syria to defend its people and sovereignty from foreign pressure. a new constitution says the e.u. enforces fresh sanctions over the ongoing violence we have to get my reaction and analysis on this very shortly here in r.t. . also this hour the world bank warns china the world's second largest economy that without reform it faces a financial slowdown that could take the global system with. home and away britain's criticize the cutting spending at home and sending billions of brought in foreign aid to countries who say they don't even want to cash our top stories.

international news and comment live from moscow this is r.t. with you twenty four hours a day washington says the syrian president could be classified as a war criminal but secretary of state hillary clinton stopped short of calling for bashar al assad to be prosecuted saying that would leave him with no incentive to step down let's get the latest from our in the u.s. capital so we know that most reports coming out of syria cannot be verified independently so what makes washington so sure that assad is guilty of war crimes. well that's really the question that a lot of critics have been asking here we have to keep in mind that this administration the obama administration has increasingly ramped up its rhetoric as it pertains to syria calling for the president bashar al assad to step down saying that a solution is not possible unless he leaves power and so secretary of state hillary

clinton really made world headlines today when she essentially came close to calling the president of syria a war criminal these are really immense charges that could that could mean some significant repr questions for syria those comments did come after she was pressured into answering by senator lindsey graham he's one of the republican lawmakers a handful here in washington who have been pushing to arm the syrian rebels who are opposing president assad also a point of controversy because again there's so little accurate information about what's going on on the ground it's really difficult to sort of tell who's who and who's really fighting for what side here the syrian government reacting to all these i mean surely must be very worried off to see what happened to come of gadhafi in libya. well. it's sort of of course difficult to tell exactly what he's thinking but yes i mean this

a lot of critics have said that this sets the international precedent for intervention is and this is what happened in libya we did say sort of came to the united nations saying that this would just be a halt to the violence and turn into a full on military escalation and that is what other countries including russia and china are worried about sort of happening in syria but it does seem that the european community is also to some extent pushing for some sort of intervention we just saw the french foreign minister meeting making comments in brussels calling for the assad government to be brought before the international criminal court for charges of course syria is not a partner to the rowntree do so that's not necessarily feasible nor is it committing any sort of crimes against other countries this is an internal strife internal conflict and one that the world does not have a lot of detailed information on and so it's very difficult to come jump to these sorts of conclusions when there's so little accurate information coming to the world about what's actually happening on the ground thanks very much indeed for

that live from washington d.c. well let's get some reaction to these developments from beirut based political analyst and middle east expert in the one joining us there with washington calling assad a war criminal and from. saying that he should be prosecuted will do anything to help resolve the conflict. no it doesn't it's just more of the kind of soundbites we've been hearing that have been escalating in recent months from western countries regarding syria there's there's not much bite and what they have to offer so they are sort of you know spending a lot of time on media spin and hyping up the conflict to keep it on the front pages and to keep it. front and center as they push along with their policies and plans for the region and so it's quite irresponsible as

a matter of fact well the e.u. has slapped its toughest sanctions yet on the syrian government with damascus saying it will make the people suffer what effects have sanctions really had up to this point. i was in damascus in january and i went there to interview a variety of opposition figures in the country and universally. these figures opposed to these are opponents of the syrian regime some of whom don't even want to enter in dialogue with the syrian regime some of whom would like the syrian regime to fall and they university bursley concluded that sanctions were was a terrible thing for the syrian people and that it was punitive for the people of the country much more so than the elite of the government of the referendum that we've just seen being held in syria the government claims that most of the population voted in favor of a new constitution just how much credibility though can this referendum have when

the nation is seeing so much violence at the moment as many would say the brink of civil war. i think the civil war discourse is. a little bit over exaggerated clearly syrians went to the polls on sunday they voted in most parts of the country obviously not the parts where there was an a lot of violence primarily in homs but in other areas that have been very opposed to the government in places like. or or people people boycotted the referendum and others did manage to vote in those very same areas. you know i'm thinking of a. report on syria with reporters on the ground who went around the country and people voted some voted some did not some slept in. but people talked about it and

what's really interesting about this referendum is that ten percent of all not ten percent nine percent of the people decided to vote against it and so you know when we hear people talk about a climate of fear in syria i mean that's nine percent of people who decide to go the votes and object and you know throughout the countries there were little demonstrations and then against the regime and there were rallies for the regime so i think all in all this referendum was a pretty robust exercise in democracy or whatever little democracy there is. in terms of how you know how could this go on this at the same time there is violence going on different parts of the country. the government is trying to isolate those areas of violence it has the right to do that providing it is not using disproportionate force against civilian populations we don't know enough to judge that and certainly goes back to what the us and e.u. have been saying about assad being a war criminal we have no information to judge any of this. well let's talk about

foreign interference qatar and saudi arabia are among the countries that want to start arming the rebels officially amid reports that that's actually already happening now would that be better than direct military intervention from other powers. no it wouldn't you know certainly you don't know who we're arming these there is no centralized command for for opposition groups who have taken up arms you don't know what their what their political views are even if they're out there slashing protium civilians to bits or if they're just targeting military personnel the irony of this is that we're talking about two absolute dictatorship saudi arabia and qatar calling for that this is not about democracy in syria this is not about the people of syria this is regional politics played out at its ugliest and i absolutely think neither neither this kind of arming the

opposition and or or or any foreign military intervention is something desired by the syrian people i think a majority of syrians will tell you and certainly the opposition figures in the country will tell you that they are against foreign military intervention but this is a syrian problem and it needs to stay that way and i think i think people need to wrap their arms around syria and give that country time and space to heal i mean this is step one the referendum was step one in the process maybe it'll fail but we need to wait and shelving thanks very much indeed for your perspective on this good to hear from you live from beirut political analyst a middle east expert showing the wanni thank you well still ahead for you this. live from moscow please report suspicious activity. to most of united states to carry out acts of terrorism don't assume it was left by

accident if you see something say something. we track the influence of big brother on american life as people are encouraged to keep an eye on everything and everyone . and how to lose friends the israeli way. as its neighbors begin losing patience over the country's. rhetoric. and stories to come but first a report from the world bank has a sobering forecast for china's fiscal future it says beijing is heading for a slowdown that could have a devastating effect on the whole globe business editor nick paul has the details well it's morning. economic reform political reform or else it could have a economic crisis in all different choice to really go belly up everybody else has to go belly up a bit as well so what's happening in europe in the u.s. possibly get worse or get more deep recession. so between five and twenty years

will be the biggest economy in the world if you doubt that so clearly it should have a bigger role a bigger say in how global finance is conducted the world bank has been criticized on occasion for being an extension of u.s. foreign policy it is literally just down the road from the white house on pennsylvania avenue if you've got a chinese head or a russian your head they will change the culture slightly within that it won't become. a chinese bank of an art it will become a russian. dominated by that kind of culture but it will sort of soften that how to take away some of the sort of u.s. dominance in that regard. and even with the world bank suggesting reforms for china the country still predicted to surpass the u.s. as the world's largest economy within a matter of years and international consultant and author agents told me earlier that he thinks beijing alongside other major emerging powers will continue to make decisions suited to their needs not america's. i think that the chinese are doing

the right thing i think that they are continuing to grow and of course this raises many concerns in america britain and the european union basically the euro dollar zone because they would like to see countries are doing the things they want to do as argentina brazil and many other countries do but china will just mark told that the chinese have shown themselves to be quite shrewd and they will add just the relationship between. their currency and other currencies based on their own needs and not based on american needs but the key issue and i think china and russia are the prime examples the key issue for every country is its own national interest and not the national interests of circumstantially powerful hegemonic like the united states and some of the countries in the european union starting in the year twenty seventeen america's greatest enemy or potential enemy is china because it will be the largest economy still heavy the cash flow controversy.

here wants to be treated as a world india want to be treated with equal india doesn't want to be given them all as a little child being told by mother how to do things u.k. sends a steady stream of money to india while cutting public spending at home even though india says it doesn't even want the cash. the un's atomic agency says it can't tell whether iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb because tehran refuses to cooperate but the country's envoy to the i.a.e.a. has questioned the agency's impartiality and says its influence by the us in an exclusive interview to r.t. got filled in the blanks over iran's nuclear program following the recent visit of the inspectors now here's a quick preview for you on that interview. we are warning that couple of current is include the united states is trying to run the agency so that they can dictate from washington what a d.n.r. should do and that is why we do not permit such

a thing to occur and that is the whole issue that the agency as a professional technical organization should do its work and that is why you see they make so many noses here and there they do not let the agency to do its work and that is why we want expect all countries including russia and others and i'm very pleased that last meeting in fact russia and china ambassadors along with a hundred countries. all together questioned what had happened in fact namely confidential information that we need mobilization our member states to prevent something happening in vienna which. actually that is what we need but i went on. and you can watch our full interview with. in an hour from now here on r.t. well israel which has been threatening to attack iran's nuclear sites now says if

it does strike it will do so without warning officials there say they'll keep washington in the dark to avoid it being involved but danger could look much closer israel is building a security barrier along its from two with egypt to keep militants and migrants out . reports that's just one close by concern. love their neighbors as the biblical saying goes but in the case of israel there is not much love lost between the jewish state and the country's closest to it while authorities in jerusalem fierce and feyerick is a she said iran some wonder if they're empty tehran a frenzy they may have overlooked other troubles brewing much closer to home. the reason certain semi euphoria in israel called the result hostile activity there is no terrorist activity. other than the hamas sometimes around the gaza strip. in fact the post conflict has long been

a source of problems for the israeli government but recently seems the issue has all but been forgotten and some believe this blinkered approach may end up having dire and explosive consequences for israel with the rise of islamic tendencies in the wake of the arab spring states which until now have been tacitly benevolent to what israel may do it turned around in fact such changes already evident in egypt the muslim brotherhood which holds the majority of seats in the parliament has already threatened to break peace accord with this israel as a response to pressure from the u.s. to end the crackdowns and believe the laces with make gets even worse egypt when they go tremendous changes egypt will stand behind hamas one day hamas may attack israel as it did in the. two thousand and eight the question is how would egypt react to such a conflict that i think is an imminent threat iran is not an imminent threat.

but could also be an imminent threat some believe is the situation in syria which seems to go from bad to worse with every passing day. controlled by decentralization in the message this means. the presence of terrorist groups that may operate the good steve israel meanwhile israel's most placid neighbor jordan may seem to be a bedrock of stability but experts say that isn't so it is israel's immediate neighbor to be used it's a pantry that israel has a peace relationship with it also has the longest border with and i think it is most vulnerable to. destabilizing influences from almost everywhere else bill over from syria spillover from iraq there are very serious problems and jordan one look at the map is enough to show that israel's position in the real. could be described as potentially problematic at best however israeli authorities

seem to be less concerned with reinforcing good relations with neighbors or preparing for those relations to worsen instead of the absolutely continue to confront iran with the word of words for now in tel aviv it even goes r.t. presidential authorization for the military to detain terror suspects without charge or trial has left americans wary washington says it's beefing up national security as part of the war on terror but critics say fear mongering is dividing not uniting the nation ortiz more important reports. the united states of america is home to over three hundred thirty million people we are a country known for freedom. that was then this is today it's. sure report suspicious activity of all of the already the land of liberty is fast becoming known as the land of fear and suspicion there are individuals in the united states who seek to carry out acts of terrorism

a post nine eleven slogan born in new york city has been adopted nationwide don't assume it was left by accident if you see something say something this see something say something american campaign depicts terrorist scenarios and encourages members of the public to keep watch on well other members of the public according to f.b.i. pamphlets distributed to local businesses potential terrorist activity indicators include always paying with cash wearing backpacks and baggy clothes and the discreet and prolonged use of cameras or note taking even the cybercafe owners are encouraged to keep watch on any customers overly concerned with privacy even just trying to shield your screen from others can make you a suspect. first thing government policies or making anti-war statements can also land citizens on the u.s. watch list as of two thousand and nine the u.s.

defense department categorizes public protests as low level terrorism we live in a military dominated society. the people are unaware of. terrorism as a threat you know on nine eleven is clearly never a fear has been exploited and. sustained by encouraging a state of public surveillance some new yorkers accuse the government of fostering more paranoia and security. and i was saying oh yeah i saw that it just because someone is paying cash there's a me you know that they're terrorists be brothers watching yeah no i don't agree with that at all it's too far reaching the n.y.p.d. under fire again for its intelligence gathering campaign involving a muslim american. an illegal surveillance scandal erupted in the big apple after police officers were caught spying on mosques and muslim communities according to

the associated press thousands were under surveillance with no evidence or even allegations of criminal behavior we have to keep this country safe this is a dangerous place many in the u.s. fear that with america's escalating definition of suspicious activity the government's expanding powers remain the biggest threat to the people security. r.t. new york. well some more news in brief for you in world update coming up open for a bus in northern pakistan killing eighteen and injuring seven the victims were from the country's minority community the ambush happened in a mountainous village in a district dominated by sunday tribes the taliban has claimed responsibility. for. an explosion at a chemical plant in northern china has left thirteen dead and forty others injured the blast nearby buildings and shattered windows and surrounding houses chambliss caused by the incident could be felt in several nearby villages the plant

specialized making chemicals to fuel spice rockets. lee. bailey of sun police in riot gear cleared the occupy camp in london a high court with decent paul's cathedral site to be taken down twenty arrests were made as a protest to try to prevent bayless from moving in the demonstrators have been camped else since mid october and it was one of the larger surviving sides of the occupy movement against corporate greed. and london's occupy demonstrators may have been sent home but a new wave of nationwide protests could be on the way taxpayers are making their voices heard angry that foreign aid still sent to india while public spending has been cut at home despite new delhi dismissing the handouts as peanuts the cash keeps flowing ati's laura smith. whoever wins these streets they get a used to the angry pounding of feet with demonstrations large and small a regular sight don't spend our money on foreign wars don't cost how public

services these people are saying but although the government insists the cupboard is bare it's still sending millions to india one of the fastest growing economies in the world it's absolutely crazy really and foreign aid of course is one of the few areas of the you. increase in substantially if the next three or four years but money could make a huge difference if it was for example spent on tax cuts for low paid workers or you could make a huge economic difference if it was spent in good people but the tree angry it's a government that. has education services but can't afford to send a. billion dollars. to india which now has more billionaires than britain and the indian economy will grow by seven percent this year compared to a measly one percent here it's already got the ninth largest gross domestic product in the world and it's got the space program immense wealth rubbed shoulders with

crippling poverty though and defenders of the aid program point to india's six hundred million poor people living on less than two dollars a day the government says the aid is capitally targeted investment into education for women and children and helping the private sector create jobs and growth it is wrong to portray this as an indiscriminate about of money being given to the indian government who could go and spend it on. space or indeed other things this is a very concentrated. targeted a program and i think on that basis even it is being targeted at some of the poorest people in the world. i'm happy to defend the aids concentrated on the three poorest states in india but if the government think that'll help it reach its goal experts say it's mistaken the problem is. particularly also got some of the worst

problems with corruption and poor governance in india i mean that's one of the reasons those are still struggling states is because they have a very bad government so the idea that somehow this is going to be different this time it is different though if only in the fact that the indians have said they don't even want the aid the foreign ministers dismissed the money is paid enough and the recent decision to buy french rather than british fighter jets shows the cash doesn't even matter according to indian journalist mayhem he says it's up to the four hundred million wealthier indians to help their impoverished country men not patronize ing post-imperial britain we are showing how good we are this is the way to do it and this is what you should be doing in fact it produces the opposite effect it makes them resentful it makes them feel they're not taking indian seriously india wants to be treated as a world power india wants to be treated with equal india doesn't want to be treated any more as a little child being told by mother how to do things within

a decade economists predict india will take in the case become the world's largest economy while british great stagnate its time stay commentated for britain to build relations with the new powerful india before the eight days to start flowing in the other direction. r.t. down. with the summer home in news stories in about four minutes from now in the meantime let's check out stock markets all prices currency rates has all this and more at the business today that's right bill global equity markets had a choppy trading day on tuesday wall street is trading higher this hour although there was a weak start the dow jones traded above thirteen thousand points. now it's a bit lower after reports that consumer confidence rose dramatically to the highest level in a year most of europe finished in the black as well investors braced for the next round of the european central banks injection of cheap cash for banks the footsie

close point two percent. while the dax and half a percent in the black and here in russia the r.t.s. in the miser both were both lost over a percent energy stocks were the main drag that's on lower oil price let's check on the major movers here we're seeing rosalee have ending over half a percent gas promo last under one percent banking stocks were also not doing very well as bank fell over one percent on tuesday. and russia was natural gas is industry is ready to welcome a major player russia's state owned rosneft is to set up a joint venture with terra that's a private independent sorry gasper gas producer. has more. this partnership means the two companies will work together on strengthening their position on the gas market but now as a single entity its era which was of course the first private company to produce

and supply gas in russia is now handing over four of its assets and this collaboration will lead to the production of over forty billion cubic meters of gas a year amounts in reserves of over one trillion cubic meters of gas these companies claim this will increase not only their reserves but profits and capitalization and also have doesn't exclude the possibility of adding its own assets to the company in the future but at the moment it seems their main priority is to increase their potential and influence on the gas markets. and staying with natural gas the european bank for reconstruction and development refused to give ukraine long to modernize its gas transportation system saying it cannot lend money to a company which is posting losses and needs structural reforms virtually all futures pullback for from a recent surges but prices are still rather high as there's continuing concern over

middle east supply as well i have for you this hour but remember you can always find more business stories if you just log on to our website dot com thanks for watching. you're.