hello and welcome to r.t. twenty four hour news live from moscow new leadership of our up with the latest news and a review of the week's events first polls have opened in france as millions choose between the two candidates in the runoff vote the defending president nicolas sarkozy has a radical a and the election isn't a knives edge as he closed in on a rival francois hollande and the final paul's. visit at the headquarters of both candidates. as the french prepare to choose the future of their country word on the street here in paris is that they're likely to get a socialist president the first in seventeen years in the form of now here in front of the socialist party's headquarters there's certainly high hopes for that but of course nothing is certain until the french cast their ballots of polling agencies are the closest gauge of the public's polls incumbent nicolas sarkozy is still trailing behind along by between four and seven points in the last final pitch he presented himself as a president who will unite the country blaming cycle for having been

a divisive president alluding to his anti immigration rhetoric for instance poland also says he will be the want to bring back equality to the country narrow the gap between the rich and the poor essentially by heavily taxing big companies and rich individuals a lot it's also been one of the loudest voices calling for more growth in the euro zone criticizing a sturdy driven measures imposed so far by the e.u. now some say that a vote for a launch is essentially a vote for change but others would point out that only in the sense that they've had enough of nicolas sarkozy now on sarkozy side there's a sense of cautious optimism the president's re-election bid has been an uphill battle but the fight is not over for him yet he has appealed to what he has called the silent majority of people who he says do not want to see france go the direction that greece went on criticizing the socialist plan said he does not want to see more spending deficits higher debt and risk and indeed the markets have been jittery at the prospect of a no longer victory especially since there is a potential for a franco german deadlock on the fiscal pact that was agreed upon and what sarkozy

is hoping for now is to get the voters of the national pen as well as a centrist bayrou finished fifth in the race now at a time when unemployment is a top priority of french people it's not surprising that foreign policy is taking a back seat however it will be soon enough that the next president will have to deal with these matters so as the french go out and vote and choose a france that they want the rest of the world is watching and waiting to see what kind of france they will have to deal with. tesser so you are to paris. and do stay with r.c. for constant updates from france's militias that choose their next president. the syrian government has granted amnesty to two hundred sixty five rebels ahead of monday's multi-party parliamentary vote the fast such election in decades meanwhile a series of blasts rocked syria's capital damascus and the northern city of aleppo today killing at least three civilians and reports now as blood is continuing to

bits played by both the regime forces and the opposition hopes to rest on the growing u.n. observer mission. in the heart of damascus thousands come out to. the funerals of people killed during clashes in the capital once again drew into focus the very precarious situation the country now finds itself before the bodies of that they carried through the streets of damascus you are all the people who were killed under the station they just the story you've got the military the security watching that this is at the same time as the u.n. observers are supposed to be here overseeing the peace plan and not only in the day we have joined the u.n. observers one of the daily too is to flash point areas. this have been traveling to some of the areas where the this is by things being breaking out and you can see on the ground small slow steps are being taken in the observers are really going to be

wanting over the coming period to be building on the observers are also based full time in some cities like homs and it led many have felt that their presence there has bought some indian or we have little time between stops to speak to the people who live here those we do talk to tell us that the last few days have been quiet they don't know how long that will last the situation is much going on it was not much happening to. them about special people. people shooting and i ran away i do. exactly what was happening we're here at the checkpoints on the device you know the u.n. have just done. through the area it's been a very very fast trip they've literally driven through stopping at some of the military checkpoints around here to speak to some of the people but no more than five ten minutes at a time to give you barely enough time to speak to some of the people in the area and get a feel for exactly what's been happening here was the observers presence here does

seem to have made some school in the situation in the country is stable tension in the capital of damascus is palpable explosions here a regular occurrence now and security everywhere. firefighters rushed to the demonstration services themselves admitted a resolution. that night and it will have to come in large parts of the syrian people. but with parliamentary elections next week and with the observer mission under close scrutiny scenes like this would do anything to raise tapes that this mission will be a success but they will say show the very real and urgent need for it to be say so . and later this hour we'll speak to also on the walker responded chris hedges who things there's no point in pushing for the ouster of syria's president when there's no organized opposition in the country. 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 bases 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 my feeling is that everything should be pushed through to create some kind of a ceasefire rather than bad. a resolution that calls for a removal or resolution. that calls for intervention or anything else there's no real formal opposition you know it's a sort of a mess and they just went through this in libya. egypt has seen a sharp surge in violence this week as mass rallies against the military of reviews

and did in deadly clashes tension between the interim authorities and protesters has intensified less than three weeks before the country's first post revolution presidential election on wednesday at least nine people were killed when a group of ultraconservative islamists were targeted by unknown assailants while staging a sit in against that kind of being barred from the race most rush to blame the military for their time but some locals and accident said the protesters were provoked the situation on side a weekly rally that this time was predominantly islamist also resulted in deadly clashes and hundreds of arrests police used water cannon tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the protesters to try to break through the bob why of the defense ministry and while the military keep reiterating there are hundreds of possibly like sure that it actually gets down to our gringo decides. the military wants to crush this revolution every way possible and they're using every tool be have including the government which is not adhering to any of the demands that have been put forth since the first day of the revolution many

believe that even if. you discount transfer of power the civilian government. that won't change anything because in the end of the day i believe that. wants to hand power the day before the thing is that they want to hand over power without being prosecuted for any of the crimes that they have been committed for that they have that they have committed in the past year and a half any outcome that will come out of this presidential process that even the any election process will only favor scout. on to another country that has been seeing antigovernment protests for more than a year a prominent bahrain's human rights activist has been arrested in the capital's airport in an incident many say could start that could further escalate on the rest they had of bahrain's human rights center job was detained upon returning to the country had come back for sunday a court hearing way of faces charges of participating in the protests police have

not given a reason for their arrest but there's speculation it could buildings to a recent interview has given to the world's most famous whistleblower to that assad and advocate are you hot can have a chance to see this latest edition of the we can expand his own show on tuesday right here on r.t. . speak to two leading revolutionaries one from bahrain where the revolution failed was the leadership where the revolution is now in turmoil what makes a revolution and where is the arab spring going to go. president dmitri medvedev has just one more day to enjoy in the kremlin before handing over to vladimir putin as russia's leader also credited for his liberal views and push for reforms as well as steering a reset in relations with the u.s. but various presidents he also saw some of the largest protests in modern russia history actually is a nice and now it takes a look back at the top. but easy d.m.

racey's gave you get out see the meat of that believe it should be the video of one term in the kremlin was it too little time to make a dent in mr medvedev is going to be remembered as someone who had genuine reform intentions and who was impeded on achieving all of those reforms through the political process through the structure of the political system. at the dawn of his presidency georgia attacked south is said here by the media and much of the world community blamed russia destroyer who was in this case that only but he did the actions on the georgian side led to deficit among them a russian peacekeepers children women the elderly a dying in south a set of most of them are citizens of the russian federation those responsible for

the deaths of our citizens will be punished mr. wright the misconception that russia attacked georgia put serious strain on international ties into an independent council of europe report up held that georgia launched the attack for months medvedev spahn policy was overshadowed by the war but it wasn't long before our warming in u.s. relations something many argue is his foreign policy legacy the words of the russian president at the time of the reset button press and u.s. and russian relations dramatically improved over the next few years by twenty ten medvedev and obama signed a new start and cut both country's nuclear arsenals by a third. as a result of hard work we've created a treaty that fully complies with the interests of both russia and the us back home

medvedev wants reforms focusing on the justice. system in rule of law. one the people behind bars. this persecution. business people for justice special justified persecution. corruption and i think that he has managed to start some cases jump start the process. but little change from high profile cases like mikhail khodorkovsky russia's former richest man still serving his sentence for economic crimes madrid his push for modernization and diversification could have been a highlight of his presidency and he still has a chance to if he presses on as prime minister. we can be sure that without modernization the russian economy has no future it may be based on vast natural there's also but we cannot rely only on them the job swap with putin was the last

straw for medvedev supporters who hoped he would run for a second term but the secrecy and surprise of the smart added to the negative sentiment prior to the biggest protest russia has seen hears. heard. in december after claims of vote fraud in the parliamentary election medvedev came back on line and laid out changes that his response was too little too late yet but if i propose complex reforms to our political system. i don't discuss that i hear people who are demanding changes and i understand i can with. the outlined a series of measures including the easy registration for political parties and direct polls for regional leaders maybe it is administration continues to strasse how much work is left as he prepares to step aside as president and take over as

prime minister i have loved. says it will be continued under president bush and all initiatives all the strategist discussed with him here you proved all the things the government was a key vehicle to implement all the initiatives put forth by the by present need to be different the critics aren't convinced debates are buzzing over what made it it's like it will be and how his policies might be implemented with back in the family but made with this move this president would have only seen real results during or even after a second term in office even the price should not be a problem are we what we did as president what he might do. and he's now a our team. and the day before he returns to the from then on to government protesters will take to moscow streets opposition activists initially promised

a march of millions but now say they expect only around five thousand people to turn up until noon this let's talk to them not only russia specialist at the university of london mr mccauley welcome to the program sent tens of thousands of people filling square from december to march but says don't support for that protest movement has somewhat evaporated so how do you see its future taking into account today's rally. i would see that as a natural progression because. there was tremendous anger at the results to the duba and then the election of the duma put it but that has dissipated and people now realize it's a fait accompli but ima put in is going to become president dmitri medvedev will be prime minister and you have to accept the challenge now for putin is to arrange a better equitable distribution of wealth because if you ask the protesters what to

read after that after a better standard of living greater say in how the country is run which means have to have a greater chance to live better. to live a better life this corruption and live like people in the outside world so therefore if the economic situation improves if trickles down to this new middle class then the be less protest so you say the protest movement had just accept that . the two outside observers they really seemed like a unified mosse not just fractious minorities is that a fair assessment. yes they broke it up there's no charismatic leader of the opposition me here poor of if you like speaks for the urban middle class the urban with class the very small group in russia. that middle class needs to grow because middle class the middle classes are the bedrock of democracy and a stable country they are the people who make the country work there they're the

engineers the scientists doctors and so on teachers and they're absolutely vital that class has to grow and they have to feel they have a stake in the country the returns are rising and if that can be achieved then there'd be less protest and people would work together to do important challenge is to win them over and to say i'm listening to you are you going to agree to work with you to be a big question stronger because russia economically are present in the very strong position because currency reserves are over five hundred billion dollars all is over one hundred dollars a barrel there's a balance of payments surplus there's a budget surplus and so on from a good economic point of view there's a lot of money there which could which could trickle down and this new middle class would like some of that money they would like to participate in the building of the country and they themselves become richer as part of it. so that's why this is race in russia has changed since person was

a big helm last time and so has apparently been moving the mood among many people in russia's biggest city is all we likely to see a new fashion of him as a leader a he's set. well putin challenge is to define himself as a new leader to provide a vision for the future because he's coming in as a third term president and many young people would say why a third term why not somebody new we need somebody new the new challenges and so on and we'd like to see a new vision and a new face so his challenge is really to say to people i've got a new vision and this is the way we're going to go forward and the key to it of course is the economy the distribution. reduction of corruption and he has to look at the established elites the very powerful economic elites which don't want anything to change they want to keep their wealth and so on but the the new rising

middle class the professionals and so on would like to participate and his challenge is really to reach out to the people outside the elites and say right i have a vision for the country and begin to go forward. because renovate we're going to change because we conquer law and order and gas for the future because if the price of oil and gas goes down the road in trouble you have a bus diversify the infrastructure has to be rebuilt china is racing ahead russia has to compete with china so let's have a new vision let's dip dynamism that's a real challenge for him he's got to be if you like a very dominating but also charismatic leader you mentioned other world powers a person and has been prime minister for the past four years which means officially he wasn't in charge of russia's foreign policy how well he's returned to power i think moscow's relations with other world powers. well russia at present is

economically very strong and i would expect it would put an end to say russia has to be respected it must have a bigger voice in world affairs in the g. eight g. twenty nations you saw so i would speak to him. project russian power to say to you no you states your economy is in tatters you're going you we're going forward and so on to live we want more equal relationship we would like the united states to have to fear less in the outside world would fear less in the middle east for instance but the real challenge for russia is china because china is racing head economically and the future of the russian far east. would almost certainly be in relation to china how is the far east going to develop because if you look at japan south korea and china those are the three more economic superpowers and so the russian far east has to click in to get involved in that region so therefore the

challenge for russia will be to establish better relations with china and perhaps much more chinese investment in russia this is a very sensitive subject but the chinese are prepared to invest in russia they've got the technology they've got the new how russia is also going to do a deal on gas because they can't agree on the price of russian gas to china china needs a gas but at present they just kind of agree on a price russia wants to export it existed to china and china needs of the electricity the chinese are talking about building electricity stations in the far east for the export of electric power to china and so on so there are tremendous problems there's also tremendous opportunities and if you like the asian part of russia look towards china and the and japan and korea those are the countries of the future. and not in russia specially said the university of london this is a holy thank you very much and. thank you. and there will be bringing you live

reports from the anti-government rally in the central moscow as it's set to begin at noon chante and on monday join us for aspirational coverage of the democrates inauguration from seven thirty g.m.t. in the morning. to enter our talks rocked russia's republic of dagestan on thursday night killing thirteen people and injuring more than one hundred two car bombs went off in the

capital within twenty minutes of each other more of a notion of talks to the relatives of some of the victims as they mourn their loved ones. national mourning dagestan under muslim tradition three days after the funerals of family and friends come to the symmetry twice a day to pray and to paris packed to their loved one you see over there go one of two massive car bombs hit the capital markets collapse on thursday claiming more than a dozen lives please freshly dug grave is the final resting place of twenty nine year old police officer out back of his name is hendrik me here. she says he feels lost without his brother who'd acted as the head of the family since their dad passed away years ago. last happened i tried to call him but it very tricky that he called me back saying he was around to go into the sea to help he

said all those fine with him but the scene is a mess and he has to stay out to help i could hear cries of sobbing through his phone he said i'm going to call you in five to ten minutes ok. but he never called back the next time she would see his brother would be in a morgue. piece of metal that had been placed around the dog and it did his chin it came through. the symmetries keeper says at least this family had a body many others received only body parts in plastic bags it's a sad fact that the recent attacks on the police and authorities and his town a merely the latest incident in a long running history of violence in russia's volatile caucasus region but thursday's tragedy has already become the most devastating in months the first explosion took off here when officers from this police post stopped the car for documents check apparently the driver was

a suicide bomber minutes later as many police cars and i'm real and stains and emergency crews and fire brigades reach the area the second last occurred it was much more powerful you can see the crater is huge one some reports say the second last had a force of one hundred kilos into intake roland and it claimed the most victims the double attack one more after another as 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 if they arrive jihadi networks around the region is hosting is dreaming is even. funding some of the activities of you know terrorist in russia in an instant lives were snuffed out families left devastated. women again under the rules of islam don't go to cemeteries they grieve at home the mother along with the wife or the

t.p.o. say he never liked cameras and they have to console themselves with a few pictures they have. left in the morning and then came back you forgot something i told him this is a bad luck will be fine mom he tried to calm me but. i don't know how long i'm gonna live but i'll live for value and. leaves behind two little girls. were you really i'll tell them to be good girls is their father is watching us and will tell them to be proud of him because he was a brave man he ran to help and died he was the best father in the world i'll tell you. an option r t in russia's state just on. your up to date and out of whack with a recap of this week's top stories shortly. join

me on a journey to the heart of the kremlin to a place is hidden from the tourists you're going to meet some real credible insiders although they may not be the usual news makers you see on t.v. .

because it. wealthy british soil. is not on the books because the current. market why not. come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with much stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines conjure reports.

this is also the headlines. songs has two poles and a run off but which will define what the new class cyclizine will but the latest easy need to sweat from his heart is by the crippling debt crisis. they've gyptian presidential campaign is marred by escalating violence as protests against the military and its turn from being peaceful and in deadly clashes. russia's no this is a swamp by point to say the republic of dagestan that lets people dead and more than a hundred injured. government is expected in moscow a day before policemen take it from to be treated better as from this president.