in closing for about a week every year in america we've thrown away ninety six billion pounds of. welcome back you're watching our team reminder of the top stories the syrian opposition wants foreign military forces to step in and admits weapons are coming from abroad u.n. security council foreign ministers met to try to break the deadlock amid reports of escalating violence. militants attack a government's delegation visiting lot of two afghan villages where a u.s. soldier allegedly once a shooting rampage over the weekend the incident prompted a raft of apologies from the u.s. but also a pledge that it would not lead troops to leave sooner than planned. and greece

holds its breath for a rescue cash as the euro zone's financiers give the next bailout a green light but a lack of e.u. help of matters like illegal immigration take a toll on the indebted nation. well next we assess the cost of the afghan war with the country's finance minister in our special interview. it. mr afghanistan's finest minister it's great to have you with us to be with you so it's been a decade since of ghana's time has become the front stage for the war on terror led by the united states how much does it cost the nation the war has cost the need

a lot it's not i don't think you can put a dollar figure on this and if you see a hundred billion three hundred billion three hundred billion is still here in the water. for beyond economic. diversity is the public plugged nickel phoenician give us streets on the street institutions putting doors to go to. evacuees ten years ago after the taliban when we come back and i think existed it's not just the. infrastructure but what the government did not exist the system did not exist but with the support of the international community with their participation the number of fronts we believe me enormous progress but we have still a long way to go towards the nation there and rely on its own institutions to survive and that's sort of four and eight accounts about ninety percent ninety five

percent of afghan g.d.p. well know that two thousand and fourteen is to deadline for both there was draw of the international forces plus the reduction of aid money how will it going east and sustain its economy after two thousand and fourteen we do after all do not want international forces to be in afghanistan fighting for us. even in our longer indian edict from the video outside we have to believe the prime responsibility of taking over as you can if you should be. there's a possibility of after you think they will be ready by two thousand and four we are already if you if you go into afghanistan if. any of the operations in different parts of their countries are carried out by afghan forces and our forces. because they are close to sensitive because they are part of the afghan nation. there. will be much more effective in much more positive than the role of an international force that was the economics of

this there is no doubt if it will have some impact on already quantity but there is no nation in the world there can indifferently rely on foreign aid. so when we are talking about transition we are not thinking only about security transition but also economic transition even if in the short term there is a downturn in the economy in the longer term if there will be. good with wood with proper afghan institutions and peace. i think absolutely an economy that would be more sustainable didn't extend it but exactly how bad will the downturn be because you know there are people who believe that afghan economy is wartime it's donor drunk and as far as they're concerned right after two thousand and fourteen it's hard it's it's not towards an economic disaster but definitely a very sharp economic crisis it will not be the fortunate thing is that we have

three years to complete think about this and to prepare ourselves for right in front of we had just a few months ago we had the bonn conference and which we got the commitment and a pledge from the international community for its non-corrupt financial commitment to afghanistan both economic and security in a couple of months we would have the chicago event and here to talk summit as well as the g eight summit and which there will be a specific commitment to. our security forces for a longer term financial commitment and right after that in july we will have a conference on afghanistan focusing on economics and development look here and that's where we expect to secure. a longer term commitment financial commitment significant commitment all law it will come down over time but it will not sort of sharply come down in twenty four as for foreign aid they say that there's

a huge difference between money spent on afghanistan and the money spent in afghanistan to help us foreign institutions that operate in your country really help reboot the economy or is it really a question of pumping money from one pocket another well this is the need for a need that not everything strains are in a confined space in the country. it is it was in for the country or it doesn't even go into the country is it more acute of a problem in your country into third. focus of our recent discussions three years ago we had to cover a conference that was the prime focus and therefore we need to see more spend through afghan institutions that we need to see more aligned through to afghan priorities that we would like to see more spent in afghanistan if this training should generate opportunities within the country and then big dollars into

companies that spend a portion of it in afghanistan and a big portion of it has dark for their country and of course the opium economy which is always a huge topic for afghanistan correct me if i'm wrong from what i understand it pounds to about thirty five to fifty percent. right might not not not not really how much is not really you see. there is what it generates is accurate for example it generates income for farmers it generally income for the middle men in the business people who connect the international market with the afghan production and it generates again it has a huge market in the c.p.m. countries. in europe in russia in everywhere else it's in value at some one hundred billion dollars. but what what gets to the produce of the farmers is no more than five hundred to eight hundred million

dollars this figure of lethal means in afghanistan thought eight hundred million dollars as part of sixteen billion dollars worth of g.d.p. this past year and could be seventeen years is a small percentage. is not a big percentage there is the. two point five billion dollars that goes to the middle some of them out after and some of them are non afghan's their money does not seem to afghanistan that money goes into regional countries through to reconnoitre how than just additions for the actual figure that remains in afghanistan is quite small but here is my question as to financial aid money to clients do you think you're going to see more and more of your people rely on opium chrono me there is certainly a possibility but the thing is that if you look into afghanistan it is cluley correlated with insecurity in places that are secure that are within our hands you

do see the production of opium there it's only in where we do not have control of it all for the if we foreclose segin on helping after an institution to secure our country and if we housed in put pressure on. our third elements that come in creating the security in afghanistan we believe it was acute instability the the opium usually will be dealt with in a more sustainable in a more real manner but again if as long as the insecurity as long as there are areas out of reach there will be of the production of opium and some of that money goes to the traffickers some of this even will to the insurgents finances insurgents so it's in the interest of interest of insurgents as well to allow. as well as the environment for the production of food for him to come. you know over sixty percent of afghanistan's population is under the age of twenty five it's

their respective labor market for these people that always there really is a subject for terrorists. this is the biggest challenge and that's why we see this we need to focus on the. employment generation and all that. exist exist and focusing on our because of focusing on the infrastructure of trade and transit there exists in the. case. they use the afghans that. thought again opportunity for education for higher education this can provide begin the talented labor for production within afghanistan in some good even be exported now in two thousand and two karzai who is now the president of afghanistan said if the international community is really serious in seeing afghanistan secure it must help begin reconstruction of infrastructure projects when we speak about this projects no one is interested has

it changed. first of all we must acknowledge that the. infrastructure have a point. of the thought it could it's just a chance it is worth. it billion dollars worth of infrastructure that has been built not a nice small amount of investment that has happened the institutions. major cities have electricity in the next couple of years there will be for that expanded the first time of understand how the piece which would be expanded upon. for the first time again in afghanistan we have the development of telecom. industry with private investment of some billion dollars. by the environment it's unclear. and dismayed by by others in the mineral resources and in the chinese coming

investing some five billion plus. dollars in one mine in the copper mine in the indians and canadians coming in and this thing anywhere between ten to fifteen billion dollars in the next three to five years in another mineral deposit in iron ore and of course other. investors as well taking interest for the first time and i would remember it as also did exist ten years ago twenty of the world twenty five years ago but today they're much more interested in this you know we're all in guys who had a lot of things i think there are without the support of the international community and without the achievements of the. present because those governments in the past ten years would not have happened so those things that happen in addition to that of course there are particularly what we call it the transformation ticket is to focus on some other transformational foundational investment that will put us on

a path of self-reliance and self-sufficiency and that is again infrastructure of the it will focus on a lot of nickel just sector of warthe into food security as well as a commercial or transport sector which is good for expanding the war on. prayed with others as well as transit through afghanistan killer chris if you would just good for again industrial sector as well as for commercial. railway connection which again all for. better environment for our minerals forces as well as thought transit and great for those are sort of some of the key focus is there people have in the next decade afghanistan a semester mr sack you will wish you all the best and shooting at us for the development of your country thank you very much thank you very much for this opportunity. thank you.

the syrian opposition wants more military forces to step in and admits weapons are coming from abroad u.n. security council foreign ministers tried to break the deadlock that the ports of escalating violence. militancy government delegation visiting village just worry if u.s. soldier allegedly went on a shooting rampage over the weekend the incident prompted the apology from the u.s. but also a pledge that it would not be troops to leave sooner. and greece holds its breath for rescue as the euro zone spends years give the next bailout a green light to me you have all the matters like illegal immigration take

a toll on them. as the headlines here in our next. hello welcome along to the world of sport here's what we've got coming up. as you watch spacek and angie become the full stop i pad to drool their russian premier league match over the weekend following a stalemate in pakistan on. a good day for russia nadia petrova beats u.s. open champion sound stosur in an epic encounter in indian wells as three russians make it through to round four in california. on the klitschko brothers in sin and all the heavyweight boxing world champions attend the premiere of a film all about their lives in the cranium capital. let's start with the russian from nearly three matches were played on monday in the top eight group guus hiddink

failed to make it two wins from two in charge of ranji following a goal a strong hand to spartak moscow both sides created good chances but struggled to convert the sold out deny my stadium in one spot nigerian striker manual m n e k threats in dante's goal a couple of times but those sides different stood for on their savings men also had decent opportunities themselves the best of which felt i'm a harsh god c.f. in the second half but he plays the shot over the bar will nail the final score being spat out stay in fourth eight points behind leaders and eat. well bottom side top playing their first victory in almost eight months and then from siberia edging visiting gold to one nil denise while in so still seeing her who shoves cross for terms first time gold a nine matches however it's on a still deep in relegation trouble three points behind spartak nel chick.

could have stretched that gap but lost at home too once i'm caught bitterly glitch in open for the visitors with a powerful left foot or on the twenty first minute second half substitute nikita but to mr of stun chuck keeper alexander put a cough with half an hour to go to put daylight between the two sides the home team then pulled one back nine minutes from time serbian midfielder year over and garlic finishing off from a cloak three missing from close range from a corner too little too late for now they remain second bottom with one car pulling themselves further away from the drop zone. now in the champions league two thousand and ten wins into milan looking to overturn a one no deficit from their first leg with maher say the french club arrive in italy with the advantage thanks to a solitary goals from andre the syria giants will be without suspended defender christian key vote but a center back on the we're not sure on the field or ricardo alvarez injured however

in to have received a timely boost by beating a vote on friday it was their first win intend games in all competitions and move manager carry around here it is. elsewhere by munich and manager you are hoping to overcome a one zero deficit again f c bars all valentino's stocker scored the only goal of the game for the swiss side in the first leg influential midfielder paston schweinsteiger could start for the first time since early february after recovering from a ligament damage. put on we have to believe in ourselves and use our strength and which we have shown often this season like would it not saturday i trust in our team and with the support of our friends we can beat perceive us on launce. now in tennis russia's maria sharapova has comfortably booked her place in the fourth round of the indian wells tennis open after a straight sets win over simona halep remain six three six for the number two seed

who is one of three players still in the draw to have previously won the tournament six three this was the first ever career meeting between the pair and the romanian had no answer to the australian open final is in the second sure up of a race to a five lovely and then won four straight games in a topsy turvy set before the twenty four year old russian secured the six three six four when places italy's roberta vinci in the next round. meanwhile there was a big victory for sure up as compared to at nadia petrova she beat us open champion sounds stosur in another epic encounter six one six seven seven six was the final score the pair hold the record for the longest ever women's match since the tie break was introduced but was slow says win against patro in the us open last year but this match was equally as gruelling with tie breaks deciding the second and third sets the decisive one going to troves way in

a match which lasted two hours and forty six minutes an impressive victory for the thirty eighth seed who is now up against her fellow russian reoccur lanka in the next round. meanwhile in the men's game world number one novak djokovic she is through to the fourth round last after claiming a straight sets victory over kevin anderson of south africa six two six three how it finished in favor of the top seeds next up to him is problem of spain. now in pascagoula in the n.b.a. minnesota have snapped a nine game losing streak following an hour away one hundred twenty seven one hundred twenty four when it felix the hosts actually outscored their opponents in the first quarter thirty four twenty eight when. second the timberwolves still bats have a seven point advantage at halftime sixty three fifty six kevin love scored a game high thirty for the visitors including this three pointer early in the

fourth quarter to make it ninety eight ninety two in favor of minnesota the visitors managed to hold their nerve to eventually claim the victory for the result means neither side of in the postseason in places. now based in europe's biggest snowboarding competition was held over the weekend just outside of russia's northern city of san petersburg apart from bringing together the brightest young snowboarding talents it was only the second time such a high caliber event has been held in russia michael great the slopes to bring us the story. petersburg region is not famed for its skiing snowboarding slopes but tucked away near russia's northern capital is a snowboarding haven in the making it's here the second annual quicksilver neustar snowboarding event was held part of a season long competition called the ticket to ride tour in which riders from all over the world compete in various locations worldwide. t.t. or or take it's a ride it is an international association and they have certain great syria for the

level of competition if you want your event to have four star status you need to have these great theory in place then out of prize money level of infrastructure etc so far everything is quality i have been to four and five story vents so i would even venture to say that it looks like a five star event the highest rating an event carries them all points and hence the bigger attraction for competitors this has to be the snowboarding event for russians this winter season as it's only the second time of the all star event of the ticket to ride to is being held in russia but that means there's a whole lot more at stake which is attracted a whole bunch of international and local snowboarders seeking glory the events of grated star status means riders were vying for the fifteen thousand dollars first prize last year's winner finn felix moberg was back to defend his title and only had to say about russia. i think it's it's great that so many people.

get involved in snowboarding in russia so that it develops i guess i think. yeah i think it's great i think just were coming as european. competition. and it is. this year also really great unfortunately felix didn't make the final and had to pass his crown to russia's alex a symbol of the russian beat writers from finland norway and austria proving that snowboarding in russia is will ensure. gathering pace but it wasn't just us no good it's truly the thousands of spectators. russians not giants come as masters race team showing of them on to the machine also three beats in a woman climbs at the dakar rally it was also time for some the pine stunts and freestyle right at caleb moore achieve time exchange medalist i think russia could be a huge player in an extreme sports of that of that that it's yeah i don't think there's

too many russian athletes that come out of the states for the x. games but they would be awesome but it's very common in the great happy competitors and crowds it was a good day for the sport with the organizers saying he's got big plans for the future we started about four years ago. and now we have a biggest event in muslim europe so i think it's a good progress. for the next year we have a plan to move with the city because if we can get. to do just here we also can get about fifty or one hundred in the city going to doesn't last forever meaning this events the last big one in russia this season but bigger and better is to come in the sport avalanching in popularity in russia and beyond mike of genco r.t. in his book region. now from the snow to the ice where the second round of the k.h. playoffs gets underway on shoes day in the western conference semifinals regular season one is out scott take on atlantic sins and. talk peter went to time to

moscow where yet to lose a game in this season's playoffs the eastern conference standings began on wednesday. now finally heavyweight boxing world champions with charlie in front of a klitschko while in kiev on monday for the premiere of a new film about their lives the documentary simply entitled klitschko celebrates the brothers on their rise from a much as in the ukraine to the current dominance of the heavy right division i think his interviews with those who know them best including friends and family. it's only admitted at the premiere that initial discussions about a possible fight with david haye had taken place his last fight you'll remember was against another great. when he successfully defended his w.b.c. heavyweight title on points of law to make confound the identity of his next challenger. will make sure that they're rated for the next event in their june or july is going to be against going to come some and accordingly it will do anything

possible to win and defend my titles. as impressive as possible well that's all the sport for now more in a couple of hours. well the. science technology innovation all these developments from around russia we've got the future coverage.