distance the sixteen to twenty four year olds unemployed in the country and factor in that they just had recent spending cuts it is the fact that education affects a badly to some of these students who come to the streets say they haven't even got basic heating in the closings and well this is the result really thousands and thousands of people already out on the streets good to protest some of them that is right the way along the main high street in the city of villains here now some of the signs reading and now students about it enough in reference to the protests we saw at the beginning of the week where the police were condemned to their actions which were seen as being excessively violent scenes of them chasing and hitting

some of the protesters spoke very 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 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 it emerges that have been voted by the new government has provoked this angry reaction. across from its hearing in greece managed to snatch it from the jaws of defeat for this week so it took months of waiting but leaders eventually agrees the latest one hundred billion euro bailout but it's at the cost of imposing far cart and vestment advice of patrick young told us the greeks are paying the ultimate price. the tragedy of greece is that two three years ago when it first came to light that their financial figures were a complete fiction and we finally knew the truth that we'd all suspected all along

they really should be annoyed of the euro with that moment instead we've got this absolutely psychotic desire group of frankly well economically illiterate people in western europe particularly within germany who are desperate to manage to hold it all together we've got another group of people who are absolutely determined to try and keep greece in the euro zone which really credibly highly paid greek politicians and the poor greeks themselves are absolutely stranded why we're throwing good money after bad and why we're going to actually the good people of greece on the ground absolutely defines logic the people are absolutely fed up they see no possibility no end to this. and afghanistan is seven u.s. soldiers were wounded at one angry protesters threw a grenade into a military base it comes on the sixth day of anti-american riots across the country sparked by the news that copies of the koran had been burned at a u.s. air base washington has apologized for what it called

a mistake and they are good president is urging calm but honey because i said this statement in his country it was a regiment reaction and called for those who are burned to the koran to be punished dozens of people have been killed and then rest since tuesday including two senior u.s. officers and met qureshi a think tank directly in neighboring pakistan says they are americans neither understand nor respect and can culture. in the decade that the u.s. military has been in the buttons done for the first time even if you have smaller places in provinces and towns wherever there is a u.s. presence ordinary afghans are laying siege to these places even after two years it seems the americans don't know who they're dealing with they don't know the of good honest very well the 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 sailed to see how the u.s.

military personnel know and the of these and of gun army personnel would be able to restore the level of trust that existed and let's see if i do so for six days ago. the market a soldier accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of secret military files to weaken leaks chose not to enter a plea during his first court hearing on thursday bradley manning who faces twenty two charges also apostolic deciding whether he wanted to be tried by a military jury or a single judge and it has convicted of aiding the enemy it could be he could be given a life sentence with no chance of parole but he's confederate hero that many americans and is being nominated for the nobel peace prize there were doubts of a way that they whistle blower can get a fair trial after president obama publicly stated that he broke the little u.s. attorney kevin zeese says manning is standing trial merely for telling the truth. well this is a case of a very low level classified documents in fact there's questions as to whether they

should been classified at all we have to also realize that. the release of the pentagon papers those are very high level secrets and even those were not releasing any national security information that should have been kept secret all we're finding out from even the highest level secret of the pentagon papers in the lowest level secrets and meetings accused of is. unethical behavior misbehavior by the u.s. far by u.s. foreign policy were showing how corporations and the government were closely together the support corporate profit rather than public interest were showing all sorts of inappropriate behavior by people as i like secretary say clinton who ordered us to them as to spy on u.n. officials when they came to meetings in the united nations that's illegal yet she's not being prosecuted manning who is accused of sexually telling the truth is being prosecuted facing life in prison while people who commit war crimes and other crimes are not being prosecuted at all. and the other top world stories now and

news just in a canadian passenger train derailed in ontario with seventy five people on board some injuries are reported and of course we'll bring you all the latest developments as we get them also in yemen are michele it has killed five al qaeda linked militants officials say the strike began in the southern town of ginger band saturday night and continued into the early morning again many soldiers 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 they've managed to seize control of seven parts of the region in the past year. i can't believe explosives have been rammed into a church in nigeria killing at least three people and wounding several others so they try to us parks with sunday morning worshippers wonder suicide attack it struck in the seat here so the radical islamist group boko haram is being blamed although no one has yet admitted to carrying out their time so these targets killed

over three hundred people this year in its quest to impose sharia law. colombia's left wing fox rebels have announced they'll free ten security officers held for fourteen years and he also promised to abandon kidnappings it's believed ransoms and drug trafficking are their main source of income three months ago four hostages were killed after being held for more than twelve years prompting massive protests against the gravels throughout colombia. pakistan has completed the demolition of osama bin laden's final hideout in a bad no official reason is being given but it's thought the government didn't want this site to become a shrine they'll curd a leader or shot dead by u.s. forces last may after being in hiding there for several years. and hollywood is preparing for the movie world's most anticipated event of the year with the annual oscar ceremony just a few hours away the french silent drama. film the owner has directed by michelle

c.s. that pitt to be the hot favorite for most of the twenty four prize golden statues if it wins it will be the first black and white silent picture to receive an oscar since the first academy awards in more than eighty years ago. more world news when you want it at r.t. dot com of course and a lot of other interesting stories too and here's what we've got on line for you right now the man for playing the heroes for a third world war alone historian and had a home right now and also unlike the. real is legendary carnival is coming to its colorful and with a massive show of fireworks and thousands of exotic dances and if i'm not in brazil having fun so let take you let us take you to the iconic parade just to go to r.t. dot com.

and coming up is from its former u.s. presidential advisor pat buchanan with some timely advice for today's u.s. leaders and the late weekends for two or three tree but before that i'll be back with a recap our top stories. thank

you.

all. right you know. you can't. believe the. change. in the afghan. people. talking about how much they care about the women of afghanistan it's not true they don't care about the women of afghanistan.

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