back here with r t here is a reminder of the top stories you have servers in syria urged both sides to lay down their arms and it reports of fresh clashes the spidy united nations peace plan while one ethnic group the kurds called on president assad to go long before the younger us are choosing peace over war. as he approached dialogue voices struggle to be heard above the war chorus in the u.s. congress with a strike on iran still firmly on the agenda as critics accuse arms merchants and contractors of driving the debate. and terrorist planning to attack london during

the olympics could be fired on from residential rooftops posting state of the art missiles officials say the rockets would be a last resort but people are alarmed that they could become targets for terrorists . next with sit down with chris hedges author and u.s. war correspondent to ask where he thinks washington is heading when it comes to its domestic and global policies. chris hedges is an american author journalist former war correspondent and respected expert on middle east politics the pulitzer prize winner is also a man who is suing the us president and secretary of defense will be talking about that and a range of other issues as mr hedges joins me now for a one on one interview thank you very much for sitting down with r.t. sure we have seen a lot of violence and instability over the past couple of years the arab spring

foreign intervention in libya uncontrollable debt problems and riots in the u.s. and throughout europe threats of global recession how do you think these political and economic crises feed off of one another and keep the momentum golly well it's all the same crisis which is the collapse of globalization it doesn't work anymore and it manifests itself through the rise of commodity prices forty seven million americans live in poverty they're not spending half of their income on food but they're now spending about thirty five percent. when you see a rise in gasoline prices. which are going up words in the united states and in oil projections will continue to rise up words above four dollars a gallon maybe five dollars a gallon so. we have created a kind of global oligarchy elite which is super national it owes no loyalty to any particular country it has reduced the working class within the united states within

the developing world. to a level of almost subsistence existence it tells workers that they have to be competitive on a global marketplace which means they have to be competitive with sweatshop workers in bangladesh or prison labor in china so we are it's a reconfiguration by corporations of a global economy where the working and and beleaguered middle class are increasingly caught in a vice. in which there is no escape the system of globalization of unfettered unregulated corporate capitalism doesn't work for the ordinary citizen and that we are seen ignite. popular protest and i think that's the main reason why occupy wall street began in new york and policed throughout not just the nation but the world what does the occupy movement lack to become a real politic factor in the u.s.

and throughout the world i mean the other thing about the occupy movement is that it had the right target which is wall street at this point washington is an appendage of wall street well street is where power lies both economic and political and so it it it was a powerful movement because it articulated these two truths. you know the idea of the one percent the economic inequality coupled with a targeting of where actual power lies the occupy movement has now. felt the full wrath of the state they've been their encampments have been physically eradicated. without question they have been heavily infiltrated the power of the occupy movement was that it spoke for the mainstream and the state's goal is to sever the occupy movement from the mainstream so the occupy movement has got to build walls it's got to develop

a kind of self-discipline it's got to set standards which do not allow internal movements within the occupy. organization to sever itself from the mainstream and the threat of the occupy movement in zuccotti park and you were there was that on weekends you had mothers from new jersey with their kids with strollers this terrified so the occupy movement they have to form agreements by which they can operate and the second thing is that they have to begin to organize around very specific issues i think if the occupy movement organizes around raising the minimum wage from seven dollars twenty five cents an hour which is the federal minimum wage to ten dollars an hour. it can galvanize around an issue seventy percent of americans by the way support a rise of the minimum wage in order to keep labor with it it has to latch on to issues such as the raising the minimum wage that will bring labor out into the street and keep the main stream keep it as the kind of vanguard movement of the

mainstream whether it can do that or not i don't know we'll have to see what role do you see for u.s. banks and u.s. corporations how else if not through them can the economy get. overcovered well the the not only are we not in a recovery i mean the the the banks are playing some very dirty game the fact that we've not regulated the banks the fact that we bailed out firms like goldman sachs and are in essence lending them free money what's the big zero one percent interest or something means they're all back to the speculative games and that's what they are games they don't produce anything they bed against things i mean one of the reasons the price of petrol is rising is because they're buying up futures and hoarding which is what they do with commodity prices you know basic staples of food rice and everything else and we are headed for another implosion and some of our most respected financial reporters gretchen morgenson and others at the new

york times are smoking around saying this we've done nothing to curb them we have permitted the largest transference of wealth upwards in american history the looting of the u.s. treasury of the tragedy is that the government when the banks were on its knees didn't step in instead of for instance creating taking ten billion dollars. or one hundred billion dollars in creating regional banks capitalizing those banks leveraging them ten to one loaning you know refinancing mortgages i mean there were all sorts of ways we could to use this kind of money constructively we handed it off to a criminal class and speaking of government where in the us currently in an election year a republican candidates are now battling one another for the opportunity to oppose for iraq obama come november however skeptics view both parties as more similar than different because we've seen military invasions corporate

bailouts and breaks for the wealthiest under both democrats and republicans how can a new political force start to grow in america if it's sort of that the same type of cycle every four years well that's the problem and it's gotten worse because after citizens united in two thousand and ten with the creation of these super pacs and obama broke a campaign promise by. reaching out to a super pac of his own i mean in a way he has no choice because this money rules and it has a pernicious effect not only on elections but on the process of legislation because if you are an elected official and you do anything. that angers corporate lobbyists and corporate power then you know that the weight of that super pac will sweep you out of office and not only that but that when you are under attack you won't have a super pac to appeal to so it is essentially destroyed i mean it's all

political theater i mean look at what the republican base is what's it about colonies supporting the newt gingrich and when thirteen thousand people live on the moon they can apply to be a state you know. the fact is the personal narratives and personal opinions of political candidates do not matter there is no way to vote in this country against the interests of goldman sachs obama is a more appealing political candidate because he's sane but our i mean look the obama administration has carried out the policies of the george w. bush administration whether in terms of wall street imperial projects a failure to address the suffering of the working class. address the long term unemployment crisis we have cities now filing for bankruptcy states that are talking about filing for bankruptcy and the federal government is doing nothing except squandering four trillion dollars on wars that we're going to lose we're

losing and handing money over to a class on wall street that is complicitous in a centrally hollowing the country out from the inside you are plaintiffs in the case are suing us president barack obama and secretary of defense leon panetta over the national defense authorization act from what i read. in other activists have now joined you in that lawsuit you're scheduled to appear in court at the end of this month what do you what do you realistically aiming for well the law is clearly unconstitutional i mean i don't think you need to be a legal scholar figure out what you don't but it was still signed into law yes it was and. at the. lower level there are certainly judges unfortunately we may not have been handed one but there are judges that i think would would find the courage to rule that the problem is that if it got to the supreme court given the composition of the court it seems very likely that we would not win. however i

think it does raise public consciousness it creates an awareness of this law. it gives us a focal point by which we can carry out public demonstrations to oppose the law so it's an effort but i don't think we're naive about about the corruption within the judiciary the u.s. claims to promote democracy within america and throughout the world when it comes to syria the u.s. is calling essentially for regime change sovereign state the u.s. says that syrians deserve democratic transition but when you mention countries like iraq afghanistan and libya shouldn't the u.s. and in some ways learn some lessons before trying to teach more countries about well let's imagine how this so those in the middle east where we were mubarak's great supporter. you know i don't think anyone in the muslim world thinks that

we care much about human rights or democracy we have since the first gulf war planted military base some the size of small cities i think there is at this point absolutely no credibility i'm talking about within the middle east when the united states claims that it would like to bring liberty or democracy to syria. that said the assad regime and was there under saddam or is a pretty repugnant and horrible regime my feeling on syria and i'm not on the ground and as a reporter you know i i think that finally for one to make those kinds of judgments have to be on the ground but my feeling. is that everything should be pushed through to create some kind of a cease fire because in cities like cities like holmes at this point aside from the murderous showing and everything else you really have a situation can eat there's no water and and so rather than

pass a resolution that calls for assad's removal or resolution. that you know calls for intervention or anything else i would rather see them work more incrementally if that doesn't happen do you think there's any chance of. terry intervention i don't think so i think the u.s. is so overextended and i think that the situation in syria is so messy there is you know there's no real formal opposition. you know it's a sort of a mess and they just went through this in libya months and months of hard time believing they do it again and syria will have to leave it right there mr hedges thank you for your time and for speaking with r.t. thanks.

i was. so much for was that so much given to me you should be finishing college and finding your mark with a little over a year ago be arab awakening started in quickly inspired millions in north africa and the middle east what is the current state of business.

u.n. observers in syria urged both sides to lay down their arms and reports of fresh clashes despite the united nations peace plan wow what a group the kurds called on president awesome to go long before the rest are choosing peace over war. as you progress along voices struggle to be heard of all the war course in the u.s. congress with a strike on iran still firmly on the agenda as critics accuse arms merchants and contractors of driving the debate. and terrorist planning to attack london during the olympics fired on from the presidential rooftops posting state of the art missiles official say the rockets will be the last resort but people are alarmed that they could become targets for terrorists. well you know joins us next with

latest for it's good morning to you and and it's taken a while but maria shriver was as of last reason to smile yes she certainly has after losing three finals this tennis season already marina she is champion in germany more that coming up in just a sec. thanks for joining us this is sports today we have got plenty had this monday morning here in central moscow including all. next game maria sharapova world number one victoria azarenka on the still dark clay tamer first title of the year. off the mark top seed santonio show you just a new thing n.b.a. playoff clutch of the season. on boxing clever russian middleweight hope to meet

you prove who argues brains are just as important as brawl in the rain per person but he's crying on the line of the game maker tuesday. let's get the ball rolling with tennis from reassure up of a has lifted her first time to all of the year in stuff starts beating world number one victoria azarenka for the time. the russian looking much sharper than in the previous two final she lost to us ranking this. drop less precise broad strokes consistent serve helping the twenty five year old victim set six one. who had only lost once they see heading into the caution also unable to contain her opponent in the second trial but breaking the fellow russian in the second before you can serve the victory so a great way to set up a strong go with the second home of the year thank you for.

the barcelona open men's singles title going to stand in spain for another year of being doing that since we last met me feel it's already a record seven problem by beating compatriot david furner in the final the world number two you really forced to work hard. but took you in six seven six things didn't get any easier for ruff in the second but his resilience paid dividends in a seven six seven strike for meanwhile finishing runner up here for the fourth time for defense pundits have now won the title since two thousand and. the biggest game of english football season gets going later today it's the battle of manchester on the top two in the table with city hosting united in a game which could decide where the premier league resides for the next twelve months a fascinating encounter awaits alex ferguson's men currently like three points ahead of the sky blues but should revert to mancini's charges when they're more impressive goal difference could prove crucial in the title run and city will

welcome back the founder richards who missed their last win over walls with a knee injury while apart from long term absentees united have a fully fit squad to choose from expect fireworks later. as the saying i do. more chance than i was because of. enough to play against newcastle that would be. good for game and would be instead united would play against swansea sound in that for them would be too easy going. now in spain real madrid have taken another big step towards thinking their first league championship in four years lost the cozies in two or three no win at home. the first up strike from and although in the second period brace to bringing them up doing the damage that men should barcelona lose later to rio ryall would be

crying champions but the champagne still myself to parse they have a glimpse in seven and ya know pedro and leo messi both having doubles but this version victory over us that it bilbo on the way didn't stay however will home the reality that. it was. all right let's switch to i saw cuba russia have relinquished their euro hockey title the red machine going down to new champions the czech republic in bern oh russia needed i win on sunday to read their product thanks to you giving hats off to believe but the czechs would then strike twice in two minutes the with two one finished top of the results. for the sweden got the wooden spoon following a four one defeat by reigning world champions finland the czech games where the last major tournaments head off next month. on the n.b.a. hardwood the spurs were finally in choosing during the opening act of the playoffs against the just some and tony winning their first postseason game one in four years to set the tone in the opening run encounter with you pick it up late in the

second with tony parker in the midst of putting together his best performance since zero nine. points tim duncan also turning back the clock with a vintage performance seventeen points eleven for the thirty six the younger but less experience just kept the game close but ultimately couldn't find an answer for the top seeded sport in the western conference one hundred six ninety one the finals for the first eleven straight game two also takes place in texas on what was going. to. be a postseason record attend. shots to help the lakers deny the nuggets start amazing defensive effort to hold the league's highest scoring team to just eighty eight points while boston's ray john rando was ejected for being a referee yes the celtics. too had loved to the point guard status is now uncertain for game two and shoes they on the los angeles clippers cemented their status of

comeback kings storming back from twenty seven dollars to beat memphis. want to motor sport of winning moto g.p. world champion casey stoner has secured his first ever victory at the spanish grand prix the win thus piling the pressure on standings leader who gave the renzo it was lorenzo winner of the season opening race and it's hardly started from holden to read over one switch to be taken by groups of before stoner also stepped up a gear deployed in front of just two lamps the strain was troubled by lauren so throughout but moments to hang on to the lead on the bench the edge of the contest by less than a second was a sweet victory for us there were those still not enough to catch the enzo at the top of the standings four points separate the to do so meanwhile was. as far as you know no one had before it doesn't really matter unite is down the track trying to warn you know you haven't won there's always a first time but just the fact that you know we sort of turned it around again

overnight yes and i wasn't looking good for us and you know we were definitely struggling a bit with the set up so we had to find some for the race today i'm fortunate moment was when we we took a gamble for the race and it worked out. finally he's the best boxer in the country at the moment but can pretty much walk in the street without being recognized middleweight world champ and when you probe has gone about his judy's quietly put successfully resulting in the russian preparing and choose day to defend his w b o belt for the third time the thirty one year old holding an open training session in moscow ahead of his bout with japanese challenger noble hero ishita holder is over . only for ever to win but says he expects a court tough and interesting fight our correspondent robert for damien met up with the defending champ. boxing's middleweight division this week sport of the sport well why there is a move like light weights and points like heavyweights rush is number one in this

class you need to drop the winning w bill chandler is style combining fearsome punching power with old school intelligence just one of the numerous reasons that you need it has been thrilling audiences for years now. sometimes i do things to disturb my opponent in the ring that to confuse him with him but i don't have a plan it happens spontaneously the crowd loves such things and at the same time my opponent loses confidence because he can't get me sometimes i try small boxing tricks like raising one hand and punching with the other professional boxing is not only a sport now it's a spectacle a performance which needs to be a great show too not just a boxing match with. an intelligent getting one's head right is also an essential part of the game particularly adept in this regard both in and out of the ring.

i prefer isolation ahead of a final i need to be on my own with my coaches without phone calls or any type of communication i focus on building up my energy even when i'm not training i'm thinking of boxing rehearsing in my mind but i believe there should be anger inside of you some positive anger you're able to control or not driven by it and i never get driven by a crowd ging for a knockout when i feel the opponent is still dangerous the thirty one year old added to boxing is no less than his skills there are class implicit in the chance to face the cream of his class. that bizarre government not by love or money but by the sport itself. there's nothing wrong with winning titles it's great reflects your achievements and skills it builds confidence but when you get a title you realise it's not the most important thing they come and go with it

although some hold on to that title is just to earn more money i never worried about earning money through boxing i just enjoy it and because of that it will grow as a sportsman and as a person. he can reach an ounce of this level i really soon is becoming twice as good as he is now and terms of dedication and intensive training it's all up to him he was going to huge potential including great physical characteristics watching this still plenty of room to develop in the ring in doing still need to get over his every chance to bowl in the footsteps of course to do the russian to be crowned undisputed boxing champ band of the world it would take a brave person to bet against him. r.t. . yeah smart guy on the inside of the ring that is all your sport and i whether it's next here in twenty four hour.

question is that so much going to be huge because it is a fine mark when little over a year ago the arab awakening started in quickly inspired millions in north africa and the middle east what is the current state of it.

finishes in a secret laboratory to mccurry was able to deliver notes most sophisticated room.