the night of cheers but also a few cheers is putin's presidential victory sinks in with tens of thousands on the streets but some go too far forcing the police to step in. and leading us politician calls for a strikes on syria as the international pressure intensifies we take a closer look at the political changes underway in the country right now. and u.n. nuclear inspectors get the green light to visit a secretive radiant military facility while president obama defends israel despite its threats of attack on the islamic republic.

live from moscow at eight pm you're watching r.t. with me kevin oh in a warm welcome to you our top story the more than two hundred opposition members detained after a night of election meetings in moscow have all been released now one of the gathering spiraled out of control and police had to move in. from outside the kremlin. essentially it wasn't very much different from the mass rallies we've been witnessing for the last three or four months in russia since the parliamentary vote in december only that maybe this rally was not as big as usual with around twenty thousand people attending it there but still they were there to protest against the vote to protest against as the prime minister directly the opposition leaders were speaking from the stage of looting the third place presidential candidate. who was also there until one moment when people already started dispersing from the square

from the push discuss where one of the opposition politicians said that he would not leave the square until putin resigns and then several hundred people followed his school and decided to stage a sitting protest in one of the fountain search suddenly and then operate a fountain in the central the square there right police urged him to leave because by the time the rally was officially over the time that the authorities sanctioned for this rally has already passed so they urged him to leave but the people refused and then the police had to literally push them off this is square that's when some clashes happened and as a result two hundred fifty opposition members were detained by the authorities late so they were all released around fifteen thousand people were gathered here where i'm standing right now in the national square to congratulate the prime minister with his victory it was not like a political rally it's all it's more like a party like a celebration with singing from the stage and the scenes which reminded strongly of what happened twenty four hours before that when on sunday when all the polling

stations closed the prime minister the president elect came here himself to thank the crowd for the support it was very emotional about that but certainly there's no time to celebrate now for budget portal for the president elect he has already been having a very hard days of work as prime minister he's integration will only come on may the seventh until then he'll be continue working as prime minister so this fact has certainly been acknowledged by many were. world leaders who are already congratulated. with their victory in the first round of the election however some of the media still doesn't want to recognize the result of the vote and my call the . report from across the atlantic explaining exactly what this is all about after even before the election the american already is were primed to believe that the presidential vote in russia had to be a fraud is this one going to be worth a read in the west would call a free and fair election. it seems are highly unlikely that it will be

a free and fair election in our sense of the term and that is washes made their choice we knew the results of russia's presidential election therefore a single vote was cast in the unequivocal view of these international observers is that this was not a genuinely fair democratic contest that meets international standards. why did we put victory was confirmed not just by the vote results but even before that by major opinion polls as well the focus of some media on rampant fraud or stolen elections seems to leap out of the equation the vast majority of russian voters would be choose their next president if you look at how relative look at russian opinion there's a tendency to ignore inconvenient opinion so support for putin is ignored which is genuine i don't know if it's quite as overwhelming as the election results might make but it's this large and sincere i think it's easy for westerners to ignore

like that because they don't really fit in the narrative very easily and there was an unprecedented monitoring of the elections in russia with cameras saying all polling stations and almost a million washes volunteered to observe the vote certain violations have been reported they are being investigated the question some ask is why would we didn't try to rig the vote when opinion polls before the elections clearly indicated that he had sixty plus percent support it's very possible to put him so. in order any of this stuff but there are supporters or people is a long tradition in russian. culture and history of people underlings trying to please people further up the chain of command so it's perfectly plausible that people. you know magistrates or governors people in charge of this sort of regions they want to impress people for the blind by demonstrating how strong support for putin was in their area so without the necessity of any input from the center people can take decisions on their own that they do in order to please their bosses

unlike the media and the reaction of the white house to the russian alike as was more reserved they congratulated the russian people with the elections and said washington looks forward to working to president elect and urged the russian government to look into the reports of violations when it comes to the media coverage here it's not just about reporting on certain irregularities which absolutely should be covered but it's one perception is being created there was a fraud no matter what the majority of russians say any caps the shadow not just on the future president but also on those who voted for him i'm going to check our reporting from washington r.p. . small reaction over across the atlantic in course washington post journalist common russell chan ski hi there thanks for being on the programs appreciate it now the main media outlets as you've been saying they're still seem to be on the info big role barack obama is gone or in tradition by calling the president elect to congratulate him on his victory what message is that sending out. well i think it's

they're accepting at least the white house is accepting that putin is the incoming president that he's going to be working with a lot of near putin. they you know he will certainly try to have some good relations relations with them but you know i thought the guy ends report was very fascinating because i think that she's actually right it's just amazing how much the media has focused on you know the the alleged corruption but i think the white house accepted but couldn't regardless of any any incidence of fraud and so on that there actually work. is still very popular in russia and that he would have been democratically elected regardless of what had happened that he certainly at the very least would have gotten a solid majority of the root of the of the vote there in russia it was only a few years ago was that the moscow washington hit that symbolic reset button their relations how far is it really come since that is there any point in t.v. going. well you know it's you know the reset is was

very interesting because you know obviously they had to get to that point to begin with because of friction in the past i mean the putin presence and i do think that this is one of the issues that the media here and a lot of western observers are frustrated with putin's popularity there is that you know russia has become this has become a countervailing force in u.s. and germany in the world and i think you know justly so there needs to be some kind of you know countervailing force so when you look at issues like iran and you look at issues like syria and russia is. particularly vitamin or putin has said. you know has come out against the u.s. roles there you know obviously a lot of a lot of people including like john mccain and others are just not happy about that and that's really kind of what they're focusing on and i think that we're going have to see how it goes forward i m the whole idea of the reset well you know it's hasn't been hasn't shown to be that promise seen in the sense that there would be

some kind of i don't know we're friendly relations. simply because anyone who doesn't like what you the u.s. is doing in order ride is just automatically on the wrong side of the u.s. government of politicians here pundits and in the media and so on it doesn't think that somebody reporter said it doesn't fit the narrative or something that is surely said to test the reset button big push putin vying to be the military over the next few years this of course as the u.s. is set to trim its defense budget do you think that could provoke a rethink in washington now. oh yeah yeah certainly i don't think that the u.s. is particularly they find the idea of a re military russia very appealing you know and i should point out i think that the u.s. had so many opportunities to you know even before the reset to like you know really normalized relations with russia i mean you know moscow had stood behind the u.s.

in a lot of its activities including going into afghanistan in withdrawing withdrawing from the ballistic missile treaty and so on and i think that that's a lot of why you know russia and vladimir putin particular have had you know have had a kind of enough there and are thinking well you know we can't really depend on the u.s. because they haven't you know we you know we give them the support on a lot of things that are important to them and they don't you know when it comes to things like the start treaty they don't really support us and i should point out i don't think that will need when we look at the future of u.s. russian relations or really even that really mattered so much as even who was elected president i mean i think that there's some very natural friction that's going on there and it could have been any many things a lot of your putin just very well demonstrates very well represents russian geopolitical interests which are just you know don't really consider coincide with u.s. geopolitical interests such as that of say go a glass is half full not half empty but most differences between russia and the

west can only be narrowed down the differences in defining democracy itself surely there's some common ground to be found isn't that where is that going to be. well sure i mean you know i don't think that neither russia nor the u.s. particularly has had to put a lot of has a lot of fondness for oppressive military regimes you know around the world you know the difference is in actually the us russia has some issue with the u.s. deciding what are acceptable military regimes and what are not i mean and you know i think a lot of other countries as well for example china you know asked us who are you to decide these things but there are certainly some common grounds and that you think that for the most part at least on a surface on a lease a very shallow level you know both want would like to see greater prosperity around the world that works for very well for both their democracies they would like to see more democracy and so on and i think that will continue to see russia play

a greater role as you know when you consider how far they've come in the last twenty years since the fall of the soviet union in terms of their own democracy i mean this this last election was one of the you know was the probably the fairest in russian history but at the same time the most well protested you know i think we'll start to see more common ground found there the only issue of course is that you know there is the u.s. needs to kind of really you know taken into account the rest of the world's interest when it's when it when it goes into its excursions and so on and that i think though that as long as for example. we have a president that we do have that you know that may be a bit more promising you know the president recently has said well you know maybe bombing iran is not the best thing to do and that's going to really matter when we in this coming election i think that that will actually tell us more about the future of u.s. russian relations then vladimir putin's presidency bit will be this coming december who wins the presidency of the u.s. which will be followed closely thanks for your thoughts live from the u.s.

capitol voice of russia radio host families come across a chance to see their. thank you haven't always been a wealth of strong reaction online to russia's presidential election and the events that followed we break it down for you on our website r.t. dot com put all the analysis all the forecasts you would lead to the latest videos from the russian capital including those protests head to our you tube channel too while we talk about what's online these stories as well going a lot of clicks the g. eight fake fears of mass demos in chicago force the summit of the world's richest economies to be blown out of the windy city to tell you where they're headed next and the. retirement of thirty two and a pension one hundred fifty plus your salary sounds nice and griese constitution gets an eye popping make over but not see as we explain at our team dot com. beating american senator john mccain's become the first u.s.

politician to publicly call for airstrikes against the syrian regime thousands of people have fled to neighboring lebanon as government troops and armed opposition forces continue their offensive our correspondent looks at syria's political changes in the search for a solution to the conflict. the need for democratic change pushed the syrian people to the streets last march a year on pro-democracy slogans and mostly forgotten and political reforms passed almost unnoticed wrongly and how jolly claims a member of the bath party whose almost fifty year rule was ended by the country's newly implemented constitution he believes syria is going through a historic transformation. the country's been in stagnation for a long time the multi-party system moves finally pave the way to competition development and these new syria will be room for all opposition and those who are angry a bit of. course it's a fake. hundred percent fake talk

we do not trust our people trust with everything we believe what ever he promises we've tried back too many years ago and too many times and he's never been a list but not all opposition members are so skeptical some have decided to take it there and run the parliamentary race ninety days before the elections at least six new parties appeared their names reflect society's vital need and the party's aspirations for have democratic entitle thought either national or solidarity the allens our party is just four weeks old its members say the hardest thing will be to persuade people to actually vote but they believe the ice has broken from susan finally the dog was closed for so many years is open we should use it and activate people's political will of. the skeptics main concern is that this noble

impulse could not come at their worst time no one in syria will support a table of the regime why killing is still going in the streets and bombing is still going on the city is. but there are a top for party believes the reforms could be an important tool in find a solution to the country's projected crisis and. i can describe the situation is painful but we can resolve it together our party is preparing documents for the president and the government we call on all parties to start dialogue what a military solution in foreign countries interference will only make things worse you we should now into the and we should start deciding. and you constitution is the latest in the package of reforms that also included the lifting of emergency laws and the release of political prisoners that has at least says these changes could be a double edged sword making the country stronger but also calls on the ripple to

foreign influence will give our people and their salaries are in dollars reels in dharmas they want to destroy the country they don't want changes we know we cannot do no changes to happen here we have to spoil reformation and we should stand still to resist it but maybe the theories of change at home just as powerful the syrian parliament has seen many changes in its near century old history in this village and used to be home to many political parties within the last fifty years the political life within these walls hasn't been all the colorful the total dominance of the vast party the democrats of changes the uprising brought iran are expected to modify the political landscape here in syria but the same for us for missions are yet to come in people's minds and this is something which will take a lot longer. r t damascus syria. the developing story tonight leaders in eastern libya have declared seventy autonomy for an area

stretching between certain and the egyptian border the country's national transitional council has warned against creating a self-governing region because it could lead to the breakup of the nation let's get some reaction to this notion we from eric denise a's the director and founder of the french center for intelligence studies is joining us on skype live from paris there eric very good to see you tonight is this the precursor to a very painful breakup do you think for libya or should efforts be made quickly to keep the country united what are your thoughts no i think it's a real threat for the future of libya but i would say it's a proud looks you know because from the beginning of the year to the transitional national council and he's done everything to create such a break out between the western and eastern libya and of course they have been elbowing by nato and as well as. the goal there are already so it's not a surprise for us and unfortunately it is something which was written for

a long time i mean this characterization of sentiment similar tunnels were made by local people who say that they should make their decisions on their own matters and since i guess there's no effective national government in place right now what alternative do they have we're going to say yes because something beginning of the revolution it was in fact the revenge of the people of eastern libya you know so you're in a car for a long time of moving the country and. it will take revenge and to take the lead of the country these but for different reasons they understood. what was up in western libya so they decided to keep their all the richness for them and they don't want to share all your people. and what we called trickle in. it's very interesting you talk about the oil there and the richness as you put it that eastern region does contain much of the country's oil how closely do you think other nations are watching this right now with an eye on sorting this out in

inverted commas for themselves of course all the countries are looking on these for the libya but i mean two groups most of the most of the time are really. eastern libya the first one is education no egypt was on always a mission on this or that libya and it's only because of italian colonization that's. not true leadership and on the other side i believe that a country like. we are really pleased if they can create a new all in one arche in seven eight because these kind of small stage would probably be belonging to the u.k. and they probably want. a new state in that part of the world you'd think when you are since the un and the nato coalition said this train into motion in the first place they'd be trying to help keep the country together and head into his new chapter would be you well i'm sorry has worse terror i just need to only succeed to

create chaos in libya and. it will be not able to do the same in syria but the problem is nato has been able to do the same due to the power in tripoli that nato is absolutely unable to solve the actor the situation and they are responsible as well of the levy and then there was of all the turn morally in libya as well in the rest of the saga i'm thinking in particular of the problem you know . eric thanks for your thoughts eric going to say the director and founder of the french center for intelligence studies on the line from paris. five permanent members of the u.n. security council plus germany have accepted an offer to meet a ran over its nuclear program earlier to run said u.n. nuclear inspectors could visit a military facility where its suspected atomic weapon is a big develop u.s.

president barack obama's insisted he'll use any power necessary to prevent iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb that includes backing israel even though it's got a finger on the trigger as well reports no. it's an annual tradition more than thirteen thousand people gathering in the nation's capital for the american israel public affairs committee annual conference it goes people from all over the country and you come and we revitalize their approach it is very important the united states will back up israel while apac is considered to be one of the most powerful lobbying groups in america and they host this conference each year showcasing american israeli unity to see how much power in this group has over u.s. foreign policy there is controversy speaking at the conference president obama reiterated america is dedicated to fostering strong ties with its closest ally the want to

cons to preventing iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. i will take no options off the table and i mean what i say. that includes all elements of american power statements like that make the world wonder is a war with iran just around the corner. is really is are pushing us into a regional war that. does cataclysmic potential apac supports more jewish voice for peace and many jewish americans are in the side of peace. but they're also protesting the lobbying groups enormous impact on us politics politicians know that if they attempt to speak up on this issue they're going to be not just vilified they're going to be defeated apac affiliated groups exorbitant amounts of money and simple it all

campaigns in a meeting in the white house israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu told obama that we are you and you are us we're together and while netanyahu stress israel will always be a master of its own fate obama insists united states will always have israel's back when it comes to israel security this out there israel has warned they will launch an attack against iran without giving the u.s. notice in washington liz wall. let me bring you up to the more the top news stories of the day now yemen's new president vowing to pursue the al qaeda militants who killed more than a hundred soldiers on sunday suicide bombers detonated their explosives and two military posts outside the city of the deadliest ever of any army president how he took office a week ago replacing only a dollar sell a room for thirty three years. rallies been outside the chinese embassy in seoul in protest over china's arrest and dozens of north korean defectors plans to repatriate the human rights groups fear that the captured men will face torture and

possible death if they sent back north korean leader kim jong un is vowed to punish anyone who tries to leave the country. the man being lined up as india's next gandee has been dealt a blow in local elections which could derail his chances of becoming the next prime minister well gandhi's party was outstripped by the socialist samajwadi party which is also making big gains in other states too and the votes losses are impacting on the current leader a man known sings plans for reform and reversing the economic slowdown. of business check for an excellent r.t. dimitris across the numbers for a very good to see dmitri what's going on the world of finance today bring us up to date well sell sell sell it's all the name of the game really we're seeing a sea of red all across the board russia is no exception where it seems the hype from after the presidential elections completely gone away if you just take a look at those figures for the closing of the r.t.s. and a nice understanding of just how bad it is the r.t.s.

palling four point three percent of my six point nine percent of it was now the r.t. has closed below a psychologically important market seventeen hundred points some analysts indicate that this could mean that we are in for a downward trend not just the correction which was in the making for such a month or so it was moving pretty much everything was moving to my taste. all blue chips lost in value notably energy shares free in our present for gas problem financials took a beating with the burbank nosediving four point eight percent well after many consecutive sessions of growth and mining stocks were also feeling the chill with the north nickel and m.k. declining around five percent now across the global stock exchanges trade is still on and it's also not looking rosy for the dow jones and nasdaq declining more than one point one percent this is all on worries about global growth because we

remember that china downgraded its growth forecast to the lowest in eight years and also on worries about the state of the bailout program for greece and how private investors will be taking part in the bond swap with private investors now all around twenty percent secular quickly and what's happening in europe pretty much the same pictures you can see there is worsening by the hour the dax declining three percent the pussy two percent oil is not providing that much support to the russian ruble declining no one and a half dollars per barrel and if you just take a look at the currencies it's a very clearly reflected their oil is not supporting the russian ruble which as the wind twenty nine votes more than a percent versus the beadle or just exactly one percent of it versus the euro whereas the euro was weakening versus the dollar now after the presidential

elections are now over in russia the question is what comes next fitch ratings agency is concerned about russia's budget and says that russia's long term credit rating may be downgraded in case the new government will not manage its budget better the agency says putin's election campaign promises will cost the budget a whopping one hundred sixty billion dollars and commission also. pledged to increase the pace of economic growth around seven percent but give you any of those and from a is skeptical about. so far it doesn't. deal with the old structural freshened economy and most there is also real to export resource around the country we are not capable to grow faster than four percent a year out here for four four and a half percent a year and it's impossible something this integration we can see the solution even in the polls until level two thousand and thirteen so if we want to grow seven percent a year in real terms we need changes and that's exactly what's not clear. and

that's how the market looks the sell be back next hour with an update the headlines are next on with kevin to stay with us. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else you hear or see some other.