the knights of cheers but also a few g. is a presidential victory with tens of thousands on the streets some go too far forcing the police to step. politician calls for strikes on syria as the international pressure intensifies we take a closer look at the political changes underway. and u.n. nuclear inspectors get the green light to visit a secret military facility while president obama defends israel despite its threats and launch an attack on the islamic republic.

live from moscow at nine pm you're watching r t with me kevin now in our top story more than two hundred opposition members detained after a night of election meetings in moscow and now all been released one of the gathering spiraled out of control and police had to move. 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 but still they were there to protest against the vote to protest against 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 first 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 stay just sitting protest in one of the fountain search suddenly and no one operating fountain in the central the square there right police are urging him to leave because by the time the rally was officially over the time that the authorities sanction 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 later they were all released around fifteen thousand people were gathered here where i'm standing right now in my 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 popstars singing from the stage and the scenes wish 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 what he would put in 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 be the knowledge by many were. 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 colleague. did reports from across the atlantic explaining exactly what this is all about how after we were even before the election the american audience were primed to believe that the presidential vote in russia had to be a fraud as this one going to be well to win the west would call a free and fair election. it seems highly unlikely there 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 before a single vote was cast the unequivocal view of these international observers is that this was not a genuinely fair democratic contest that meets international standards. let me put it 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 western let's look at russian opinion there's a tendency to ignore or i don't know in communicating 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 is large and sincere i think it's easy for westerners to ignore opinions 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 in all polling stations and almost a million washes volunteers 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 himself 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 local you know magistrates or governors people in charge of sort of grecians they want to impress people for the bomb 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

elections was more reserved they congratulated the russian people with their elections and said washington looks forward to working with the 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 . they should be covered but it's when perception is being created. as 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 take our reporting from washington r.p. . three years to the day since moscow and washington hit the symbolic reset button in relations the still plenty of dividing issues u.s. based journalist common russel's the chance he says the kremlin's efforts to keep the hawks in check is evoking plenty of anger on capitol hill russia has become this has become a countervailing force in us or germany in the world and i think justly so there needs to be some kind of you know

a countervailing force so when you look at issues like iran and you look at issues like syria and russia is. particularly bottom or putin has said. he 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 we're going have to see how it goes where i am the whole idea of the reset well you know it's hasn't been hasn't shown to me that that's a promise in the sense that there would be some kind of i don't know friendly relations. simply because anyone who doesn't like what you the u.s. is doing in or broad is just automatically on the wrong side of the u.s. government of politicians here. in the media it doesn't fit the narrative. well for strong reaction online to russia's presidential election and the events that followed we'll break it down for you on our website r.t.

dot com get all the analysis and the forecast you'll need for the latest videos as well from the russian capital including a protest said to our you tube channel or online as well the stories to the g. eight fake fears of mass demos in chicago forced the summit of the world's richest economies to be blown out of the windy city will tell you where it's heading next and. retirement thirty two and a pensioner one hundred fifty times your salary under its constitution gets an eye popping make over but all is not quite what it seems as we explain in our teeth all come. today violence is once again flared up. these are the images the world seeing in the streets of carry their. operation there.

and watching r.t. leaving senator john mccain's become the first u.s. politician to publicly call for airstrikes against the syrian regime uses washington has a moral and strategic obligation to force inside out thousands of syrians have fled to neighboring lebanon was government troops ago and opposition forces continue their offensive our correspondent riff and option of brings you up to date. former presidential candidate john mccain has become the first senator to publicly call for a u.s. led military strike on syria and the eleven months long conflict here in the country just copies of the things that him telling the senate that's a serious crisis has reached a decisive moment and the only realistic scenario to preserve innocent lives is with military air power we are also here. and from the free syrian army here on the ground that it's waiting for foreign weapons to arrive earlier it confirmed it had

received weapons and anti aircraft missiles from u.s. and french sources meanwhile the regional media reports that more french officers have been detained in the city of homs that's become a center of the conflict between the authorities and the opposition here in syria and they're now being held in absolute hospital we have been receiving information earlier that more than one hundred french paratroopers have been detained in the city of homs on the ground political efforts to find the way out of this conflict are in full swing. the need for democratic change pushed the syrian people to the streets last march a year old pro-democracy slogans are mostly forgotten and political reforms passed almost unnoticed wrongly. claims a member of the ba'ath party who is almost fifty year rule was ended by the country's newly implemented constitution he believes that syria is going through a historic transformation. the country's billion stagnation for a long time

a multi-party system finally paved the way to competition development and these new syria will be room for all opposition and those who are angry with the. course it's a three. hundred percent fake talk we do not trust our people that much of their religion we believe what ever he promises we've tried that too many years ago and too many times and he's never be honest but not all opposition members are so skeptical some have decided to take a dare and run the parliamentary race ninety days before the elections at least six new parties appeared and their names reflect society's vital need and the party's aspirations for have democratic entitle for 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. finally the door was closed and 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 sit at table with the regime while killing is still going in the streets and bombing is still going on the city is. but suffer are taught from plants or believes the reforms could be an important tool in finding a solution to the country's protracted 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 and foreign countries interference will only make things worse we should know and to be and we should start deciding now and your constitution is

the latest in the package of reforms that also included the lifting of emergency laws and the release of political prisoners might that has at least says these changes could be a double edged sword making the country stronger but also more vulnerable to foreign influence the garage people and their salaries are in dollars reels and dramas they want to destroy the country they don't want changes we know they cannot do no changes to happen they have to spoil reformation and we should stand still to resist it but maybe the fears of change at home i just as powerful the syrian parliament has seen many changes in its near century old history in this building used to be home to many political parties but in the last fifty years the political life within these walls hasn't been all the colorful the total dominance of the vast party the democratic changes the uprising brought iran are expected to modify the political landscape here in syria but the same for us from nations are yet to

come in people's minds and this is something which will take a lot longer. r t damascus syria. gets more reaction assured to u.s. senator john mccain's calls for a strike on syria and talk to middle east expert professor paul sheldon foot from the university of california professor very good evening thanks for being on our international mccain has no real sway does the white hurt inside but are seriously should we take his comments for military action in syria do you think. we should take it very seriously because here is a man who was the republican presidential candidate last. road goes around expressing what unfortunately some republicans believe our republican gives so many of us opposed him there was an organization called vietnam veterans against john mccain and hadn't seen mccain bumper stickers which are very good republican voters

. when you can't get conservative republican vietnam veterans to vote or they should be there but they did that years around zero instead they voted for this man and so he's still very dangerous here's a man who advocates a hundred years of military bases no no limit on spending and the current batch of republican candidates other than ron paul who are our chicken hawks they never served in the military and they advocate war war war over the world so you have run both sides and you know you have an anti-war democrat president has he claims in fact to expand the wars that got a nobel peace prize for peace what in fact he's the biggest warmonger with that idea and then you get three republican candidates two. or chicken hawks who are trying to outdo him and say that we're even stronger on war and so do chip should be taken very seriously ok well let's look at some of the mood brooder of prosecution trying sort out the problems then later today the u.n.

a said to discuss these new to us proposed security council resolution demanding an end to violence in syria first by the government then position fights he's a mess and practical way but how practical is that. well it's totally current courage to believe republicans who say that they'd want no part of the united nations but were quite willing to years it would be a playbook this is just already paid the strategy that works so well it would be if they want to try it one more time. ok well into the series already on the going political reforms including bringing in a multi-party system and the parliamentary elections coming in may but of course with the pressure of sanctions and resolutions is well figuring in there what chances does syria do you think have a funding in a solution on its own well that's exactly what syria needs is to be at it so. you don't have solutions with terrorists brought in from

a libya with is really a weapons. the problem is that syria the problem is the foreign intervention in syria and the ok right let's see syria going for second focusing on the libya have been developments there today at least is in the east of the country have declared seventy autonomy in the region as you know is the country's future divided the ocean efforts be made to bring stability very quickly now we should mines be in the warlords in afghanistan where drug production is going to europe desperately needs to energy resources and the only reason that. nato would are there was to take resources for the people well that's exactly what one of our guests intimated to last i have thought might the countries interested in getting hold of that oil go to tend to get their ends all it takes is first strong.

style to say we can deliver and promise you will achieve prices. and they have support for the energy holder europeans. how is this going to end up how is it going to play out in the next six months for instance. well obviously any pretense of democracy is gone this is just going to be a battle for control of warlords to see who's king of the hill thanks you thought so as a pleasure of the program professor paul sheldon first mideast expert at the very one phone joining us from california thank you. still to come on the program listener israel's american arm twisting a bit the frightening tough talk. if we attempt to speak up on this issue they're going to be not just vilified going to be defeated washington vows to stand by its increasingly comfortable despite israel's readiness to attack iran. the world news

in brief now yemen's new president is vowing to pursue the al qaeda militants who killed more than one hundred soldiers and some suicide bombers detonated explosives at two military posts outside the citizens of the deadliest terror attack on the yemeni army present how he took office a week ago replacing malleability the lay of the rules for thirty three years. i really been outside the chinese embassy in seoul in protest over china's arrest of dozens of north korean defectors and its plans to repatriate them human rights groups feel captured men will face torture possible there is this back north korean leader kim jong un has vowed to punish anyone tries to leave the country. the man being lined up has india's next guy and he's been dealt a blow in local elections which could derail his chances of becoming the next prime minister broke and these party was outstripped by the socialist so much while the party which is also making big gains in other states and the vote losses are impacting too on currently demand more and things plans for reform and trying to

reverse the current economic slowdown. the five permanent members of the u.n. security council plus germany have accepted an offer to meet a rat over its nuclear program earlier to run it gave the go ahead for you a nuclear inspectors to visit a military facility where it suspected the rand is developing atomic weapons but israel's not backing off from its threat to use force over the issue and the next hour a former u.s. ambassador to israel explains the peaceful way out. let's give iran what it says it wants which is a civil nuclear program but let's do our best to create the maximum. out of effective inspection so that's a fire wall a road a roadblock a break between their civil program and a military nuclear program you ought to know that iran is also bound by the nonproliferation treaty and then on proliferation treaty says you have a civil program which meets civil needs only and doesn't do things that could be

used only for military purposes. president obama stated he will use any power necessary to prevent iran from telling a nuclear weapon that includes backing israel even though it's got a finger on the trigger as well reports now 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 gives people from all over the country and to come and 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 how much power 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 when it comes 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 war with iran just around the corner. are pushing us into a regional war that. does have cataclysmic potential atack supports more jewish voice for peace and many jewish americans are in the side of peace. they're also protesting the lobbying groups enormous impact on u.s. politics politicians you 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 pump 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 the united states will always have israel's back when it comes to israel security this after israel has warned they will launch an attack against iran without giving the u.s. notice and washington as well r.t. . let's get across business associates and i do include the stock markets dimitris here to bring us up to date with the very latest hi there right now it's all just cells cells so why is that and well there's several factors here to play notably china downgrading its growth forecasts for the first time to the lowest in eight years really and then there's also worry investor worries about the fate of the

bailout coming out in greece russia is no exception seems all the hype from the presidential elections from the reelection of letting the putin has gone away and now finally we're seeing not just a correction let's take a look at those figures but really something which could be the beginning of a downward trend because the r.t.s. finally managed to close below the psychologically important seventeen hundred point mark down more than four percent myself down three point nine percent secular was moving the my sex and those were energy shares of course gazprom declining more than three percent three and a half percent really is burbank taking a beating along with other financial stocks down four point eight percent and mining stocks what was so low are pretty much all of them and they call both lining around five percent. now of what's happening in the united states pretty much the same picture the dow jones and nasdaq i do going around one half percent each now

here at play as i mentioned the concerns about global growth so for now investors are sitting on the sidelines and going into two new builds in europe the markets are closed down on the board so a strong negative note with the backs declined three point four percent or forty one point nine percent with the main losers also being banks and mining stocks barclays down five miles per cent and group down more than six percent. now if we look at well it's not providing any support to the russian markets as it's declining one. because after all there's. also this is taking its toll on the russian currency. was declining against the dollar at the close of around one percent twenty nine kopeks as you can see there and around five progress versus the euro where from the global market the euro is weakening slightly versus the dollar . and what's on people's minds right now after the end of the presidential

elections is what comes next well ratings agency fitch is the really worried about the state of russia's federal budget and says russia's long term credit rating may be cut if the new government does not regulate the budget and stop increasing budget spending now the team of putin during his pre-election campaign and promised a crack of social reforms which could amount to one hundred sixty billion dollars according to the agency also pledged to increase and speed up economic growth to seven percent a year now these are very ambitious plans and getting from a. trickle about. so far doesn't look real unfortunately a with. all structure of russian economy and most of the resource oriented export resource around the country we are not capable to grow faster than four percent a year here for four four and a half percent

a year and it's even possible something the situation we can see the situation even in two thousand to eleven 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. right that's the way the markets look at this hour coming up next on and see the headlines with carol and do stay with us. he.

to a substantial degree and one form or another socialism has spread the shadow of human regimentation over most of the nations of the earth and the shadow is approaching upon all of. the early twenty first century military bases the network of military bases all around the world forms the movement empire that the united states is trying something that's astonishing most americans have no idea there are more than a quarter of a million more than two hundred fifty thousand u.s. troops stationed on these bases all around the. world we don't have foreign bases in america we don't have any british base we don't have any korean base we don't have any french bases or you know we just all american bases in across our bases of iraq or the noise around with noise and doesn't bother us at all because they're all bases but for other people it's almost like

a cancer here for those people since the into world war two the spaces i've been. working here to provide safe and secure environment for everybody. the questions me a singles get everything you needed. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so silly you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else and you hear or see some other part of it and realized everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm sorry welcome to the big picture. of mission free accreditation free structure which is free from richmond free.