i'm tom harpur welcome to the big picture. hello this is our top stories from our weekly syrian rebels fights to retake control of aleppo with the help of further western financial backing while the arab league puts its emergency get together on hold that had been due to discuss a replacement for peace envoy kofi annan. members of the russian female punk group pussy riot await their verdict after the antiproton stunt in the country's main cathedral in a trial that divided the nation prosecutors a developing story years jail for the women for the final verdict expected next friday. but egypt's president orders the country's powerful defense minister and the chief of staff to resign it comes amid

a crackdown in the increasingly volatile sinai region which killed seven suspected militants next american world affairs expert for those bennett's explains to us why arming both sides in the syrian conflict only serves outside interests. thank you for joining us on r.t. red cross and many other experts are saying that the situation in syria has descended into a civil war a full scale civil war. how does that how does that affect the positions of the positions of the west versus the position of other countries so far we have seen no indication that either the us or any of the outside actors are taking seriously the consequences of the determination by the international committee of the red cross that this is a full scale civil war what it means among other things is that the international

laws of war what's known as international humanitarian law apply throughout the region and it applies to the opposition as well as to the regime they are obligated under the conditions of international law not to use certain kinds of weapons not to attack civilians not to hold prisoners without some kind of process all of those things are part of international humanitarian law and we have seen no evidence yet that any of the outside actors are taking any of that seriously what does that mean to the syrian conflict what it means for the syrian people is that the militarization of this conflict is escalating that can only be in my view dangerous more dangerous the notion that there can be a transition a regime that would not have the same kind of repression that we have seen from assad all these years is still possible the fact that hillary clinton is now reduced to acknowledging that that if assad himself arranges a transition safe haven whether it's in moscow whether it's and saudi arabia or

somewhere else that's still possible then the question becomes who is going to be in control if the escalation continues if the militarization continues what we will then see is that the post. government will be led by the men with guns just like what we saw in libya just like what was so in somalia and many other i don't want to make comparisons libya is a very different country than syria somalia is a very different country but the notion that the victors of a political struggle because this is still a political struggle in syria when the victors are those with the guns that always bodes ill for women for children for civilians syria is not libya syria has a long history of of civil society mobilization and organizations they have many things that was not possible in libya it's not the same i don't want to equate them but

the danger is that you will have certain parallels certain similarities such as unaccountable militias who will not put themselves under the accountability of a new government that is a very dangerous reality and as diplomats have already acknowledged if there is another bigger explosion in syria if the entire syrian body politic explodes it will be an explosion not an implosion as libya was there is the danger because it is becoming sectarian because of that sectarian character that is only now becoming dominant in syria in a country that was not traditionally a sectarian divided religiously divided country despite the use by the regime of the religious and sectarian divisions to maintain its power this was not a population that identified primarily by their religious affiliation as sunni or shia or alawite or whatever it was a possibility that if you were alawite you had

a better shot at power but it wasn't the way people define themselves the danger of course is that with that growing the sectarianism growing there is the danger that it will spill over the borders and by some congress. and senators calls to arm the rebels for the u.s. to intervene don't you think that's just going to make it worse any further intervention by further militarization is going to make things worse the original militarization has made things far more difficult further militarization is going to kill more civilians the choice of the syrian opposition to take up arms was contested from the beginning by other parts of the syrian resistance who said that we have a better chance of changing our government of overthrowing the government by nonviolent methods so certainly more escalation whether it's by the u.s. or any other outside power is going to be very very dangerous experts now say that

the rebels in syria are very much dominated by there is an interest in the united states for instance of downplaying the role of the islamists but it's become more apparent that there are islamist forces whether they are al qaida i think there is certainly not much evidence yet i think that it is a very dangerous for outside actors who are not on the ground who don't necessarily have good sources on the ground to assume that any islamist forces for instance are part of al qaeda that's a word that's designed to sow terror in the minds of anybody in the west anyone in europe in the united states it cetera i don't think we know yet what we do know is that the opposition in syria is very diverse there is a part of it that has an islamist framework the same is true of all of the the rebellions that have led to the arab spring we see the muslim brotherhood in power

now in egypt that's not al-qaeda there were people claiming it then it was not true we don't know if it's true in syria diplomatically the efforts where do you think that's had given that the escalate the situation on the ground is escalating the fact that the u.n. has. allowed the the monitoring mission to remain on the ground for at least another thirty days is the one bit of hope that i see right now kofi annan team led by general mood the norwegian general has begun the political process in which they have been able to use in one town another town in small areas from the ground up to make possible a kind of diplomatic process of local commanders of the military and local commanders of the opposition forces of the resistance to create small scale ceasefires in three or four towns the town of dear dearest or is one town in syria where it's apparently working if that could be expanded if that mandate could be

shifted from simply monitoring a non-existent national ceasefire to facilitating small scale local ceasefires that could then spread and move up from the bottom bringing people with it rather than trying impose something from outside from the top down which certainly has not worked that might be the one hope for a diplomatic and less militarized solution susan rice and other foreign diplomats at the u.n. said that they're willing or they will withdrew the withdrawal of the monitors if this insulation on the ground is does not improve and so far it's not improving so is that is that is that them saying that this is the last time where expanding this mesh that they are saying this is the last time they said that the last time they will change based on political realities not based on the realities on the ground the realities on the ground are not what is determining u.s.

positions russian positions qatar's positions saudi positions anybody's positions except for the people of syria what the outside powers are doing has virtually nothing to do with what actually is going on on the ground so what we're seeing play out of the united nations. is a power struggle between the united states and russia between nato and the gulf states on the one hand and other arab states on the other we're seeing a bunch of different battles playing out diplomatically almost none of which are taking into account the interests of the people of syria where do you think that's had you think there will be since. clinton and other diplomats have talked about intervention on site they want to think that's going to happen do you think that's a possibility that the west is looking at there is already intervention underway the western countries have provided the military of saudi arabia the military of culture that's where they buy their weapons from they buy american weapons so it is

already western weapons that are going in it's not coming directly from the us but it is weapons of the west the danger of that escalating is very serious the danger of further escalation involving other outside actors is very serious i don't think the us right now in an election cycle i don't think the obama administration wants to engage in a direct involvement in an air campaign for instance against syria of the kind they engaged in libya i don't think they want to whether what is known in the us as the c.n.n. factor the political pressure on a president in this case on a candidate in the election based on what people are seeing on their television sets becomes very important it's not impossible that even when the regime in power in any country and in this country when the obama administration doesn't want to

engage directly if there is enough political pressure they may give in to that pressure that's happened before it could happen again mccain is trying to exercise that kind of pressure other congress and other senators if there's a number of senators there's a number of members of congress there is calls from the punditry in the mainstream media it's. there's a lot of pressure on the obama administration not because any of them have a proposal of what would actually work but simply because they're using this as a stick to hit candidate obama in the context of the elections that's very dangerous for the rest of the world what are the solutions that you think are best for syria and he's saying there is still time for dialogue but when the government and the opposition i think there is still time i think the time is diminishing i think that the level of repression from the government has been so horrific and in response the opposition which i support as a principle of the right of people to rise up against

a repressive regime the fact that they are using stronger and stronger military. strategies and military tactics makes that kind of discourse that kind of discussion that kind of negotiation more difficult but there is still time i think the question remains will the international community help to make that possible for example by small scale community by community village by village city by city negotiating process is at the grassroots bringing together local commanders with local officials of the of the military to work out a cease fire and then the political process the best thing the international community could do would be to allow the u.n. to play that role rather than as a fig leaf of international involvement a fig leaf of multilateralism to cover the unilateral decisions of several different governments.

nuclear fallible. radioactive fallout old government betrayal of the government. and to laud and claude and claude how can the truth be revealed if there's no official evidence there was indeed a very bright day to the service make a senator who will given no problem protection and to the people of this country generally because all right you know like the full. the secrets of the u.k.'s nuclear tests exposed.

he. says. emissions free the critic a should free zones for charges free. range month free. three stooges free.

the old free blanco's cloning video for your media projects and free media and on to our teeth on tom. the latest headlines in the week's top stories syria's rebels fight to retake control of aleppo with the help of further western financial backing while the arab league put since emergency get together on hold it had been to discuss a replacement for peace envoy kofi annan and. members of the russian female punk group pussy riot await their verdict after a ninety putin stunt in the country's main cathedral in a trial that's divided the nation prosecutors are demanding three years jail for the woman with the final verdict expected next friday. at egypt's president orders the country's powerful defense minister and the chief of staff to resign it comes amid a crackdown in the increasingly volatile sinai region which killed seven suspected militants this is r.t.

now world sport. thank you very much kevin welcome along with to the sports headlines here is what's coming up the final curtain the twenty twelve london olympics prepared to come to an end as russia has three more gold medals on the final day of competition. unstoppable reigning premier league champions in one thousand pieces but claim their biggest win over rivals spartak moscow and more than fifty years thrashing the red and whites five nailed. down the tough test to a shot glass k. which is the final of the rogers cup for the second time in his career but now faces the ominous task of taking on novak djokovic. who first russia have added three more gold medals to their tally in the final few

hours of the london olympics the golds came in boxing gymnastics and volleyball the men's volleyball team secured a dramatic come from behind victory over brazil in the gold medal match they were two sets to love down but never gave up eventually winning three two one old school . meanwhile success continued to come in a gymnastics this time gold arrived in the rhythmic gymnastics group all around competition the victory meant russia finished top of the sport's medal table. meanwhile box a goal concept one gold in the light heavyweight category because it stands out as decked me as in better on a judge's decision it was a close pal with the fighters level on fifteen points each at the end of the contest the judges decided the goal should go to the twenty seven year old. while russia also secured a bronze in the basket ball it was a dramatic victory for david plotz men with barely anything separating them from argentina heading into the final minute but for tommy franks on the score layout

with seconds remaining to secure the way in. the medal that's russia's best ever showing in an olympic basketball competition. saw you let's look at the latest medal table with only the modern pentathlon to be included in the usa are back on top with forty six goals it was china who pushed them into second place in beijing four years ago well this time it's john and i have to settle for second with thirty eight gold medals great britain and northern ireland guaranteed third place ten golds behind china while russia will finish in fourth place just one goal short of their targets of twenty five gold medals. now despite the numerous fees and concerns before the games it appears as if london two thousand and twelve has been a major success along with the financial pluses the olympics have made britain feel great again as robert downey and explains he can secure. a transport housing infrastructure just supports the cultural and social legacy so long to

follow for these games and these games to go for decades to come the words of london mayor boris johnson inspire but only time will show if they're true with the games coming to an end we took to the streets of london to find out if the olympics have really changed the country for good personally oversee is an opportunity for everybody. in the u.k. to come down to watch the olympics games and. the nation how it is inspired a lot of people as it is get involved in sport although for those who do sports and just watch the one great thing in common the unique feeling of being part of the british sporting event on the planet i think it's a emotional impact that it's had on the whole of the country is galvanized by scotland wales and england has been really fantastic it's quite

a nice atmosphere and yeah it's really fun i just think it's been amazing has been in london so my home city just being able to come up to london enjoy the atmosphere . with everybody around from all over the well it's just been fantastic the huge investments in the london twelve summer olympics are definitely expected to materialize term benefits for the whole country but on top of all that is simply the way the games just made people feel. i was. i was. i. was. so the hosts great britain along with those who came here to feeling good.

robert but in your own heart. so the games appear to have painted thoroughly enjoyed by london's on sports fans from all over the club one of the all thorough teasmade of it all hayes international olympic committee president jacques rogge i'm very happy and grateful we're very happy with he gave so very grateful to local to set up and took over to the entirety. on the sixth of july two thousand and five in singapore girl the problem is at least scapes that's exactly what we thought a splendid faded state of the venues forty four world records from the seventeen olympic records and i would say history being written by many many athletes i think of double trouble in both of course i think of michael phelps passing by that he said that he did i think of three score and six medals i think openings three in

five metal sets at least five consecutive medals marie winning his first major title and i could go on for the rest of the david american finishes into a full hour short of my speech so i walk in russia from the london games ahead of the winter olympics in sochi in two years time on the boss of the main sponsor of the countries i lympics kate because his thoughts on the matter. i think that this experience of the olympic games should be used ahead of the store children because there are a lot of good points that russia can borrow from london from excellent transportation solutions to the way they put on a show for this because he uses these games every farenthold involved as a participant of this great competitions. while leaving the olympics to one side in talking football now where the russian premier league continues on sunday with four more fixtures the one between anchor

more dave you're finished earlier the goal is a run out says carr. as you can say one can make a stadium thanks to a strike zone and toss each rubina taking on a rock bottom denominator there in the final moments there and it's one mil to the hosts and around seven minutes time clearly a sort of go head to head with a rough start. but on saturday it was an eight against spartak a massive game at any time but even more so this time now considering both sides were perfect after three games but it turned out to be far from an even battle senates marxian can unique of the made by straw fans any who know up ahead after fifty two minutes before didn't really let enough miss the chance to pull a go back from the penalty spot should a cough would immediately make it three nil the visitors were then deep and when i made them again the sore straight red card was seemed like an innocuous challenge ticked off i assume and showing no sympathy for four nil just minutes later before shellac of wrapped up his brace right that f. five mil then the final score is an eight three points clear at the top. meanwhile

on british soil two of the premier league's top sides met on sunday chelsea and manchester city were in action in the community shield it was a five goal thriller as manchester city ran out three two winners for their first trophy of the new season. now finally in tennis rashad gask a would have to overcome novak djokovic chin the final of the rogers cup. if he is to claim his seventh career singles title the frenchman beat big american john is now in straight sets in the semi final seven six six three the final score it's the second time the twenty six year old has reached the final in toronto having lost to roger federer in two thousand and six world number one federer limpid champion andy murray and spaniard rafael nadal pulled out of the tournament kaskade now faces defending champion djokovic in the final here the kind compassionate young tips out of which six four six four.

when i was at a break i felt very confident just out of this again certainly not for sure i played well and i return all the time so it was a two of the match for my return so i'm very happy with the way i played them all over in montreal poland's nester advance goal will have to wait a little longer to become the world's new number one a victory in the rogers cup would have seen her catapult to the top of the rankings for the first time in her career however she went down six two six one to china's lean are in the quarterfinals is now looking to reach our third final of the having already lost in sydney and growing. like he said today you know both those top ten. here are also many times before so we know they're not here today just claim a tennis tray make him think much like. well that is all off from the world of sport for now but i'll be back with plenty more in just under two hours time here on r.t. the world weather is next followed by the headlines with carol.

world. science technology innovation all the latest developments from around russia we've got the future covered. wealthy british style. market why not going to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with max cons or for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune into kinds a report. for . more news today violence is once again flared up

the film these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada . china operation today. well into the future of science technology innovation all the as developments from around russia we've got the future covered.