margetts weiner scandal. find out what's really happening to the global economy is cause a report on our. president insists his government is in control of the country's security and foreign policy in an interview with our teams people of l. but nato and its allies increasingly consider pulling out of the conflict amid a surge in violence. murky money and the monarchy queen elizabeth's cousin gets a million dollars windfall from a fugitive russian tycoon raising concerns over how he might benefit from the generous gesture. serious violence spills into neighboring lebanon with deadly sectarian watches as fears grow in syria itself but extremists could be driving the country's deep division.

three pm in moscow i met a good to have you with us here on r t our top story there's been a spike in violence in afghanistan with bomb blast in the north of the country killing at least nine people yes equation comes as the country prepares to take full control of security in more areas and a week before nato nato chicago summit as artie's tessera sillier reports the alliance support for ongoing involvement in the embattled nation has never been lower afghanistan the tuber two thousand and one and nato led international military offensive and response to the september eleventh attacks in the u.s. largely backed by international partners more than a decade ago now after tens of thousands of casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars later this will not be quick norreys. one thing that's

not keeping pace is support over seventy percent of the u.k. population more troops are the figure is rising in the u.s. sixty three percent last week want to see an end to the war and this is what it's come down to nations breaking ranks with nato by deciding to pull out troops earlier than planned france the fourth largest contributor of troops to the war saw a rise in ante natal rhetoric in its presidential campaign season with most french in favor of early withdrawal and australia's latest nation to make a surprise announcement raising the question of whether more will follow suit a potential sticking point at nato summit in chicago no not at all concerned. should we stay or should we go that is a question several members of the alliance for france australia have been mulling over ten years into the war in afghanistan but for some of them the answer is already a foregone conclusion as it has become increasingly difficult to justify staying on board what some have already dubbed simply ship the security in afghanistan is

worse now than it was ten years ago when the invasion began not to mention justifying the cost of war to skeptical europeans who are already in over their heads with debt the afghan war after ten years is having a disaster effect on all the countries connected to it but the clearest way to bring. the clearest way to stop the war spilling over the borders into other countries and the occupation know the advice that should be given to all the major powers that. work in afghanistan is to get out as some appear to be rushing for the exit nation when the us may find themselves wondering who's going to be the last man standing as the water rises does or cilia r.t. . well afghanistan situation remains alarmingly volatile its president seems confident in the country's ability to control its security and foreign policy arc

he sat down with ahmed karzai to talk about the challenges of the full interview coming up later today here's a preview. from constantly in a strong didn't get it. to do with with pakistan and with our other neighbors but at the same time this it gets the complicated relationship between the united states and islam about the is they do have an impact on us and afghanistan is affected by it both ways. from the from approx thirty perspective and from an american perspective but we have issues we don't see a lot of nations with parks them from an american perspective we don't see a little issues with iran from an american perspective we do as with a child with china from an american perspective of canister has been able in spite of all of needs if i can put it in short words in spite of all of

dependence on the united states and nato we have developed an independent foreign policy and the full interview coming up in about twenty five minutes here on r t so stay with us after the half hour headlines. it could have been a simple tale of one friend helping another except the two in this story are a feud a fugitive russian billionaire and the cousin of britain's queen elizabeth london based boris berezovsky has given prince michael of kent more than half a million dollars financial support raising questions over what a wanted man in russia wants in return for bennett has more from london. the two men are said to be very close but were these payments just a friendly exchange or was there something more to it both sides have been very keen to play down any shady implication here stressing that everything was above board has come out and said that there was nothing underhanded call that just a matter between friends and prince michael of kent who's the queen's first cousin

their fathers were brothers his spokes person has said that everything was conducted properly and all the appropriate tax was paid on these payments they were fifty six payments made in total over the years between two two thousand and two and two thousand and eight to one of prince michael's offshore companies amounting to a massive three hundred twenty thousand pounds so over half a million dollars and serious questions still remain over these cash payments such as what was the money use for and why was it needed neither the questions answered so far by either party lawyer however has said that his client client neither saw nor obtained any benefit from this friendship however it's certainly worth noting here that there is off of the time of these of the first payments was and still is. on the run from the russian government he used to be one of the country's richest men he was highly influential but in two thousand and fled to the u.k. after an investigation was launched into his ass it's so awesome seeking us political

asylum here he was actually convicted in russia in absentia in two thousand and seven for embezzlement he's been living here ever since. and obviously was in his interest that he should be allowed to stay in the u.k. despite numerous extradition requests from russia now he said there was nothing in it for him but the fact that substantial cash payments were made to a member of the royal family here certainly begs the question why were these payments made. u.k. based russian t.v. producer alexander corrupt coast says there is growing anger in the u.k. over refugees using their status to step in where they shouldn't the year reign to prince michael probably would be very confirmed concerns about the issues welfare and i think that is. who have supported the pretty soon it's yet their american journalist told me actually referring to that article. well i didn't know that the

house of windsor takes blood money so that is the opinion of many people i spoke with many in greece not being offended with with people who are you know easy in their position using their states of the refugee to basically bring a volatile political on the rest elsewhere who will use in that simply as a leverage and i think that it's not going to reflect very nicely either prince michael or mr there is will skew. stay with us here on r.t. plenty still to come including the euro choice for greece austerity bread to take. the only way to sort of the problem is the power of the coal seams in time this is all still to come continue things in abeyance and it's euro exit gets closer as anti-poaching parties hold out form a coalition while citizens in you why rally over being forced to suffer at the hands of banks. was

a commute to the cosmos becomes second nature of her season astronauts the countdown to lift off still has family on the ground feeling uneasy all that still to come stay with us. my married mother did not like with her because. he was afraid. and she was very cool. she filled. our lives frankenstein's monster.

we don't have the problem. every time and effort is made. on the palestinian or on the european side to negotiate an end to the violent attacks against israel which i have no fear of war for being. so long as you have no. calling the leader of the state of israel one of the main terrorists in the world. we are supposed to be seriously examining history but you mention a few words about jewish culture labyrinth and people gets so upset this is i'm sorry to say it's a form of emotional blackmail. that's

are staying with us here on r t eleven minutes past the hour and last go deadly sectarian violence owing to syria's own arrest shaking neighboring lebanon and its northern city of tripoli. thank you. elise five have been killed in clashes between sunni muslims opposed to president assad an alawite supporters of the syrian leader over the last three date we while syria itself claims it's being targeted by a terrorist alliance comprised of al qaida and elements backed by regional powers the country's been enduring a series of deadly suicide bombings the deadliest in damascus thursday that claimed fifty five lives and authorities are a fourth reports there's growing sense of a third player being into the civil conflict with its own terrifying plans. it was

a little known terror group the al nasra front they claimed responsibility for last week's massive bombing in syria the blast carried out in a busy residential area designed to cause maximum damage damascus which the so long had been through and they sheltered from the conflict throughout the rest of the country as in recent months found out the target of an increased bombing campaign this latest explosion it can fit the largest one you can just see the devastation that is. at the scene angry crowds at the quite them as terrorists shouting blame at saudi arabia. is blame that many analysts are saying these countries actions are undermining the peace process if you. put the support. of america.

to the. everything will be finished within a month but if they want to continue supporting them they want to be in the region chatting amongst the rubble as people show us the ruins. and what is one of damascus is poor it's neighborhoods there's a real sense of a revolution spinning out of control syria's uprising began as a peaceful pro-democracy movement but a splinted into a confusing mix of various groups political and nonpolitical. and the continued instability here has left the country wide open to attacks like this taking place. it's a plug problem it's invaluable for the syrians that their policy a very easy provided the chance for everyone to in the world to interfere in this you know. either by providing arms of providing

funds oh providing fighters and soldiers and terrorists as people are left to bury their dead and with the hospitals full the syrian people are once again trying to rebuild their homes and their lives and the focus has once again turned to the on going peace mission which is looking more and more by the day a wall is now in place around the blast site stark reminder that terror has served only as yet another barrier to peace here sara for the syria. and arab countries where a revolution did happen there is now questions about how much they're actually following the path to democracy in egypt tunisia and libya recently barred anyone involved in their toppled regimes from taking part in the new elections as well here in the next hour our media monitor sharif nashashibi says that the moves or in the way for further conflict. what these electoral laws are doing in

a way just the same as what those regimes that was barring candidates from running and that is inherently antidemocratic. you should give people the choice. you should be able to gauge the level of support that the officials from the full reasons. if they don't have any support then let them fail electoral rather than make them political monsters and this could create the kind of instability. and extremism. greece's bailout pact with its international creditors is proving to be an impossible obstacle for the country's party leaders the latest bid to form a coalition a week after the election still far from a done deal with talks continuing monday the far left has ruled out any deal with the pro belo parties saying they don't want to be quote partners in crime this brings greece a step closer to new all actions of the political deadlock cast doubt over its eurozone membership the e.u.

is indicated the only way for athens to stay in the club is to stick to the bailout agreement journalist don't lecture upon to get a satiric default could be guaranteed by other countries massive debts and low. i think the only way to sort of the problem is to have a radical change in turn this is austerity cannot continue if you know what it is a choice between austerity and democracy the people have rejected the terms of the bailout agreements they have rejected that there is a little oh no green it's. all right because a different policy how worse. we are in this case the end of the recession we have unemployment over trying to i'm thirty two percent there's no exit. exit strategy and people are in despair and this is what's happened in the last election this most was expressed this social divest took a poll. the question is not whether or when greece is going to exit but how

i think the difference exits from the eurozone practically inevitably. taking a look now at some other stories making headlines across the globe an aircraft carrying twenty one people has practiced in the himalayas fifteen confirmed dead six critically injured survivors were hauled from the wreckage it's thought technical problems on the plane caused it to hit a mountain as it turned to land at a high altitude airport in an area popular with tourists it's the second crash involving the same local airline and as many from. a gas pipeline in eastern yemen's been blown up again by suspected islamic militants no one has yet admitting to the blast but authorities are blaming al qaeda which is carried out the previous two attacks on the pipeline latest explosions may have been in retaliation for sunday's skirmishes between yemeni government forces and insurgents that resulted in at least thirty dead militants. mexico's drug wars have taken

a new gruesome turn forty nine headless mutilated bodies have been out along a highway connecting monterrey to the u.s. security official suspect the forty three men and six women were migrants headed for the states and may have been killed days ago and then dumped near the highway mexico's drug cartels often leave multiple bodies in public places as warnings to their rivals. final pepper preparations being made before a russian soyuz rocket soars to the heavens with an international team of three aboard since nasa is shuttle fleet was grounded last year the u.s. has been relying on russian spacecraft are to go met the crew and their families as they countdown to lift off. it's a well rehearsed routine for people working at the baikonur cosmodrome top level security precisely worked out procedures and imposing looking rocket prepared for takeoff for two crewmembers who will head towards the ice s. on tuesday this will not be their first trip towards the stars but their family

members who are left behind on terra firma still cannot help but get butterflies everytime their loved ones take off for american blastoff number two but his relatives are no less anxious reassured by the looks of that rocket behind us in the manner of which they appear to be doing this sort of we're showing that there are pros in the war and taking care of myself commander is a man with a lot of experience under his belt eight spacewalks and five missions go a long way towards taking an eye assess trip in your stride. problems. the rookie two years a run to the fairing and i'm really grateful to everyone who did in excellent job. so what's involved in becoming so calm and collected before space mission training of course but also

a whole lot of patience generally cosmonauts have to buy their time for years before getting the chance of a date with the stars. always nine years that i've been waiting it's been training and learning it's all you think about tests and learning like eternal students. perhaps that's why those who do this regarded as a truly stellar experience. first starting from kazakhstan training in russia different sized crew for a different mission a long time on space station so the whole thing is a completely different experience other than of course of course being in space and the signal from up there and working in a way alyson us in by canoe or. on our web say we have the details of sky high orbit that is fixed firmly to the ground orbit being the name of the roller coaster site style sculpture of gold to mark the new london olympics although there are some who are seeing red rather than you to take

a trip to the top of britain's paulo's monument and find out why at r.t. dot com. plus and promising to love honor and download the first somewhat unusual wedding a pretty officially recognized church of optimism his congregation sees file swapping as sacred we'll tell you more online. sigrid lumber tour. was able to build most sophisticated robots. found anything tim's mission to teach the creation why it should care about humans and. this is why you should care only.

the end. dmitri joins us now with all the latest from the business day. so the markets keep falling and falling is there hope for a change of the weather anytime soon well some experts say there is but to the worse actually because they say a perfect storm could hit the global economy next year which would kick the u.s. economy back into recession and disrupt the eurozone that's according to new real roubini also known as dr doom now he says the reasons for this is of course

financial turmoil in the u.s. and the e.u. but also an economic slowdown in china and potential military escalation in iran now the warning side of the coming storm is the freefall that we're seeing in the political situation in europe that's according to steven jacobson from saxo bank i think what has happened since the first quarter is really that the political situation is getting out of control and that's in treme important for both the market and the outlook you just talked about because really in my opinion free individual pieces to to a crisis there is the economic situation which is just getting from bad to worse then there is a fluid situation which is moved into a freefall in my opinion and then you have to start my get an evaluation of the stock market to some extent is only natural that when you have. to tell when the economic situation then clearly you will need to see valuations come down you can

only keep the stock market elevated for so long when the underlying fundamentals as we can say are right now. all right really european markets are diving into a pool of red as you can see there with the foot sea and the dax declining almost two percent and this is of course due to the political stalemate that is happening in greece with it being unable to form a coalition government and that's a very worrying for investors over in asia at the close we saw a mixed picture with the nikkei slightly positive on the back of reform in china over the weekend to reduce the reserve ratio for banks and therefore ease monetary policy but the hang seng joined in on the global selling and in russia pretty much not changed since the previous hour two point three percent there from both for the r.t.s. the my six there in paul today as the rubles descended descending against four

currencies now if we take a look at the main movers on the myself you see that because of all the energy price of looking them in just a second gazprom is declining more than three percent gold is down two percent also on lower commodities and seven continents is hanging up much better than the market down just point one percent as a company has announced it's not going to be paying dividends this. on the commodities market we are seeing a drop continue drop of light sweet and brant more than one half dollars almost two dollars per barrel this is a five month low a fresh one and as we've heard from a saudi arabia's minister he said that a brand should be trading at around one hundred dollars per barrel as opposed to the year hundred ten half that we're seeing as out and on the currency markets we're seeing continued drop of the euro versus the dollar because of this political tension going on notably in greece and well in france as it illustrates that

basically your presence shows that the population is fed up with all the austerity measures proposed and the a ruble is now. walling of verses of the book gaining just a notch against the year. that's all i have for you this hour joe my colleague. will be here next. very good thanks very much dimitri and coming up next afghan president hamid karzai speaks with artie's p.l.o. bell about the challenges his country is facing and what's ahead once the u.s. and nato depart after the headlines stay with us.

to what extent when i would call them paid mercenaries how much are they going to be in your defense to protect your administration and your successors none none of you saying the mercenaries like blackwater will not play a major role in this kind of this is one of the issues over. they will be here they will be knocked as far as the afghan government's go so no way. no way way no.

the. russians would be soon which brightened if you knew about sunk from fungus to the pressure inside. these flu starts on t.v. dot com. it.