he live with us here on our t.v. it's four o'clock in moscow thank you for joining us our top story this hour french voters abroad have begun to very much in the last leg of the nation's presidential election and what's been one of the various bitter and divisive campaigns in recent history and incumbent. is battling for his political life against socialist challenger front saw alond very cheese in full swing at french embassies across north and south america a day before ballots open across mainland france austerity cuts of pushed by the french leader have proved to d.p. unpopular with his left his opponent promising to undo much of so cozies work if elected instead artie's a tessa siller brings us more from paris. even the city itself was prepared to assure that there that's president now it's down to two men in combat nicolas sarkozy have a socialist challenger francois log cording to the polls is still it's really

behind the law but there is still that question mark as to who the voters of but in the current of the national front and such as france will by rule who are they going to choose a for the second route the french will certainly be choosing between a man or lawton claims that he will bring back the wall would he do the country also want to go head to head with german chancellor angela merkel to challenge the fiscal pact that he says is bad for us on the other hand you have a man of substance you claims that he is the only one who could prevent france from going down the path that we use italy spain and all the trouble the result of asians have gone down but there is you know a group of people who believe that they don't really have a choice when it comes to the program to do that and therefore the personality of these two men has become just as important as the proposals they put for boils down to which man is more presidential to take on that's all better now for the beginning of a cafe there has a big box of things yes of the people saying that they don't really see any of the candidates perceptive there with the. also they said that the brits france out of

the wild by that it's there nevertheless eighty percent of voters have said that they have already made up their minds be it the cycles eat hotdogs or leader of the two. rabid highness an independent journalist specializing on france says if one saw one defeat the nicholas the cozy front the will play a much calmer and more measured role on the world stage the biggest change you have to say is that it will be one of style stucco z. this is it's very dramatic he leaps into a plane and flies to georgia where he intervenes dramatically in libya very vocal in his hostility to syria and iran i think if all of these elected only visit i know means. he will be much more carm and withdrawn partly because he doesn't carry the experience to credibly neatly into the forefront if you like but also by temperament he used much more of

a synthesizer as the saying goes than done so because he's much less a dramatic personality and i think because he thinks that france needs a change from the slightly energetic style of leadership of nicolas sarkozy but i think one has to say that there are a big question marks but far smaller and he's never been a minister of any sort i mean this is i would say probably almost unique in a major western country that someone's got this far in the electoral process and they've never served in any sort of you know like office at a national level also there and of course there is the other faction at least half of the country have a big question mark about whether they really want a socialist government because they always suspect fairly or unfairly the socialists will tax and spend and maybe that's not appropriate for the present circumstances. now as friends hold its collective breath wondering who the country's future president will be russia is preparing for the no gration of its next leader dmitri medvedev will hand over to vladimir putin at

a ceremony in the mcniff isn't halls of the kremlin it's all happening on monday and we'll be covering it live searching in and seven thirty g.m.t. . for. the first arraignment hearing of the self can for us nine eleven mastermind and his accomplices got off to a rocky start on saturday as the defendants remained resident be silent at a military tribunal in guantanamo bay khalid shaikh mohammad repeatedly refused to

answer the judge's questions while his co-defendants and knelt in prayer the five men have been charged with almost three thousand counts of murder for the two thousand and one attacks and could face the death penalty however this was their for his hearing in almost three years american lawyer eric in one tulfo believes the timing of a military tribunal it's politically motivated. within twenty four hours of president obama taking office issued an executive order to close guantanamo bay as the most powerful leader in the world and that did not occur for what reason i have no idea three years later on the eve of another election i think what they're trying to do is take that issue off the table and say well we're at least trying to proceed in an orderly fashion but i think it's a fairly thin veil and people will be able to see through it does a tremendous injustice to the memory of those victims are not a liberal and i think it does

a tremendous justice to that saying that we call the justice system in america and you know it's going to highlight you know an embarrassing chapter in our history so in the end what you're going to see is a tremendous amount of incompetency as they proceed forward and there are going to be appeals and this thing is going to linger on. you're watching r t and still ahead for you in the program a questionable resolution after three months of student protests in q back and at least one hundred arrests government officials claim to found a solution but will bring an end to canada's violent clashes. perfectly legal and peaceful action by radical islamists in germany spoke serious concerns over growing muslim extremism in europe. a prominent human rights activists has been arrested in bahrain in a move that could further escalate the gulf kingdoms of fifteen month old undressed

and to regime protest jabba has been detained at bahrain's international airport with no comment made on the reasons for the arrest the claims however they could be linked to this a recent meeting with the world's most notorious whistleblower julian assange and a you have a chance to see his latest interview before his capture and choose dates show the world tomorrow right here on r.t. . and speak to two leading revolutionaries one brain we were told was the egypt where the revolution is now in turmoil what makes a revolution and where is the arab spring going to go. at least five people are reported did in syria's second largest city of aleppo after an explosion at a car wash it follows the blogs that ripped through the capital damascus there were

no casualties when the bomb which was attached to an army vehicle went off in front of a military institute there are unconfirmed reports of a second blast in the city damascus has also been the scene of mess rallies are following the funerals of those killed in clashes on friday between rebels and the army parties a separate has more. the bodies of the dead they carried through the streets of damascus. the people who were killed under the station they get on the way you can just look at how many people have turned out there are thousands of people here. are the story you've got the military security watching. now this comes as the u.n. observers are in the country touring around different areas tasked with verifying the implementation the u.n. envoy kay finance peace plan now casey and spokes person has come out and said that

peace plan despite reported violations from both sides is back on track now really the message from the u.n. envoy spokesperson was that this crisis that has now been going on for more than a year is not going to be solved in a day is not going to be solved overnight syria's gearing up for parliamentary elections next week people feel that against the backdrop of a lack of security and of continuing violence that is simply not the right time to be holding these parliamentary elections but of course we've heard a lot of people calling for this push for democracy in the country to be implemented through the ballot box and not three bullets. egypt's political transition continues to be scarred with intensifying violence less than three weeks before the country's first presidential elections up to last year's revolution a curfew has been extended for another night after friday rarely and in fear of clashes between protesters and security forces in cairo moving at least one person

dead and scores injured correspondent in the region policia has the details. well friday's violence a city have been triggered when protesters ignored warnings not to approach the defense ministry building they started throwing stones at security forces who responded with tear gas and water cannons and according to a number of eyewitnesses they were rounds of live ammunition that were fired what is particularly significant those are for the first time we witnessing hard line islamists at the forefront of these what have become a weekly demonstration is with the ruling military and when we talk about islamists we're talking here about the powerful muslim brotherhood as well as the ultra conservative party and all of this comes hot on the heels of diddy caches earlier in the week on wednesday in front of the defense ministry building and here we see allegations go forward and backwards between the security forces and the protesters in terms of who started it so these surging violence is affecting the election

campaign in what we witnessing is that these street battles are raising fears of a new cycle of violence ahead of these presidential elections on the twenty third and twenty fourth of may be violence has also left the campaigning in turmoil already two front runners as well as civil as the candidates see candidates have an ounce there they are temporarily suspending their campaigns in protest against the heavy handedness in which the ruling military has been dealing with protesters there is also anger increasing across the spread of political spectrum against the supreme council of the armed forces they also say that the generals are not sincere about really wanting to hand over all the power come the twenty fourth of may and that they're trying to. maneuver a way that they can still maintain some kind of control over the reins of the cerruti what we've been hearing from the generals it's coming twenty fourth of may if there is a one hour flight winner from one of the thirteen candidates who is standing in these presidential elections they will hand over power but as i say increasingly

egyptians on the street don't believe the word of the ruling military in quebec a can of the students and government officials have reportedly reach an agreement after three months of massive protests against jewish infield hikes meanwhile at least nine people have been injured and one hundred arrested after the most recent riots descended into violence on friday and saturday. a politician in the national assembly of care back says the canadian government spends billions of dollars on its military to side with the us second flies in the needs of its own people. all these policies of the canadian government. are now heavily relying on defense defense policy with billions of spending uniquely in the last two years have been almost more than thirty five billion dollars of spending announced. with contracts with. american farm builders and in the same time the transfer to the

provinces and money needed for the transfer for education for example has been to tail so in those circumstances governments like to look at the government is holding back on its social spending this is just on acceptable by the back and the median standard it's almost unbelievable what was what has happened in the last three months because the police reacted so violently in a very disproportionate manner to some disturbances which would have been very easily. controllable by the government being on their very harsh. i would say pressure from all parts of society to come out of the crisis i think has lost control over its police force russia's

republic of dagestan has been mourning the victims of there is a night train terror attacks two successive powerful blast killed thirteen people and injured more than one hundred r.t.s. marriott international reports from the volatile state. it's a sad fact that the recent attacks on police and authorities and take a stand and really the latest incidents in a long running history of violence in russia's volatile caucasus region thursday's tragedy has already become the most devastating in months to massive car blasts in the outskirts of the capital markets and woke up the entire city. at home watching t.v. then we heard an explosion. down and broke around twenty cars were destroyed and the scene was littered with human body parts some even thrown as far as nearby trees and rooftops. spread for hundreds of meters around. my brother i'm a doctor. my brother almost died of. but they

were among the lucky ones as their tech claimed more than a dozen lives policeman rescuers local residents the first explosion took off here when officers from this police post stopped the car for documents checked apparently the driver was a suicide bomber minutes later as many police cars and ambulances teams and emergency crews and fire brigades reach the area the second loss the courage it was much more powerful you can see the crater is huge one some reports say the second blast had a force of one hundred kilos in t.n.t. coolant and it claimed the most victims the investigators have already identified the owners of both exploded cars. the double attack one more after another is a tactic commonly used by international terrorist organizations such as and qaeda in places like iraq and afghanistan is designed to kill as many people as possible

the president of darkest and was away when the blasts happened in a bitter irony he was at a congress in moscow highlighting a counterterrorism complains. recent success. because this region has been suffering attacks by islamist terrorists for years this recent one the deadliest militants strike is part of this and go in battle between russia's federal forces and militants and it's unlikely to be the last refinish now to report in from in russia's biggest town clashes broke out in the german city of bond between local police and followers of a radical islamic sala fist wing fighting erupted when they slam a stage a counter demonstration against them and to muslims rally the radicals have been distributing free copies of the qur'an in major cities sparking concerns among some in germany over the spread of muslim extremism there's nothing illegal however about the which there is behind it say it's freedom of expression of t.s.a.

you cannot investigate. afternoon prayer in central. and once the worshipping ended the free distribution of qur'an continued. three hundred thousand copies in over one hundred across most sports of germany. if the bible can be distributed why not the koran. there's nothing illegal about handing out the koran the campaign may be provocative since it kicked off during easter but it's not even the timing which drew so much attention but who is behind the distribution. the southeast movement is one of the most radical wings of islam known for its truth interpretations of the koran and in association with jihad the holy war against nonbelievers and punishments that can include amputation and storming not exactly the most constitutional penalties this

sums up the credo mention who gives men the right to create laws the right belongs to. we're going to mine the locals of this community the campaign's long term goal is to put twenty five million copies of the koran into german forms but it's not clear which interpretation is being used but. there are passages about violence especially against women who are not protected by the law as men would be also about violet's it gets the faithful. it says here this is only an approximate translation. one of germany's most influential service leaders has already been charged in cologne with inserting the public to commit illegal acts. i do believe these people are dangerous they don't just which is ok but they're trying to draw the youth into

a specific interpretation which promotes violence. the distribution of religious literature is protected by the constitution being part of the right to the freedom of opinion and religion as long as it doesn't promote violence. it's not officially established if that's the case with all the grounds being given by the zionists so for now the only legal option for the german authorities is to stand aside and watch. r t berlin. and now some more stories making headlines around the world at this hour on a river near one of nepal the most popular result has burst its banks and stepped away a village killing thirteen people floodwaters from the soil and set to reverse smash into buildings leaving seventeen missing including three tourists on the helicopters and a private airliner have been deployed to the area for rescue operation. fourteenth people have been killed when a fire tore through a drug rehab and taishan clinic in peer room and investigation is underway but the

blaze is reported to have begun after one of the patients said lie to a mattress this follows another drug clinic fire in the country that killed twenty seven patients in january this year. thousands have marja through tokyo to maga japan switching off it's a last working nuclear reactor for the first time in over forty years and the country will be without atomic energy after intense public opposition following the fukushima plant caused by last year's s quake and tsunami the government had been eager to restart some reactors fearing blackouts and rising emissions as they turn to other possible says. as the us government introduced cuts at all levels of public education los angeles parents teachers and children have rallied in forces saying the cuts have put education beyond the reach of many they blame washington for failing standards after slashing the education budget in recent years artie's

a question of listened to their plight. parents who join forces can be a powerful voice for change. how you think i was reflection or actually i was ok with being the third here but this is being observed if the governor is caught you would go into friday night from two thousand and three chill to a world of experience of forty six percent much you can no eleven year old vanessa had to repeat her grade and was well behind agents reading ability she lives with her mother to remain in the port town insulting california. frustration over what she sees as the school's failings and that her to use the state's pioneering parent trigger law we were outraged disappointed and felt that we had to do something find a way to make a positive change her children the law allows parents at

a school with consistently poor results to file a petition to reform this court although rejected by the local authority this in this case parents are taking it all the way to the courts. i don't want to get upset but it's frustrating because i want my daughter to get a good kitchen of my son's three or four he's going to be getting killed over i mean if he starts in this school might as well keep in my home because he's not going to be in there and we need to get the best for him and for both on because i want to go to her opportunities and not to be become somebody i'd like. to learn to doesn't stand alone when it comes to dating standards how imported by the state coffers are running on empty. or programs and even the number of teachers have all been cut and the axe has a step swing gania that's. been proposed twenty twelve budget with slashing further five point two billion dollars from public school funding now unless it can be

persuaded to have income taxes. for now. some schools here are moving to four day weeks canceling field trips and charging students to play sports while mothers like since you do read are trying to take the law into their own hands and show this story geez that their children deserve the right to a decent education but you know question archie reporting from california. being a member of a secret society can apparently grant you an elevated sense of status and palm but how much influence can you give would you in the world stage our resident laurie hoffman is on the streets of new york to find out the opinions of people they. do you believe a secret elite is running the world this week let's talk about that there doesn't seem to be any compelling evidence the world has too many. disparate and

independently acting things and functions in it for there to be sort of a single. ball of individuals instructing them where to go it just doesn't seem credible to me what about groups like the bills or bridge group or the bohemian club those kinds of things i think a lot of that is just sort of overblown and just rhetorical but there are groups of people that are powerful man they get together once a year and no one knows what they're talking about but we know that they get together what do you think they're talking about. i get together with my friends couples homes here nobody knows who are talking about either so i don't really care about what these are you don't think that they're making decisions that influence your life. do exists. in a part of the world but not the whole world so it seems there is a lot of different groups with different goals so there's a little element of it but it's not as evil as people might think yes exactly i don't really have an opinion on it i mean if you know rich people are rich people are going to have their own little country club that's fine with me to really

bother me but money influences the world's right true but many of these people probably are employing us right. so it seems like most people don't even care whether or not there's a secret elite group of people ruling the world and if they do exist that's probably just the way they like it. i'll be back in a couple of minutes with the headlines and right after the latest edition of moscow . it's. the.

height fifty two meters. weight more than a thousand times its. skin thickness thirty centimeters the guinness record. commemorating the battle of stalingrad. the motherland call up on our team.

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it is to get them. before which is work. on the real world. something real. he is he to.

say let's take a quick headline. in the country president. and his station his rival for. and so a law and in an election which has shall be split the country. the self-proclaimed mastermind of the nine eleven terror attacks on through the judges questions with the stony silence at a guantanamo court some critics however believe the timing of the military tribunals is politically motivated. and a day of mourning is observed in russia as republic of dagestan for the victims of a double bombing which rock the cap.