this first major interview since he was forced from office paralyzed supposedly to finance a luger of feels he was ousted under threat of widespread violence. a support i knew that a new massacre was being presented to him a convicted pacifist i didn't want to see any paraguayan lose their blood as a result of. saudi arabia deploys additional troops in its eastern region of qatif where the anger continues to rise with more protests planned after the deaths of two activists at a rally. and the un peace envoy to syria kofi annan wants the security council to take a tougher stance of want both weak government and opposition of consequences if there is no ceasefire because the people suffer from the relentless.

hello good evening from me kevin owen here in moscow tonight it's now nine pm this thursday evening you're watching r.t. our top story in his first major interview since he was ousted paraguay's former president fernando lugo has told r.t. he was forced out after the opposition threatened widespread violence if he didn't go several trade groups have suspended the country's membership now following lugo's impingement isolating the south american nation can brings you up to speed. many describe what happened in pair of wires a quick and quiet revolution the country's democratically elected president was voted out of office by the parliament in a trial which lasted a few hours for poor performance as the opposition said paraguayans neighbors in latin america called it an institutional that threatens democracies around the

region just three hours and paraguayans predominantly right wing parliament voted for nona logo out of office analysts say it's partly because these powerful opposition didn't like the fact that president bush who was working to expand trade in partnership with other latin american countries like or of why venezuela argentina brazil as of now regional trade groups you know sore and marcus or suspended because of president moves the impeachment in an exclusive interview with my colleague from r t spanish wise ousted president or not a little told us that he was basically threatened by the opposition to accept the terms of this parliament trial he said was warned that if he didn't stand a trial the military and some of the opposition groups would take to the streets with weapons and create havoc take a listen but in the event that i see people out in the square they wanted me to go because of the ministers i knew that a new massacre was being prepared i am

a convicted pacifist i didn't want to see any paraguayan lose their blood as a result of violence that's why we went along with this illegal process so fernando lugo essentially says that he accepted this snappier trial to avoid provocations and eventually blood on the streets and this is most interesting because paraguayan could be an example of how even the threat of a provocation can be used as a tool to remove a democratically elected leader. if you can a correspondent in washington they're just reminder will show you again our full interview with parade was ousted president fernando lugo next hour here on r.t. well so more about this now and bring in the conversation that nicholas kozlov is author of a revolution in south america and the rise of the new left nicholas thanks for being on r.t. says he didn't have any choice but to leave but if he had climbed on to power would we have really seen massive bloodshed do you think. well i think that it was

playing a very dangerous game i think that to pursue an independent foreign policy in latin america is does not carry does not go over very well in washington and we know this clearly from the wiki leaks cables that express the u.s. diplomats and express displeasure lugo's independent foreign policy specifically for forging links with who a child was a venezuela and bolivia as well so i think that and also the. question u.s. military involvement which was extremely controversial so i think that. it's not clear whether the u.s. played a role specifically in the impeachment i'm not claiming that but if you asked me whether the u.s. had a motive probably in light of the the correspondence and also it's clear that the u.s. was spying on to go and i think that the distinction between the state department

and intelligence gathering operations like the cia is getting more and more subtle because you have connally so rice engler and clinton asking for personal data on fernando lugo so certainly there was a great suspicion about what he was doing ok let's talk about the ramifications of what's happening now for the country itself wasn't mentioned in the report tried blocks of south american nations have suspended. after his impeachment as a country face more isolation now in the future under this current raging. well i think it's going to be a huge challenge for south america's left bloc america sore trade bloc the one the sore south american community of nations that it's really the first test of whether this left bloc can stand up for leaders and i think that in the case of honduras which was slightly similar you had. the latin american leaders

standing out for us to the leader manuel zelaya but the u.s. was not as forceful and i think perhaps not coincidentally it's very similar now the u.s. has not really stood up stood up for fernando lugo in the same what about their statistics to say nicholas that now is kind of going to trade is potentially going to be easier with america for instance. i'm sorry i didn't quite what it said you think to say that now is going it alone no it's out of these trade blocks that potentially trade could be easier with america for instance. well. but i think that there is a great division between the us who are there once fernando lugo reinstated and and the united states and so i'm not sure whether tensions will be less emotional or will actually increase over this deal but to see what unfolds politically for

the president if anything frank who was appointed in place immediately after his impeachment where will from could take the country before next year's election the way you think is going to head. well i was really surprised to see these reports that in the midst of the impeachment proceedings the u.s. military was reportedly met with the power why in the new de facto regime in ice and snow and to set up a military base which really raises eyebrows and i think franco all along has been a huge critic of fernando lugo the u.s. military presence so i think it is a great challenge for south america's pink tie to the left and and i think that there is if you just look at the map the u.s. has a military presence which is in circling all these populous left countries in south

america so it's becoming a little more embattled just very briefly want to talk about twenty left wiki leaks cable that was posted it was sent from the u.s. embassy in paris white of washington indicating to us for counseling a possible shift in power then what are relations between the two countries now then where are they going to head in the future and the immediate future. well i think yeah i think the cables raise a lot of suspicions they suggest the very least the u.s. had suspicions that there was an effort to unseat fernando. go entire couple of years now was the u.s. . for knowledge about what was going to happen most recently we don't know but it it raises eyebrows and so i think this is just the u.s. may have a better chance of wishing him military base. which is something that fernando lou had steadfastly opposed or i think she thought. why.

thank you. saudi arabia sending additional troops to its eastern region of qatif with the government fearing riots public anger is rising in the area with reports of more marches planned in support of two local activists killed at a rally on sunday the demonstration was in response to the volunteer arrest of a problem shia cleric the deaths brought tens of thousands out of the streets of the city a pattern for marches the continued throughout the week discontent in fueled by a lack of political and civil freedoms and ongoing detentions of dissidents the cloud that's been ignored by the west which unconditionally supports the regime mohammed has one color a founding member of the egyptian socialist party told me believe troubles are mounting for saudi arabia's ruling dentistry. springs with. nations. in need egypt and. a free distribution big. change it would extend surely to.

and in fact this has started we have seen them all three and been especially eastern part of your question many activists human rights are starting. for democracy inside and outside. also how. many were. from. free this spring. has been the problems sherry. are oprah and poverty in saudi arabia leave. it to b.b.q. fourteen and twenty and also the intelligence. committee caylee.

this is r t still to come this hour security flop of the london olympics. will focus on the streets of london might be an unusual sight for many but it could be one step to quick visit is to london's olympic games after a major security gap with deals with all the latest information on that coming right up. we have indeed now the u.n. envoy to syria wants the security council to get tough on both the country's government on the opposition kofi annan says the should be consequences if the warring sides don't comply with the cease fire plan pressure on syria of mouse with western powers threatening more sanctions and military intervention russia wants an extension of the u.n. observer mission for three months saying dialogues the only way forward and this all goes on violence still rages of course in the country we see it with online videos of portably showing rebels blowing up tanks and helicopters let's talk about this hopefully with political analyst jeff steinberg executive intelligence review

magazine there jeff you're live on our see good to see you tonight just about so can be dark where you other now kofi annan said yesterday a six point plan was not succeeding in ending the violence in syria so at this stage what can do you think save the u.n. speech. well of course there was a meeting in geneva several weeks ago where a number of countries the five permanent members of the u.n. security council plus qatar kuwait and other representatives of the arab league all agreed to take a more vigorous final stand and getting the cease fire and moving towards some kind of government transition and quite frankly there really is no viable alternative to the non-playing alternately working with the cooperation of all of those countries that were signatories unfortunately qatar saudi arabia turkey

continue to provide financing and significant weapons to the opposition u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton continues to insist as a non-negotiable demand that our side steps down and of course these are all violations of the very document that was signed in geneva just two weeks ago show. the proposal for the formation of this possible constitutional government as cold as was proposed as you say. your position of course. you've got to go nothing else to be discussed the stronger hand. well i think russia and china are both backing the positions taken by kofi anon the arab league and by president assad and you have a number of countries that are still adamantly committed to ignoring those u.n.

resolutions it's really a power struggle in which the outcome is not certain one way or the other president assad proposed to kofi annan on several days ago in damascus the name of one of his government ministers who he said could be as personal representative negotiate . with the opposition to transition government i think that's an important concession in step forward the person who has not been publicly named by kofi nine is the minister of reconciliation and he was a close personal friend they studied ophthalmology together in london so it's a viable emissary and i think that the alternative to the enron plan is prolonging civil war lebannon on steroids and nobody benefits from that happening. it's not interested in military action again again again syria yet we're also hearing the same time western powers now segmenting

a draft resolution threatening sanctions and possible intervention is the west really do you think committed to finding a diplomatic solution is this drags on. it's very questionable what you have in the west is very strong opposition on the part of the u.s. military leadership the joint chiefs of staff in particular who do not want to get the united states involved in another military action in another muslim country and the chairman of the joint chiefs general dempsey has repeatedly used every opportunity to make that point clear in fact this week he's engaged in three days of meetings in washington with general macarthur off who is his russian counterpart in syria and iran are two of the big issues on the table so nato really is the u.s. military force and the u.s. generals are pushing back hard against direct u.s. military involvement in so rescuing the head of nato says nato is not going to get

involved militarily follow for you we've been talking about the u.n. geneva conference what came out of it didn't it the warring factions to quote sit down and talk is the best way forward of a long time now but of course with the flow of weapons to rebels still ongoing doesn't bode well. because it well you know the head of the internal opposition reform opposition movement michelle kilo was in moscow last week at the invitation of the russian government me met with foreign minister lavrov and he said to lavrov that his group would be willing to negotiate begrudgingly with president assad's representatives it's the extra opposition based in london in paris and in iraq. who are the big impediment and they're being encouraged by saudi arabia qatar france britain and elements within the obama administration so it's a rough gordian knot to untie but i think emissary kofi are now on with

backing from russia and china which is making one final stand and i can only say i hope they succeed against all odds to starboard secure and sort of executive intelligence review magazine things that was so much appreciated by pleasure. the conflict that's lasted a course for sixteen months has touched on almost every aspect of ordinary life some arab nations which support the opposition of bond programs and movies from syria but film and television producers nonetheless say it's only hardening their resolve if national is called that side of the story. t.v. soap operas something syria has been famous for all around the arab world they are considered the regional emotional and funny in all syrian society there would be a man a storyteller who would sit at a cafe or just outside his home and tell stories and everybody would come to listen today this is what syrian drama does it tell simple and timeless stories about good

and evil all ages and genders like it and it in it's all arab people but during the conflict in syria its trademark dramas have become yet another dividing factor gulf countries which had traditionally helped fund them withdrew from production live in a huge financial gap and the matters were made worse when the arab league called for a boycott of syrian satellite channels including drama ones they want to fight everything good in syria they don't want us to be. shows our drama to the word to show our history or the way we live the way we love each other the way we take care of each other's that's why they stop they stop they are fighting us actually. at them with they wanted to destroy not just our country but all of the good in our country and even any positive images of syria in the minds of other arab people. no of countries headed by qatar and saudi arabia

were among the first to condemn the syrian regime for it's packed out on protesters they were also among the most active supporters of the syrian armed opposition sponsoring and arming the rebels this is the second crosses the syrian rebels suffering from the first one was to two thousand and seven after hariri was killed and it was also there was a boycott or syrian drama and this time so we were hit very strong actually and more stronger than two thousand and seven because this time it was obvious that it was a hidden. flush an industry with a turnover with millions of dollars has quickly withered what used to be thirty five fully fledged projects spear has become just a few small scale venture is determined to keep the show on the road industry professionals have united the city and is an ambassador we have to protect

syrian drama because it is. our. invoice to the world producers say salaries have also dropped drastically but most staff actors engineers and even directors have agreed to work almost for nothing if only it allows the programmes to continue. this year in drama shows the lives of ordinary people who live in the old damascus at a time when the country was under french occupation at the beginning of the twentieth century a common enemy and the fight for independence united people they got together showing the best of their qualities filmmakers wanted to keep away from politics but the message this sends is very much up to date. marie ivanovna r.t. damascus syria. we invite you to head to our web site r.t. dot com for more stories we're covering here and a lot more besides like these almost half a million who uses the discover the logging details of their accounts have become

public not happy to say the least details on that r.t. dot com also the day when madrid turned into a battlefield we brought you the pictures yesterday got more of it online footage of violent police crackdown from the capital security forces move didn't appear to be peaceful and your strategic started or calm right now. next with just sixteen days to go before the olympic games kick off in london there's been a major hitch in the much hyped security plans thousands of extra british soldiers now have had to be drafted in after a private failed to supply promised guards the company's been paid indeed almost three hundred million pounds to do it but it hasn't managed to train enough staff sarah firth reports. games and now just a few weeks away and the final preparations should people being made to make sure that everything runs smoothly but not everything is seems is working as it should is just being revealed the security company g four s.

tasked with providing the security full the olympic games isn't quite up to the job security gap has meant that three thousand five hundred soldiers have been put on standby to be able to manage this gap left after it was found the g four s. were having significant problems now is a strange sight for many people to see sick soldiers in the uniform on the streets of london but it's going to be one it seems that could be quite common as it's going to be soldiers who are left picking up the slack and having to manage guard gigi's that should have been provided by the security obviously it's expected that the company is now going to be stripped as some of that cash that was put aside to cover security staff wages but it's also raised of course massive questions about why it is that this big problem has only been discovered at the eleventh hour and of course security is really the main issue not just for the athletes who are going

to be taking part in the olympic games but the londoners as well and of course everyone who's going to be traveling to the country to watch the games it's a very exciting time for the people of calls wanting to know that they're safe and so this is certainly going to cause a lot of concern amongst a lot of people that this type of problem has been revealed at such a late date and it raises questions about just how coordinated and ready the security system around the olympic games is. first in london for the world's top news stories now in brief more than one hundred people have been killed in. nigeria's oil producing niger delta know they were trying to scoop up spilt fuel from a crushed petrol tanker when it all caught fire women and children are among the dead there according to witnesses crashes sadly are common on nigeria's poorly maintained roads. reykjavik district court ruled that credit card company visa broke the law by blocking wiki leaks from receiving money the court ordered it to

resume processing donations to wiki leaks within two weeks or face daily fines of over six thousand dollars wiki leaks hit financial obstacles in twenty ten when credit card companies and online payments so it is blocked the website it to followed u.s. pressure after the online whistleblower published hundreds of thousands of classified american documents. for the bosnian serb military chief of luggage has been hospitalized after complaining of feeling unwell at his trial in the hague that it faces eleven charges of genocide and crimes against humanity dream yugoslavia war in the one nine hundred ninety s. including the ninety ninety five srebrenica massacre the seventy year old former general denies any wrongdoing ill health has affected the hague tribunal before too with ex yugoslav president slobodan milosevic dying of a heart attack his cell in two thousand and six cheering his genocide trial it's. also brief at least nine pakistani trainee policemen have been shot dead in a gun attack in the eastern city of lahore the taliban said it was responsible for

this we govern from the group killed seven security personnel at a campsite in punjab province. it's exactly twenty five minutes past nine zero this thursday evening us across the business with kate and kate it seems russia is back on track as an investor a safe haven you absolutely can then things are looking up direct investment into russia has reached fifty three billion dollars in us twenty two percent more than last year so that's posting a new post crisis record at least that's a call. the united nations a quantum best so now they analyze about forty developed countries they found out that every three bugs out of a hundred are actually invested in russia about makes a volume of investment quivered to about three percent of what the country's economy produces a year versus converts that is the impressive growth of the domestic market and cheap labor that is business to russia so good as the u.s.

and it's another negative start actually for the u.s. straight now that's despite best expected we see data on the u.s. jobless claims but what's failing to offset worries about the global price as we can see just that hasn't really moved a great deal since last. sent down for the dow jones of the nasdaq about a percent is negative territory stay with us for now know things are looking pretty bad for california as well third of the city's gone bust in just two weeks now it sounds but now do you know follows a mammoth legs. after saying it can't cover is how you roll foreclosure rates are shooting up in many parts of the u.s. california is sixteen billion dollars in debt had over two i learned that the contours been dealt another blow by their fine outspent us just saying that debt is likely to hit one hundred twenty percent of g.d.p. in twenty. ireland is facing crunch talks with the european union the european

central bank and the international monetary fund to day they want a progress report on spending cuts as part of ireland's bailout packages. so with that in mind to see how the european markets closed up today now investors are really demonstrating their disappointment coming from the u.s. because the federal reserve meeting minutes came out and they did reveal solid signs that more stimulus is going to be pumped into the system that's what investors already hold. now for also want to mention as well that madrid ibex was actually the worst performance today down over two and a half is said in the end of last because of all those protests going on on the streets are troubling times this is the common cards in see how that was reacting to all of the turmoil as you can see there drew up paying probably not surprising they want twenty one nine hundred for them and for the russian it currency though is a mixed performance we're also headed into the extreme of his as well because they

have closed here moscow it was a negative a sin a share we had all declining and russia reporting a trade surplus as well so those the ports to help out says i mentioned oil the international energy agency has said that the global economic slowdown could put a lid on oil prices but there is a risk of nasty supply surprises that could we ignite a market rally so that would possibly help out the markets here in moscow as we keep track of that one also got time for kevin i'll be back in just under chose to see the having of washington d.c. studios right after the headlines for an hour to the next.

world with. its technology innovation all the news developments from around russia we've got the future covered. i.