live from moscow have by guilt by default confusion and conflicting reports over the houla massacre prove no barrier to further demonize and also the france now threatening military intervention in syria. allegations that saudi arabia is going well beyond the call of duty in its support for syrian rebels with suicide bombers apparently being auctioned off to join rebel ranks. and it's crunch time for julian assange as a u.k. court prepares to pass a final judgment on whether the whistleblower should be extradited to sweden over

alleged sex crimes. plus speculation over reports washington parachuted spies into north korea in science a fresh wave of tension and distrust on the peninsula. next we discuss the tactics being used against another so-called rogue state the wrong and exclusive interview with israel's deputy prime minister. with me i have dan meridor the deputy israeli prime minister and minister of intelligence and atomic energy so thank you very much for joining us here on r.t. to be with you the million dollar question is israel preparing for war with iran the one thing we should not speak on of war with iran i don't think that war is something one discusses in good families in public i think it's wrong the renin issue is the most important issue we're dealing with the nuclearization of iran

becomes the most important issue of international politics we are. trying as much as we can with the rest of the world i would say to stop iran from becoming nuclear and yet today has been a lot of war with craig from much of israel's political leadership but on the other hand people like yourself have come on record and said that you will not support a war with iran so obvious see disagreement in the israeli political when the issue of iran is of great importance i think that. if there is determination. resource and persistence in the word that is interesting here we feel a very broad coalition unprecedentedly broad all the arab world but syria. most of the west i believe other countries will russia was on it two years ago in the un security council we i think have enough leverage all of us together to condition the rain's going to be heavier and higher price with every month that passes if we

don't stop this. attempt to get nuclear but none of the rands critics including as well have given hard facts that prove that iran's intention is to build a nuclear weapon or that it iran is in a way near building a nuclear weapon so why is this so much fear and concern first of all that iran wants to have nuclear weapons we have no doubt i think that the international atomic energy agency in vienna published a report last november thing the head a weapons group they describe the weapons group outworked why do you take it seriously they really do ship. i mean a thirty openly again and again is version not exist. it should be removed as a cancer tumor in the middle east but you did admit that ahmed and it added not saying that iran would wipe israel off the map. will approve israel the concert or is that the different metaphor but not a different conference he might not have said these words but the content the same

rhetoric a lot of statements but all of them in the leadership is that should not exist in a two thousand and eight interview at medinah jack was asked that if the palestinian leaders agreed to accept a two state solution could he ran live with that and his answer was that if they agree to that well then they will respect that decision does that not suggest that there is a tiny opening for dialogue or some kind of work between as well any when i hear him again and again i heard him two or three weeks ago. here in my office twenty or thirty statements a piece of others saying you know is that is not legitimate it should not exist it is on the verge of collapse anyway now what is it if not direct threat against our existence iran has not attacked anyone in recent history why would it attack israel if israel did not attack you when iran. has not attacked israel directly iran is supplying weapons of the most advanced the kind that they

have to all our enemies be syria be his beloved be promise again and again iran is frightening the saudi arabian government why is that they never take anybody. why is the arab world in such turmoil and such a fear of an earring in the b nation is always thought to have several hundred nuclear weapons is this not a question of double standards why should israel be allowed to have it whereas iran can't we never said we have nuclear weapons we never said we have we don't react to this the fact well this interview interesting that all the arab countries who may think that we have a low i never confirm or deny never said because these are has it we'll have it but when they hear iran is going to get it if you don't get it we get it. isn't that a sign if approved the real danger for the stability and peace in this region for

these regimes is iran not israel if there was a strike what would it look like are we talking about some kind of israeli aerial strike or would israel consider sending in ground forces or not speak of a military option at all not in general not in specific terms i don't think it's right i think it's not helping us if we have the rain is not us i don't speak of it i'm very hopeful the sanctions. will work when sanctions just make you a new nationalist close rank and support their government more certainty well is there another way to do this if you will dropping from the you don't speak of the french of the not to be working what is the over option iran was asked or all the both security council not to enrich and they go on rushing along with the united states is building a missile defense shield in the persian gulf what would be the purpose of this if israel had to attack you when they want speak of an attack on iran israel and i'm

not a spokesman for the american. the american defense establishment the american president but it's interesting that the americans and the arab countries. in full agreement about the development in iran and that it needs to be stopped is israel preparing for any rain attack or some kind of way in retaliation if needs to defend itself is the never ask anybody to defend it is a living in area in which there were many enemies i think that we see very positive trend of arab countries leaving the camp of. denial negation and coming to the good guys came by presidents about of egypt signing peace with us king calls in a jordan saying please the people who became rules after them kept the agreement we wish and hope it would be kept longer there have been comments by leading israeli figures that the israeli population have not been told the full consequences of

what an attack on iran would mean do you agree with us. don't think i should speak on the israeli attack on iran i think this is something israeli should not speak oh i'm sorry that some of my colleagues did speak of it or hinted to it i think it's a mistake and i from day one said don't speak of it for fronting or speak for i think the clear the clarity of the object is very poor the objective simple iran should not be there should stop enrichment and stop the building of weapons miss everything go to the and how we do it how we get it we need to be very. balanced and strong and sophisticated when i say we thought only israel it's all those countries we just had a report on how the israeli public is not ready for an attack by event that there aren't any kind of shelters or awareness to get gas masks which begs the question why is the israeli public not being prepared for an attack if there is so much was

coming from the government if the countries of the world who are interested in stopping iran from becoming nuclear. as you are in asking me questions about this we will win no the is there a clandestine war well no doubt that there is. there are things that are done against syrian nuclear capabilities by all players. from the west and other countries probably is on the table from with under the table and things going on not everything should be made public but i think that this is a serious better it's a very serious matter and i think it should be taken care of very seriously and this includes all sorts of actions and i don't speak of war here the united states has said it's against of what event if this remains the situation but israel go it alone we have been used sometimes to stand alone and we threw the alone when other

countries who had to help us a problem type of didn't help us this was the case nine hundred sixty seven when we were attacked will give guarantees that nobody seemed to find the time and we had to fight for our own lives and we did it successfully we do it full time and time but not our idea how to deal with many countries acting for the same goal and we as part of a big coalition they would not fight for us not surely but if they have the same interests as we have the saudis the americans or the french or the germans or the russians as it were two years ago if we have a broad coalition it's much better than to be on our own so of course america is an important player in this world as everybody knows and if america says and the president president obama says iran should not be nuclear will not tolerate a nuclear iran will not continue to play around who prevent iran from becoming the

it's very important if we look at syria our developments there good or bad for israel first of all they're very bad for syria. although syria is an enemy they don't like us at all but when they both and we all are human beings and what one sees on the screen in syria is horrendous. it's not our business to tell the syrians we should rule this is a different perspective it's the one that you just spoke of iran syria is the only arab country. and the axis that was built. between iran syria and hizbollah unholy alliance should i call it this is a very bad axis very dangerous axis. against us against all the arab countries. in that respect this alliance between syria and iran is broken this is good for peace for better peace except for more fundamentalist regime comes to power in syria. i don't know who comes next we have no influence on that. in

a productive way for support somebody maybe it was the treatment because the best thing for somebody would be to we fight the jews so we are not taking part in that what about israeli egyptian relations particularly in light of the term a nation of the gas deal the egyptian israeli peace treaty that has been fined thirty two years ago thirty three years ago in seventy nine and was the most important dramatic change in middle east history it changed at least from a very warlike zone to a much more stable and peaceful area so whoever is in power in egypt after next presidential election we very much hope that the peace treaty is kept i think it's not only our interest i think it. it is the egyptian interests and i think this is one of the most important goals that we have and we wish for the egyptians to have more free regime and

a better economy to do and keep the agreement with us dan meridor thank you very much for joining us here on r.t. thank you very much. wealthier british style. markets why not. why not what's really happening to the global economy with my instructor a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines kaiser report on our my parents really truly honestly believe that what had happened was as

a result of my father's exposure to agent orange i was born with multiple problems . i was missing my leg. and my fingers and my big toe on my right foot i use my hands a lot in my artwork i find myself drawing my hands quite a bit to me for my hands you know just as if anyone would. but they do tell a story they tell a story of. oxen. party's

top stories guilt by default confusion and conflicting reports over the houla massacre prove no barrier to further demonizing also with france now threatening military intervention in syria. allegations that saudi arabia is going well beyond the call of duty and its support for syrian rebels with suicide bombers apparently being auctioned off to join rebel ranks. it's crunch time for julian assange and as the u.k. court prepares to pass final judgment on whether the whistleblower should be extradited to sweden over alleged sex crimes. and speculation over reports washington parachuted spies into north korea emphasize

a fresh wave of tension and distrust on the korean peninsula. next here in r.t. ramana brings you the latest sport. oh i have all come this is for an artsy with me wrong call for a minute let's jump straight into our headlights. suzanne once a goal scored a stroll for russia against lithuania with only one friendly remaining ahead of the european championship in poland and ukraine. dream machine alexander ovechkin and his russian team mates pull off their eyes hockey world trophy at an open salt bus parade in central moscow. perfect start maria sharapova doesn't drop a game as the russian begins her quest to win the only grand slam missing from her

collection in the first round of the french open. and let's get the ball rolling with football russia's national football team have begun their final preparations for the euros with a self nil nil draw against lithuania and yong switzerland they could have a cots man dominates in for the most part in what looked like a largely one sided affair but they still couldn't find the finishing touch michael has the story. of the final to put aeration matches before heading off to the side to play euro co-host poland russia's game this is the feeling of the people starting in place of the edge that mullet they have who played in russia's one one draw with europe with this kind of stuff we're going to see it but after a hectic start with both sides at the first he was really troubled by the way in his look. in the middle of the roman shirokov and he got the nice of will increasingly running the show with neat passing and come work on the ball.

alexander kasia call came close on a number occasions as andrea sharon but neither seemed to find a way through mr wims stubborn defense half time came with russia clearly controlling the game but without anything to show for it. dick advocaat opted to make some changes bring on four players including roman public think of a closer call. and the second half began pretty much as the first shot ended with russia camping in their opponents. was a little we knew this was largely a meaningless game having failed to qualify for the upcoming euros but as the game came to an end they managed to hold on to a well deserved draw dick advocaat was rather nonplussed by the end result but was happy lithuania had managed to frustrate his team. mate who lives. last week to say. if you are not given a position if you are not in the right share to do that then that is easy to stay defensively. for the first person who was alexander because of course on the other

hand blame the lackluster result a little when his refusal to play properly. i guess they had a different objects of than europe why these guys played football but lithuania didn't do that but roman shirokov put it down to a lack of width in russia's game i progressed implement everyone understood how they would play we concentrate too much in the midfield when we should have used our flanks so that's all of russia's early initiative can book a session this through and you did prove to stop and to break down the substations at half time also failed to make the necessary difference in the game. hitman andrius shot than to celebrating his thirty first birthday today also failed to find the killing strike to give russia the much needed win now russia only has one game left to prepare for the euros and that comes against italy which. not being easy test them being the two thousand and six will champions and this game will be

insurrection on friday. and you know this week's world. and so that stay on the subject of russia's national teams but switch sports right now where alexander ovechkin was the star attraction as the triumphant national ice hockey team showed off their latest world championship trophy at an open top bus parade through central moscow the washington capitals front man along with the russia caps in the iliad they couldn't help the prize aloft as the rapturous growl chad said thank you and the welds on to their heroes to russia thrash surprise package slovakia sixty two in the final earlier this month to finish the championships unbeaten and lay their hands on their third world ground in five years getting moloch in was at the tournaments most valuable player the victory was also russia's first accolade on their new coach isn't it the rugby that they develop as they seem now targets gold and their whole winter olympics in sochi in twenty four saying. the victory at the

world championships showed the team scored this is the team we intend to build with its own character and recognition no one knows what will happen in the olympics but i'm sure the blues will go alone to claim the gold. moving on to paris now where and the tennis world number two maria sharapova was in imperious form and didn't drop a single game in her opening match of the french open a golfing class separated the second seed and remaining as that xander as sharapova needed less than an hour to roll into the second round to inform russian is looking to complete a career grand slam in the french capital. you know i learn more about the game and the point construction and i feel. better than i did years previously which has helped me a lot in the recovery process within the points so yeah it definitely gives me a lot of confidence for this tournament but just like any other than i within this

tournament i hope that i improve with every round and get better and whoever is across tonight is that person that i have to be. thirteen time grand slam champion serena williams crashed out of the french open losing four six seven six six three to first round opponents. france williams swiftly packed her bags as she digested her earliest grand slam exit in forty seven appearances resign or ranked one hundred eleventh in the world celebrated her greatest triumph at the home grand slam. you know i tried to you know i kept going for my shots which you know always works for me so. it didn't work out to do. you know i just wasn't i made so many errors today which isn't the game that i've been playing in the past you know. it's my. and it's also the end of the road for russian good and who went out to great britain's heather watson in straight sets

while alexander upon nova also lost to. me but there was success for unless they see a problem janko as she had the better off and guerin veteran greg arden and former world number one carolyn was thrashed that he lead the all of greece six love six one. already through is wonderful champion patrick beat of the czech world number four proved too strong for sixteen year old ashley boarding beat of all was broken once by this friday in a wildcard but won it six one six two. points it's an champion francesca schiavone eased past forty one year old cruel joke than skill and he was in good form both from the baseline and at the nets as dots and groom was guilty of thirty five unforced errors to lose a six three six one. over in the men's drawl rafael nadal began his quest for a record seventh french open title and world number two did it in style as he clinched and phatic six two six two six one victory over it sat in seymour boley.

i did what i had to. habit. less. stress ordinary. first for around in the past so happy the way i am through the second round i'm happy though how i blend i had that mistake go back to the bit with sit still for the may opinion i was playing. and it mary also faced problems in his first round match with. japan six one seven point six love in last year's seven finalist was aren't around so. it was pretty good i mean to put. five six. one one. on my so. i mean the first and third.

were very comfortable and. could have been. for sure a much. so let's take a look at how russian men did it so far dmitry tursunov has gone through to the second round following a straight set win over japan's goal so it abuts eager and drift brits are in the third set of his match with fanny jarkko nieminen while your poor needs in the white out in straight sets tuesday stands that denise is still in flux because usually became the second russian to go through after a straight sets win over american james blake. the san antonio spurs to nothing series lead after beating the oklahoma city thunder once when he won eleven the spurs have become the fourth team in n.b.a. straight to win twenty in a row and the only side who's winning streak extended into the playoffs tony parker

tops board with thirty four sinking sixteen adults twenty one it sends the thunder did their best to keep it close as kevin durant's russell was broken james harden combined eighty eight points but that's was still not enough to level the score in the western conference finals series. and find that the rush is the current goal of a harrowing costs and it has been a welcome back home after making history in ukraine just last week the twenty five year old became the first russian's acclaim with sore when after clinching the title in style at the inaugural gold frame ladies open events and the first of its kind in kiev cost and produce the final round of seventy to finish four shots clear of overnight leader benedict some same from belgium since that makes a recall so now has emerged as russia's biggest hope for a place at the rio olympics in two thousand and sixteen but she says more young talents could yet qualify for those games. i think we have

a lot of groups that have very elusive young kids through not been very dedicated and we have a very good team of coaches with the russian government seems to be. very good. for a specialist as well and it will be a very good you can you say should we be team approaches and players. i'll be back with more in less than a couple of hours meanwhile you may enhance your artsy sport experience by going to our youtube channel at artsy sport news thanks for watching i'll see you very said . the issue is that so much different if you can use it if the person finding the time from the mark with a series of many words in the aftermath of an alleged massacre of civilians the u.s. military is warned to continue to try cities in syria could make.