russia and china have joined the u.n. security council members urging immediate humanitarian access to syria calling for cooperation with the sads government to facilitate the provision. of massive protests and rallies across the e.u. about the cuts affecting millions putting a question mark over brussels forceful demands force thirty. israel faces international criticism over its policy of turning suspected palestinian militants indefinitely without the chance of public trial the top stories this hour.

international news and comment live from moscow this is r.t. with you twenty four hours a day russia and china have reportedly joined the u.n. security council's calls for syria's government to another humanitarian aid and media access to the embattled city of homs the syrian military has said it will only let the red cross in in the morning that's after rita a key neighborhood from armed opposition fighters will artie's. as more and joins us now from new york simmering the u.n. security council has finally come to a consensus on the syrian crisis tell us more. that's right bill this is the first time the security council of the u.n. has reached a consensus on syria in nearly seven months but that consensus comes in the matter of a presidential statement issued by the security council which first and foremost expresses disappointment at the masters his failure to allow u.n.

humanitarian chief valerie amos a visit into syria after repeated requests by the united nations syria deny. access but the security council is calling upon the syrian authorities to grant a most immediate and on injured access in addition a security council is urging the mask is to grant for and on impeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in syria in need of assistance now the fifteen member council in their statement also deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country now according to the united nations more than it seventy five hundred syrians have been killed since the anti-government protests in syria began nearly one year ago as i mentioned this is the first presidential statement to come from the security council since early august two thousand and

eleven and since then the security council has been deadlocked over how to approach the problem in syria several resolutions were voted on but we did see russia and china. vetoes two times because they were not prepared and still are not prepared for to support any kind of regime change in syria in addition to the russian federation has said that continues to say that both sides in syria's government and the opposition groups must begin gauging in dialogue in gauging and in negotiation and this point was separately underscored just a day go by. the u.n. and arab league envoy to syria of course we are not here dressed members of the press on wednesday at the new york headquarters of the u.n. saying that the media mediation process is the only way to bring peace to syria both sides of this conflict must come to the table and engage in dialogue this is

something that russia among many other countries have been urging for and continues to urge for so there is some update on the situation terms of a consensus the security council has reached on syria and of course them calling on the syrian government to allow humanitarian aid into the country in media. thanks very much indeed for that report reporting from new york. government forces retaken the district from position fighters in the embattled city of homs and if he's real solution reports now from syria. we are hearing that the army has entered homes in order to regain control over the city which has been seen to survey clashes between the opposition and the authorities for months now syrian media reports that you're in this operation french officers have been detained reports say that the american fast they were captured by the opposition fighters but failed

to clarify why they were in syria we also hear in the france has already reacted to the claims by returning in some better the damascus these reports follow the free syrian army members claims that it's already received weapons and aircraft missiles from u.s. and french sources earlier the arab league has refused to rule out giving arms to the opposition here in syria if the violence and the killing doesn't stop this in contrast to the u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton who admitted that only in the rubble here in syria could be very dangerous as weapons could and are potentially in the hands of al qaeda while this issue here on the ground is very tense and complicated the u.k. says it is now evacuated its embassy here in damascus citing security concerns but meanwhile peaceful after us are also taking place here joint arab to syria coffee and none has said he'll be heading to the conflict zone country country very soon

trying to negotiate humanitarian access to the affected areas kofi annan has also vowed to persuade dollars between the opposition and the authorities on the warring sides claiming that the talks are essential to and the violence here in syria. written notion of. a first cold of an oil witness and the full phone conversation. which site on our t.v. dot com in the meantime just to tell you that what she's telling r.t. is that the rebels after being pushed from spread into other districts according to her pledging and random killings of christian locals you can listen to her story in full right now dot com. a reporter from the online magazine spike believes the seats in the syrian national council are being taken up by the wrong people. absolutely no surprise that the syrian national council isn't

seen speed illegitimates by the syrian national army or by the syrian people in general this is an organization whose chair is a political sociology professor at the sorbonne in paris the executive committee is made up of syrian ex-pats who are often lectures in universities around europe now you can understand why these are exactly the kind of people that western leaders would want to feel with you know they can jet around they speak their language they'll be safe pair of hands it's exactly like the transitional council in libya again basically what we've got here is a council of academics people who are seen to be safe for the west how did business with getting authorised ation and recognition be you has now recognised if in three years the official opposition and they're getting recognition from the international community and the friends of syria while at the same time neglecting the fact that they need to get recognition from the syrian people and from the rebels on the ground fighting. the long awaited greek bailout has been delayed by

another week it was announced of the summit in brussels where the leaders are discussing how to maintain a stir and return to economic growth cillian our reports on the trials and tribulations still ahead for europe's elite. if previous e.u. summit saw ready thing to go by the bickering among leaders is usually long and painful. counsel should be. given no but. we glance through. last summits. i'm sure you agree a little worse drama will do no one any harm. the main agenda signing the fiscal compact agreed in december of last year putting into place tough new budgetary rules and automatic sanctions to get everyone to clean up their act all but two countries are expected to give it the go ahead event needs to be

ratified by at least twelve years old nations before it could come into effect something seen as a done deal but the main question is a go to work and what we have to see now to which extent members phage able to respect it because it's easy to convene come here and agree on all those principles of the only country that is lively to have a valance grudges through this germany this balancing act will not be easy to pull off reducing deficits to three percent level required by the e.u. means having to squeeze already dry public coffers in several countries. and this is what could keep happening in big and small numbers. even with material that. we can take more time but i think these things you know while workers demand pro growth policies international observers have another

approach to the crisis beefing up of the euro zone's financial far was mainly increasing the permanent fund the e.s.m. for its cap of five hundred billion euros but germany has opposed such a move yet another euro deadline. they don't feel the urgency anymore and that's because of the success of the first injections of liquidity from the european central bank as economists were really reluctant that east the e.c.b. this a little going for parades too much because. markets are ease and the. politicians don't feel the urge to see any more for real reform for now the e.u.'s plan is to impose these structural reforms and watch like a hawk but they may see such fiscal consolidation as

a necessity in fixing the root of one problem another one may reroutes have further down the road and these member states will rule sovereignty in the field of budgetary policy i'm not so sure that all the dutch are going to be happy about it all that our french i'm very sure the french are going to be unhappy about this at this point one may be hard pressed to find anyone who isn't. just our cilia r.t. brussels i was talking to nigel farrar jimmy p. and leader of the u.k. independence party a little earlier on r.t. and he believes the e.u. rescue policy only makes the situation in greece even worse. but the idea that you take an economy like greece with fifty percent unemployment among its young people with an economy that is likely to contract this year. seven percent and that what you do is even pose austerity without any stimulus whatsoever frankly is madness what works for germany doesn't work for greece in economic terms and in political

terms you know just put yourself in the position of greek people the situation is desperate and getting worse by the day they see their own elected prime minister removed replaced by a puppet who is doing the bidding of brussels and people are saying well if we can't vote to change our lives we will have to take to the streets to try and change our lives and i think perhaps you know serious though the economics are i suspect that it's the social side of this that may in the end bring the euro down. for i was talking a little earlier is also a second day of strikes across europe has walkouts paralyzed transport from athens to rome there are some of the biggest public demonstrations in recent history protesting against desperate government cuts the budget is designed to appease international paymasters but the measures are taking their toll and as artie's turn bought reports out of sturdy sentiment is reverberating across europe. in belgium

protests saying austerity cuts have gone too far in cities all across france and especially big demonstration in paris with the same message thousands of students on the streets in spain wanting to reverse cuts in education spending there and huge demonstrations in portugal spain and portugal people really feeling the pinch share as their governments try to balance budgets and cut spending but left it really exposed to this debt crisis no more so than here in greece in the parliament behind me lawmakers have once again sat late into the night having to really make savage cuts to their spending all across the sectors of the economy twenty two percent cuts in the minimum wage has been made thirty two percent if you're under twenty five in greece and half of greeks under twenty five are employed we've seen doctors coming out in

a twenty four hour walkout massive cuts made to health care spending and to pharmaceutical spending there's many more examples everywhere you look in the economy lawmakers having to take very painful steps to try and force a greek government spending down all of this linked to the one hundred thirty billion euros second bailout that's being dangled in front of greece's nose here there's a real human impact to all of these economic measures greeks are being forced onto the streets just like people in spain in portugal in italy in france in belgium all with the same message these austerity measures are having a really harsh human cost now. israel is locking up suspected palestinian militants giving them no idea how long they will be held or what they're accused of international concern pete when one prisoner came close to death for doing sixty six days on hunger strike. to meet his family. how the girls wife

wishes she could forget the day she was arrested but it's a memory just one feed. the soldiers came to our house around to my husband out of the bathroom and led him away there were many of them all of drugs they all acted like animals. israeli authorities have already arrested hundred eight times before believing him to be active within the palestinian islamic jihad a group israel regards as terrorist hundred nine was put under administrative detention meaning no trial and no charges being brought a practice widely used by israel in prisons like this one that hundreds of palestinians are being held suspected of terrorism but accused of nothing their prison can last for years with no formal charges being brought against them the detention can last up to six months but there is no limit on how many times it can be renewed at the moment more than three hundred palestinians are illustrated detention but during the height of the second intifada uprising just over

a decade ago thousands were put in jail without trial many of them youths like up there as he's who was just sixteen when he was arrested. or used to frighten us terrified by screaming eagles pushing us and forcing us to the ground where you keep us in cells for two or three months in order to take confessions out force he was so frightened imagine of three young person who suddenly finds himself in jail israel insists is doing nothing wrong and that it's necessary to protect informers against these but human rights groups both here and abroad beg to differ not only is extreme but also because israeli authorities applied all too liberally towards palestinians it's one of the basic moral principles that we you know that our society founded on that if you deny a person's right to freedom you have to have a very good case and you have to have a trial and you have to defend themselves against these accusations. when

palestinians are placed under administrative extension they're not told what they're suspected of there is no charge and there's no trial as long as family now awaits his really silly. because you never know what it's like with hunger strikes it could end well but at the same time you cannot explain to your children whether a father looks good when they sign on his hospital bed he cried i could have not answered his sixty sixty holger strike was not in self interest but to draw attention to other palestinians in similar circumstances is a hospital of the moment unable to walk and is being fed intravenously but there is already talk of moving him back to prison when he recovers his lawyers say that at least his shackles have been taken off even if only for the time being illegal israel and the west bank. well if you've missed any of our stories on screen all you have to do is log onto our web site r t v dot com to bring yourself up to date

here's some of what's there at the moment staring up the past the latvian president sparks outrage saying world war two veterans who fought alongside nazi troops are not criminals and deserve respect for reaction to that online plus. the occupy wall street movement heads out of a bleak winter months as hundreds take to the streets to stage protests those stories and plenty of on the party talk. russia is gearing up for its big election day when the people choose their next president but this year's race has already brought huge changes in the political life in a country that has seen some of the biggest demonstrations in its history the teacher who grieves also took to the streets of moscow to check the pre-election temperaments. was a platonic nose

a notion that russians weren't all that bullshit about politics but now that seems to have changed this year's race for the presidency has caused intrigue and i ever since finally uprooted and now to be running different words have been splashed about characterize the campaign so far and here are some of the most distinctive p these four public we've seen increasing number of people take to the streets both for and against the government this marking a growing sense of civil activism these are rarely at least flesh sansa the powerful signal not only the work you can put in to all the russian politicians. present in the sounds that they help understand that side has ever taken that political law is what. stands for reform on the back of demonstrations present. village has put forward a number of electoral changes stretching as far as how parties are registered and

who could be on the ballots over is oligarch we killed through cross has garnered bans media coverage and is the only candidate not backed by a party in the duma owner of n.b.a. team the new jersey nets and netting an estimated eighteen billion dollars these are by far the most cash to splash in his campaign his message is business orientated but he's often stood out for his riches and murky past struggling to resonate with public twitter it and other social media have been crucial for all ghanaians in demonstrations it's embodies the very public and spontaneous nature of some of the felt around russia he stands for election commission the ruling body overseeing voting day it's head flatten made sure of has been in the spotlight after allegations of electoral fraud or mixed with an action this is force the the a buzzword for prime minister vladimir putin's campaign so far seen by many as the

restored order of the years of hardship the power of this words resonate just how popular mao's delays. testing despite his popularity it's been a difficult period for vladimir putin a two time president not used to such discontent moscow and st petersburg and the big cities the million ikey these are not really his territory anymore and he i mean maybe he'll get them back but it seems to me that he's sort of thinking that he has to rely on the other russia strange phrase for putin the russia of the region why he will probably manage to win with you know reason with majority of this election is that one of the best slogans from appropriate in camp is if not putin who. three other candidates are also seasoned political. struggling to convince voters they can deliver change and all those downs and make this the most the prince of words so far in the election campaign marked by mass there are stray

shows protests regardless of the winner of the results on the fourth of march these guys are have their say on how it impacts on russia's future. to moscow. and in just a moment we'll be talking to former u.s. attorney general ramsey clark to discuss the twists and turns of american relations with iran and syria that's coming up next are not you not me but with a summary of our main stories in about eight minutes from now stay with us here.

iran could attack the united states in a much more fierce some way in new york could eventually be iran's hit list for us media reports yes for new pleas from out of the country for procedures in the oppressed but the killings echoing washington's repeated warnings the world carry out the attack american officials have labeled syria and iran as great threats to global security however former u.s. attorney general ramsey clark says the biggest threat to world peace is his own country's military and foreign policy in an exclusive interview with our t.v. the lawyer an activist says america's next catastrophic mistake will likely be a war with iran my impression is that of interest pressuring. for an assault before the election. and the obama

administration. is resisting that without favoring iran in any way but simply as a domestic political matter the u.s. can't really afford to get involved in another report. with that's not the way it works i mean you do crazy things and that's and that's why the world such a mess if you're from strikes. and there are three calli ation and the united states will intervene and i don't think it's obama's choice but i think he thinks that if he doesn't act with israel that it will be too costly an election he'll do it yet you have to see the american system to know this or to really understand it fully. if he loses this election he's a failed president he all of his major decisions will be primarily african by how they impact on the coming election. because if he loses

that election anything he accomplished and you cough if you think health care and things like that are better than they were far from ideal and far from what and if he has the congress in the second section of a session he could do what. he said he struggled against enormous pressures. the pentagon's ability i mean i've watched presidents to persia josh is one of those guys coming from the pentagon they know everything i do know nothing with respect to syria. also speaking to the united nations security council the syrian ambassador reportedly quoted a statement that you said nearly twenty two years ago he said quote the u.n. which was established for event being encouraged meant of war has become itself a tool for war how do you perceive the circumstances surrounding syria right now

and the u.s. and european actions and the campaign for some type of intervention we're sure is. under extreme international and some degree domestic pressure and violence for only one reason. it's the same reason it gave. iraq and. afghanistan and libya sure is a part of the effort to eliminate every independent arab government independent of u.s. control you think that's the goal that's not humanitarian reasons oh my god. it's geopolitical i mean look we did a poor egypt going back to you for actually measuring for the people for. four. u.s. government over the decades you have faced

a lot of criticism and have even been labeled by some as a traitor after providing legal defense to a controversial figure such as slobodan milosevic and saddam hussein you have described both of their trials as unfair and flawed last year the world saw form former libyan leader moammar qaddafi murder before receiving any trial who was to blame for that one and one. the american people were to blame because they let their government do it the american people though i mean it's the is the american government really acting on behalf of public opinion within the country i mean you know he would think that if you are going to have opinion. i mean you know you see the american people allow their government to do it to the u.s. government really consults with what the people want before taking foreign policy

measures or concentration of manipulation there would pressure nucular public opinion to support its policy whatever it is and war it's pretty. poor military action is pretty important condition the public forum which is. on matters when you don't have a mind for sure if you are in public. has any concern about what's going on in the world and cation trip and thank you very much for your time. as russia votes for president our team looks at the five running for the kremlin

top job candidate a liberal democrat a lot of years ago an old school by far bush's most boisterous bully politician. on the record at sixty five juveniles he is on his fifth presidential campaign putting on ten percent of the vote in two thousand and eight his campaign slogan is little escape or it'll be worse planned for presidency a two year drive against corruption and drug smuggling in russia vera food and housing prices controversy cost campaign promises included free vulcan and free underwear journals he's infamous for racist remarks and fighting with opponents no no parole for securing parliamentary immunity for the non britain says poisonous alexander litvinenko. presidential election two thousand and twelve on party.