i'm tom harpur welcome to the big picture. this is our t.v. here come your headlines now international law on the line as the u.s. talks of tough action on syria without consent this comes as the rebels reportedly call on the world bodies envoy kofi annan to admit that is peace plan for syria has failed. and a video in which the father of the late former russian security agent alexander to blame. for his death so that video is now been passed on to scotland yard that was poisoned by radioactive polonium in two thousand and six he. wanted by russia is

named among the last of us. in or out. to the polls in a referendum on the e.u. treaty which opponents say amounts to nothing more than permanent austerity controlled by brussels this wall of backlash against cuts continues to sweep across europe with a plan that will mean centralized brussels troll of national budgets which are those against it says means handing over sovereignty to the e.u. . as island decides whether to reject the e.u. fiscal treaty up next we sit down with richard boyd barrett an irish politician and a firm believer in being against the treaty. today i'm talking to richard boyd barrett he's a member of the irish parliament and a leading light in the new campaign on the referendum on the fiscal pact which thanks for talking to us tell us just what the fiscal pact is the pact is

a european agreement which countries are being asked to sign up to which will compel goldman's to reduce debt and deficit figures by a certain amount per year over a long period of time and what we're concerned about is that in effect because of all of the gambling debts of banks and speculators have been put on to the books of the state and that this would mean permanent austerity billions worth of colt's every year for at least a decade or more in order to meet the treaty targets and that we believe will do untold damage to the economy which is already very traumatized and impose even more suffering on working people on the less well off and the vulnerable in our society who have already been devastated by four years of austerity and talk to me more about that what's to say see economic backdrop against which this referendum is being held well now we have four hundred fifty thousand people unemployed we've had

two hundred thousand people leave the country because there is no work we've got approximately three quarters of a million people living in poverty about a quarter of a million children living in poverty literally going to bed hungry at night. we have public services that have been devastated by austerity cuts imposed by the e.u. i.m.f. over the last four years so really people cannot take much more pain and equally if this has not done anything to help the economy recover the economy has tipped back into recession and i think if you look at the rest of europe it's clear the austerity policies have also driven the wider your ozone into into recession so we think we have to call a halt. this policy which is simply not working and which is doing extreme damage if you like to the social and economic fabric of europe i was the atmosphere like hey we have from the greeks that this constant pushing for more and more austerity from the government is creating this kind of atmosphere of fear in the country it's

the same here yes i think the government's main weapon in trying to get people to vote yes has been fear tracts that money won't come out of the a.t.m. that the be no money to pay pensions and social welfare so there's no positive reasons being given it's just we've got to take this austerity all the wise there will be disaster and in fact we think the disaster is happening already it's clear greece have been if you like the major victims of austerity and now they're proposing to generalize that austerity model right across europe and it didn't work at greece what makes them think it's going to work in the rest of europe and what's at stake what's accepting and declining the pact actually mean for the irish people well i think if we accept we're essentially giving the government a mandate to impose austerity for the next ten or fifteen years if we vote no i think we will be aligning ourselves with a growing movement in europe that we've seen with the french elections with the greek elections recently with the big protest movements developing in spain and

portugal and even in germany itself where the opposition are refusing to ratify this treaty and i think we will be aligning ourselves with those forces who are saying austerity hasn't work hasn't worked and that we need to focus on jobs investment financial stimulus and economic growth rather than the failed in describing the policy of austerity how financially insecure eight is. bank bailouts that kind of thing oh were very deeply intertwined europe for our you know our biggest trading partners so there's no doubt host that our phase is linked to the wider european economy but i think there is a battle going on in europe as to whether we follow the merkel's our cozy model of austerity and bailing out bang. or whether we go in a different direction more reprivatize employment protection of public services and economic growth and we're certainly for the latter you seem so sure that the new funding to ireland even if the vote does go against messes proposed by brussels

what makes you say sure well i think there's an implication to europe bails countries and in fact what they're doing is bailing out the european financial system that's the reason they're providing assistance and if they perceive a trace to european banks to german french and british banks they will provide funding because otherwise the entire eurozone will collapse so we think it's a bogus threat to suggest if we vote no they're going to cut off funding because they would be calling off their nose to spite their face almost every major political party is in the yes camp and this treaty is already being ratified by old two european countries can so many political and economic minds b. roll well that's not strictly true governments have signed up have agreed to fight the treaty but in fact many of those governments are now finding themselves on able to actually get the treason through their parliaments so the dutch

government have been unable to get it through their parliament francoise land is delaying the ratification precisely because he believes on its own it will do more damage to the french economy and now angela merkel cannot even get the fiscal treaty which she wrote effectively through the german parliament because the german opposition are saying it will mean more colds and do damage to the german economy so i think there's a real question mark over whether this treaty can be pushed through and we want to add our ways to the forces in europe that are saying more austerity won't work and that we need a different approach the yes camp says if the fiscal pact isn't ratified irish people will be subject to haass for longer it will be more expensive to borrow money on the international markets. and there would be no more bailouts chile all of the situations that you would want to avoid no i don't believe first of all it will be difficult for the austerity to be any worse than how it is being over the last four years we've had twenty four billion euro sucked out of the economy with

devastating consequences and the fiscal treaty would require us to take more or less the same amount over the next number of years which can only have the effect of more unemployment more you can all mixed up nation more so for ing for people so we believe there is an alternative to that and that is to focus instead on investment jobs and growth rather than the continuous policy of bailing out the bondholders and the banks the calls the crisis in the first place was about this idea of it seems that some of what is at stake hey is this kind of emotional feeling of nationhood can i lend to forwards to have that kind of pride at the moment it's well i'd like to put it more in terms of democracy not just for our jim but for europe as a whole and what the fiscal it will do will centralize more power over economic policy into the hands of the only elected european union commission and the european central bank and the european court of justice when really it should be democratically elected representatives both on a national level european level who should dictate policy as the people decide so

we don't think we should tire selves into a treaty that will essentially enforce a particular economic policy or dogma on people in perpetuity how far it is at the moment from a greek situation i think if we continue down the road of austerity where about a year behind greece in terms of the devastation that is likely to be calls to the economy in our society as so we think it is very very urgent that we call a halt to that and demand both our government and european leaders in the policy of bailing out banks and paying for it with brutal austerity being imposed on the people when that is doing such obvious and serious damage to. the economy and its prospects for recovery on an still dependent financing and courts need inspections to decide on each new tranche of money that's released that still brygada the referendum results what can be done still well i mean certainly i don't believe the

y m f program is working and i don't believe it's a bailout for the irish people as i said i think it really is a bailout for the french british european banks people who engage in the reckless speculation that has destroyed the european economy and on extreme damage to our economy so i think we have to strike a different path where we instead put the resources directly into infrastructural projects into enterprise into employment measures that can get people back to work and restart the european economy and get it i was of the extreme stagnation that is now. you know suffocating at the entire eurozone richard boyd barrett thank you very much.

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 us

a story of. their oxen. religion

and education are inseparable. enlightenment isn't possible without knowledge. of inner peace without hard work.

to a. joy for the oppressed. headlines

on r.t. international law on the line as the u.s. talks of tougher action on syria but without u.n. consent this comes as the rebels reportedly call on the world bodies envoy kofi annan to admit his peace fund to syria has failed. in or out irish voters head to the polls in a referendum on the e.u. fiscal treaty which opponents say amounts to nothing more than permanent austerity controlled by brussels this while a backlash against cuts sweeps across europe the plan will mean centralized to brussels control over national budgets which those against it say means handing over sovereignty to the e.u. . and a video in which the father of the late former russian security agent alexander

litvinenko blames boris and barrow's office before his death that videos not been passed to scotland yard was poisoned by radioactive polonium in two thousand and six and the self exiled tycoon of wanted by russia was named among the moscow. how he comes with the sport. hello welcome to the latest was on day five of the french open in the top stories. morning in paris for seed andy murray targets a place in the last thirty june but must overcome even a six time champion wrap on the dark days later it's on day five of the french open . while poles apart i guess the rounds get knocked out remaining williams has to be nice to set a big meeting with two thousand and nine champion but like as not serve up. on the third time lucky the russian women's basketball team able to improve on two

successes and the big ones medals by state in a plane for gold at this summer's games in london. but first to the tennis in paris where four seed andy murray is taking on finland nieminen for a place in the third round on this first day of the action i wrote on doris last year seventy find this is looking to go one better this year but it was the things that come to be took the first set murray has pulled one by one as well spaniard david varies taking on local player bad luck there russia's main hope with all usually a dutchman driving faster and parisian favorite joe wilkinson that is continuing or a delayed match with cedric myself in germany. and over in the women's draw wimbledon champion petra critter is true to the third round after beating opponents . the youngest sister in straight sets while russia's understudy a puppy change of attitude against gareth and his to change regular langkow faces checked out of all of our former world number one caroline wozniacki faces helps

train getting down the darkness over. one on wednesday while the borno about djokovic eased past the large cap ops livia rattling off a six love six four six four when the top seed is searching for his fourth straight grand slam title and his first at roland garros after losing in the. only final straight hours before including last year at the hands of roger federer. i'm happy with the game overall i think everything was was working really well just that a couple of games in the second set. didn't move is efficient as maybe i did the first set but aside that everything is working great going on i'm feeling better and better every match. and jacket is once again in line to reach federer in the last four as the swiss master dropped a set but still at cost less a very rainy afternoon on goal six three six two six seven six three.

eight and let's go out on scott is now in line to face russia's. champion arriving gus three years ago after beating venus williams in straight sets took advantage of an era strewn display by venus to win six two six three and sent the seven time grand slam champion home with her sister serena. you know first of all obviously she played really well you know it's important to put the ball on the court and she chased. you know that's what you do in this and you know unfortunately i was in my best today. yeah. well meanwhile top seed victoria azarenka conceded just two games as the strain open champion thrashed in germany well it isn't liar six one six two six one six one in less than an hour but the better russian says life at the top is anything but easy. being number one

is it's a difficult job because everybody want to want to get you know everybody want to move you from the smiles so you have to oregon number two a number three number four and number one hundred you know you still have to put in a lot a lot of work and i think it's going to come easier just because you're a number one you know you actually have more people trying to more people more to really trying to be true and in the meantime there was huge disappointment for the home crowd of the world number eight larry about only one rushing out to croatia not it six two three six six three was the final score there. i think the match in the first set to be honest was you really start to play when i was down and to row which is a bit late. and then i dno read it was really. some points here and there i didn't serve where it third said she surveyed are better than me but i really thought i'd lose thread so i was really in equal terms.

moving on to football and russia trading in switzerland ahead of friday's friendly with italy in zurich their final warm up game for you a two thousand and twelve well head coach dick advocaat is still facing tough choices opposed to the number one position as the attacking line just doesn't go out in favor of and is a need that just love love if they have both proved their match fitness in the creators two friendlies against uruguay and if you idea while alexander goes at golf. or all vying for the center forward slot friday's match against jews out of that is man comes exactly one week before russia's euro twenty twelve opener against the czech republic in the polish city of lots of. white elsewhere russia's possible quarterfinal opponent at the euros the netherlands lucky to know in rotterdam to get their preparations back on track while the run you were in front of just seven minutes in for now i thought i was guilty of an own goal is that all stuff that and fail to clear the course of time boss and then we go between the

legs well the last came on to replace the struggling playmaker which is neither soon restart and led the hosts from then on van de vocht first hit the ball from a free kick after twenty minutes on the pitch. and quickly sport the netherlands second and eighteenth international goal and that's what i call their year i campaign against denmark on june the ninth after getting out of the quarterfinals at the hands of russia four years ago. basketball now in miami have taken a two to lead in the eastern conference finals after beating boston one hundred fifteen points to one hundred eleven in overtime despite a career high forty four points for the celtics regine one of the democrats tied at ninety five points a piece of regular time with one guy playing the entire game and scoring all twelve of foster's out of the time points to finish the quarter for his own past ten assists and one point however it wasn't enough to beat the haters le bron james scored thirty four with one weight and twenty three as miami now take

a two no seven lead to boston. it was grueling. you know exhausting you know you know we put a lot of effort in to come back. out again you know it was a lot of credit for doing it but we should never do it so. we'll give them credit you know they play very were early on i was on the run those really don't attack people i don't believe all game so we do we have to do to get away. same with basketball and with just on the team wants to go before their opening game at the london olympics the russian women's team are able to go at least one better than two previous bronze medal finishes and these games coming here with special historical significance i tell you but it's reports. say as russia started to participate in the olympics as an independent state it has never tasted victory in either the men's or women's conversations but twenty twelve represents two poignant anniversaries for two major victories in soviet basketball in nineteen seventy two the men's team claimed their first ever olympic gold in munich in

a dramatic final against the americans while two decades later in one thousand nine hundred two they women's unified team celebrated one of their big triumphs in barcelona by defeat in china in the decider and so ahead of the upcoming london games one of russia's leading players all the attention admits even today it's hard to underestimate dos achievements. that's when a song to be honest when you stand on such great place and feel that passion about this game it truly makes you understand how important such a victory could be for the country and it's also great to hear them wishing the best for us in a necklace here like that however besides follow in the country's victorious food stamps to rein in european champions aiming high in their own right at the olympics their performance at the athens and beijing games and russia two consecutive groans mantles and this year very sokolowski steam will definitely be looking for medals of higher value home and goal is for the victory but the chiefs.

asked for limpy games for our team. it must be. second place to achieve these goals the coaching staff would have to pick twelve players out of the twenty two that were called up for the national school board the absence of some of the team's long term leaders like so atlanta brought him over well merriest upon a through injury may seen you tell and step in on the trickle is one such player willing to become one of the lucky dozen pooler present russia in london in just under two months time and the twenty seven year old beliefs everyone has a chance to make the team you know i believe that this year i have less people are guaranteed a place out believe that few years before there has been seven or eight players for almost guaranteed you know unless they get into something they don't go but they

always go this year i believe it's going to be a hard decision for the poles inspired by the glorious results of previous generations and hungry for success so their own the russian team now heads into seven weeks of training and if their physical strength and texaco's skills could be joined by a little bit of luck the country's basketball history may acquire another distinguished chapter. r.t. moscow. and finally let's talk about chess because this man has defended his world title in the russian capital moscow's digic of art gallery provided home to his closely fought match which was a pitched battle of two eyes as indian grandmaster and then held off israeli challenger vonzell found on a tie break all the players were tied at six points apiece after winning a game each and drawing the other ten so it went to a decider with him and when one of the four extra games of fast chess and it was

enough to help the forty two year old retain his title of undisputed world champion the accolade he's been holding since two thousand and seven and he put his trial down to mental strength. i would say simply that my nerves held out better. i mean even these four games so much back and forth going on. but i simply hung on for dear life. i want to play more than that. and that's always but for now more in just under two hours please join me again.