joined us on to set to make his first public statement since being branded asylum in ecuador as the diplomatic standoff between britain and the latin american nation continues. at pro-democracy activist brain gets a three year jail sentence for criticizing the regime online for the protests are far from dying out with a verdict only sparking earlier on the arrests. a two year sentence for members of the punk band pussy riot for performing an type wouldn't stand in russia's main cathedral provokes a strong reaction of russia and around the world. the u.n. observer mission in syria expires later on sunday and ongoing clashes between rebels and government forces the latest blow to international efforts to bring peace to the conflict ridden state.

this is actually coming to you live from moscow marina josh welcome to the program do it assad is expected to make his first public statement since ecuador announced it would grant him political asylum london suggested it could strip ecuador's embassy of diplomatic privileges to move in and arrest a songe who's been sheltering in the embassy for two months now to let the american nation has warned britain of grave consequences if that happens laura smith has been following the standoff. it was the day they'd been waiting for julian assange was holed up in london's ecuadorian embassy for two months and his supporters who turned out to cheer for him rain or shine since his legal battle against extradition to sweden first began more than eighteen months ago also there in large

numbers the police who didn't wait long to make their first arrests. when the decision came it was the one they wanted. we decided to grant asylum to julian a song. called it a significant victory and his mouth was full. and shining right it will automatically encourage the government. but not everyone was pleased the u.k. foreign and commonwealth office called the decision disappointing and foreign secretary william hague said it changed nothing it does not change the fundamentals of the case we will not allow. safe passage out of the united kingdom nor is there any legal basis for us to do so hague also denied any suggestion that british police would storm the embassy so over in territory under international law to arrest but

that's not what ecuador inferred from a letter it says was delivered through the british embassy in quito in response ecuador played hardball. when it was no national law could be used in this way in any intrusive way in any diplomatic facilities any place in the world it shouldn't be used to threaten or blackmail the sovereignty of any other country and they called a summit to try to deal with this threat so that this fact doesn't go unpunished. the scary part the part that i found completely incredible and outrageous is the british threats to actually go in and try and extract julian assange but i must say to see british police surrounding that embassy was it an act of intimidation that should not be allowed and is not allowed under saddam or stuck in the middle julian assange who has a new home but no way of getting there tripods and putting it in a big trunk and label him in his diplomatic bag i'm not quite sure whether that

would work but otherwise we might see him holed up there for a mixed couple of years who knows until i reach a solution to this impasse but if he leaves the embassy he's liable to rest by the u.k. which insists it must still extradite him to sweden a position that wouldn't accept it or respond to the united kingdom it would that mean possibly breaking relations on a regional level if that happens the bronzing of asylum by jude enough songs hasn't spelled the end of this tale already full of twists and turns in fact it appears to be the beginning of something else with neither the u.k. no ecuador apparently willing to back down it's developing into an ugly diplomatic spats which could affect relations for some time laura smith forty outside the ecuadorian embassy and up to now that is on his extradition to sweden is in limbo other countries who want to question the whistleblower also have to wait in line a number of american officials have repeatedly called for the handover although we

can leaks founder to the u.s. to face potential charges for leaking classified diplomatic documents artist marina has the details from new york. julian saunders mother is calling this a victory for her son many see this as a small defeat for the u.s. and that is because many believe the u.s. was hoping that julian assange would be extradited to sweden so that sweden would subsequently be able to extradite julian assange to the united states we have heard in recent years it's no secret former and current u.s. government officials equally even julian a songe two are terrorists and that was in the aftermath of releasing cables and memos that were classified that belonged to the u.s. government as a result the integrity of the u.s. government was compromised a lot of secrets were revealed and it painted the u.s. foreign policy in a dark light it's no secret that the administration of u.s.

president barack obama has been earning a reputation for waging a war on whistleblowers fearsome reputation than any of his predecessors many journalists scholars and activists in the u.s. have signed a letter of support for julian a songe one is including naomi wolf she's a journalist and author first of all this is a white house now to wait houses obama's and bush's which is systematically overclassifying everything especially wrong doing it specially anything related to what whistleblowers want to release specially you know torture that even gauged in methods of torture like mafia tactics it's come to this the government same to journalists everywhere in america. we're going to meet you and we're going to threaten you and where we're threatening you with with serious legal penalties like prison time if you do your job but i was speaking with naomi wolf what she wanted

to clarify for me in her position is that she sees julia sanji many do as the publisher similar to the new york times chilliness songes the publisher of the one that made the information available he is not the leaker she noted why isn't the u.s. government going after the new york times for publishing what wiki leaks published instead the u.s. government it is a presumed is all to me hoping to go after julian i signed either way she said that this is this would be a dark day for all journalists in the u.s. if he would be in the custody of america prosecuted held indefinitely or possibly even face capital punishment. activists and lawyer david swanson says if britain goes through with its threat they will have massive consequences for its diplomatic relations worldwide the idea that you can declare an embassy unarmed embassy and wait a week and then raid it is outrage and i would hope that the world would react with outrage that i think the people of the united kingdom and europe as well as the

world understand the threat to international law and human rights at stake here and it is a horrible horrible precedent for the entire world should an act of journalism exposing abuses of power results you know if seizure by force and and a rendition this is this is something the whole world has a stake in. now this week a crucial decision was also made on the future of a guest on julius arduous task show here on r.t. leading bahraini human rights activists. on thursday a court sentenced him to three years in prison for inciting anti-government protests through his speeches and online polls the hearings took place amid an upsurge of protests across bahrain calling for democratic reform it's been reported that they were brutally suppressed by police who used tear gas and rubber bullets in the crackdown with more on the verdict for the man behind much of the stands

their reaction to it. there has been a rather different decision in the case of the enemy of the state rajab in bahrain he coincidentally met julian assange for an interview shown on this channel on r.t. in may he has however been given a three year prison sentence by a court in bahrain for being involved in and for calling for illegal and to government protests when the sentence was given though he was already in prison serving a three month term for posting anti government comments on twitter there has been many comments of support from his family and friends but there have also been criticisms delivered via social networks criticisms of u.s. policy in relation to bahrain and overall in the arab spring those criticisms include allegations that if it weren't for if the u.s.

had supported a little more he wouldn't have been locked up as he was he wouldn't have been treated like this hypocrisy is a word used quite regularly in saying that the walls of the u.s. have supported protesters in other countries like egypt and libya in the arab spring they have remained silent over bahrain the u.s. fifth fleet is based in bahrain. this also raises questions over bahrain's sunni government's commitment to human rights and reform for eighteen months now protesters have been trying to get a larger say in the politics of the country most of those protest has come from the country's seventy percent shia majority so far though despite warm words that they want dialogue the government has given up nothing. leader in the bahraini opposition believes any attempt to stand in the government's way will result in

a genial sentence what is happening in background is a salute monarchy that the whole of it is our. family that is not a presentation. for the people and the cabinet and not just the end the judicial oath. he. says the evil one is leave for this political. representation. now the security people do go on even people to demonstrate peacefully they burn all. of those are those in the because they were. ok because a number of. these fears. and he said. it will end up in jail trying to find out only accusation against. him in

jail. you're watching r.t. live from moscow and coming up in just a few minutes cairo's new broom in action we reported on the gyptian president's latest government sackings and what the move could mean for the future of the country's all powerful army. goes through moscow's main mosque where people celebrate the most sacred days in the muslim holy. theater. the decision of a russian court to jail the three members of punk band pussy riot for two years has split society and provoked a massive international reaction to groups and i couldn't stand to the country's main orthodox cathedral was ruled to be hold as i'm motivated by religious hatred dozens of people have been detained during protests both for and against the group a number of gatherings backing the band were staged and russia as well as in spain france britain and other countries foreign governments also have their say was the

us calling on the authorities to review the case or disappear all over as the story . if we give any reason that you move the finish line you possibly have enough edge the independent edition if one were to set up another one this morning because i knew if i was really from you tube it is a. chance to their trial had headlines around the world a global audience who is watching as media a local or. any company in a somewhat save each found out their fate to their performance the punk rock prayer and rushes main to phaedra outside the courts a large group gathers with both those supporting the women and those opposed to them turning up to voice their opinion was was amongst the crowd were prominent members of the anti-government protest movement who had allying the pussy riot cause with their own as the throngs massed tempers

flared and police announcements to keep calm were ignored as over fifty people from both sides were detained the public order offenses calm damned by some celebrated by others their performance in this cathedral lasted for a little more than a minute and a half but it's perhaps made pussy riot the most recognizable rushing music act in the world. so where did they come from under various guises the three women who were jailed on friday have been no stranger to controversy in the past pussy riot grew out of a performance art group which had staged an orgy in a museum filmed a woman performing a sex act on a chicken in a supermarket and kissed on g.g. female police officers because she told performance though took things to another level church groups burned images of the women under madonna who had spoken out on the side of pussy riot i think they belong to some sectors which conducts a tannic rituals they use elsewhere a church in russia was daubed with the slogan down with religious fanatics and in

ukraine a topless member of. fannin could down a cross with a chainsaw and also from playboy for a photo shoot pussy riot merchandise do a lot has led some to even question was this all an elaborate quest the thing they achieved their goal of. becoming really world famous by doing what they do when they are released they were in fact travel the world to become famous they were achieved their goal after the two year sentence is a motivated by religious hatred was handed down the online response he took with many shocked by the length of the jail term my personal opinion is to be honest usually for the thing they call hooliganism you get fifteen days from what i've heard so i really wish they would have gotten fifteen days the more standard punishment but the court in a groove my position with lawyers for the jailed women said to appeal the verdict don't expect the debates between supporters of pussy riot in those opposed to fade

away any time soon. carol menard professor of political science at university believes some media outlets are using the posse wright scandal to support their own stereotypes. the pussy riot women did was according to my use. of inappropriate behavior it was while i mean or if you want to protest your leadership even the part you can do is are also the church that should know in a place with just sort of year to russian version of this and believes what to me because you're right it's an extremely good selling story here you have three young women fifty eight considered pretty small children and they are now fighting the beast and mr putin who has a very very bad for education among the west so that's a story he can sell pretty well for many of the media it's it's simple to sell the

right secondly for many europeans and even more still for people in the west still know all the stereotype of russian being the enemy and he'll be in society but their interests aren't so by by addressing the the the problem between russian religious and political leadership and these women you always refer to this traditional serious. and we've also been following the trial of the punk band on our website r.t. dot com here's a quick look at what else is waiting there for you. in the u.s. army spends three million dollars on the development of a nasal spray that and women eight suicidal thoughts go online for the details. plus a chinese beauty queen is crowned miss world read about all the pomp and pageantry party dot com. syria's president bashar al assad has been shown on state t.v. praying and mosque his first public appearance since bomb blast killed top officials

last month in the capital damascus meanwhile the u.n. observer mission mandate for syria expires later on sunday as government forces try to push the rebels out of the or key strongholds fierce clashes are continuing in the country's commercial hub aleppo with the losses army turning recently to air power to push back insurgents trying to seize the city and you are alive behave he was confirmed by the u.n. this friday and is expected to give a new impetus for peace efforts meanwhile russia says the u.s. will violate international norms of it goes ahead with imposing a no fly zone over syria a move that helped rebels to overthrow the regime and leave you there's a lot of boy who says the i'm going violence in syria has provided al qaida with yet another base from which they can stage attacks. blasts and gunfire a daily occurrence here in damascus but once the explosion right next to the u.n. headquarters was something ordinary it took place at a heavily guarded army garage and you can probably see

a fuel tanker on there which the explosive device was planted still standing over there in terms of the damage it was relatively minor a few shattered windows in this hotel and in the building next to us but this explosion definitely attracted a lot of media attention because of the proximity to the u.s. borders now. the free syrian army already claimed responsibility for this blast even though they said that they never intended to target to you in observers and they were aiming for the syrian army personnel in any case the explosion the really underscores how easily available and how widely used explosives have become these days in syria in the beginning of the syrian uprising the rebels primarily on small arms but over months they have become and personally more sophisticated in bomb making and many experts attribute that to an influx of foreign fighters in

particular iraqi insurgents who bring with them a lot of bomb making expertise the iraqi government even went on record to say that they have solid information that al qaida was crossing from iraq into syria to carry out those attacks on the top of the reuters news agency published a story a few days ago in. an f.s.a. filled monday was saying that thanks to you at the extreme of iraqi insurgents they've been able to increase the debt to nation. after seven kilometers also the use of mobile phones to sad those bombs of something that is very common in iraq and that it was extremely rare in syria is now becoming more and more widely used what many in the west fail to recognize is that terrorism is not necessarily a derogative term it's a descriptive term to denote

a guerrilla warfare tactic that justifies the use of terror the use of violence for achieving political goals and the same groups that. tara tactics and bomb making skills on iraqi civilians on the u.s. soldiers in iraq and now applying this same expertise here in syria. reporting from damascus in syria muslims all over the world are celebrating it all away. day of the annual holy month of ramadan the ninth month of the lunar calendar rundown is seen as a time so cleansing and spiritual improvement the muslim population in russia is of course no exception as a big day for them to take a breeze explains how russian muslims are celebrating millions of muslims around russia have been waking up very early indeed before sunrise putting all some of the best clothes as is tradition on this holy day also the flocking to nearby mosques and the graces mosque in moscow is the one just behind me which is currently being

referred wish to see in tens of thousands of people normally less lining the surrounding streets here to listen to servants and also be giving praise to god this is coming on the end on the back of the holy month of ramadan known for fasting and this special this day self theater now actually translates as the breaking of the fast so we can expect many peace to be taking place in moscow and around russia for friends and family members have been somewhat barbeau what transpired late saturday evening in the russian republic of dagestan there too gunman stormed a local mosque they shot and injured eight people in total also there was a bomb this is found containing forty kilograms of t.n.t. of explosives it took some time but the moment so those have managed to fuse that bomb threats. meanwhile in dagestan's neighboring republic of the a bomb blast has killed seven police officers that have been in the funeral of

a colleague who was shot dead by armed man in a solve the day before it's believed a suicide bomber was behind the attack west also injured and number of civilians. now take a look at some other stories from around the world to explosions have struck the capital of libya with local media saying the blast happened near the interior ministry it's believed two people have been killed and many injured levy remains highly rest of after last year's nato backed uprising toppled moammar gadhafi the country is currently governed by an elected general national congress. a u.s. drone attack has killed at least seven people in northwest pakistan this is the second attack within hours in a district believed to be a stronghold of taliban insurgents in the country and the earlier drone strike reportedly left six dead the number of attacks by a manned u.s. aircraft has risen drastically this year causing widespread criticism throughout pakistan which says it's a violation of its sovereignty. a group of japanese nationalists has landed on one

of the disputed islands in the east china sea to commemorate their compatriots who died in the area in world war two this i met a long lasting dispute with china which claims the islands as part of its territory the move triggered mass rallies in major chinese cities with protesters demanding that the japanese leave the eight uninhabited islands and rocks lie on a vile sea lane and are surrounded by gas reserves in. the ditch and president hollande morsi this week ordered the country's top two military officials to stand down the fence minister and chief of staff were told to go during a major offensive that's underway in the country's restive sinai region along these really border agents recently elected leader who's a boil in a power struggle with the military council vowed to restore security in the sinai by the region's only seen more a lawless since president obama was ousted with al qaida groups targeting security forces and arms being smuggled from libya investigative journalist pepe escobar

says morsi has moved could spark a backlash from the military that could potentially and in a ko. we should expect some say to happen not immediately in terms of a counter cool by scott because digital they're still there even if their prerogative the terms of that constitutional amendment which transferred powers from the presidents to dab no more so if why did that completely damie have some cards to play in don't forget gerri good relationship with the pentagon i'm sure a lot of people in washington are horrified about the morsi move and they really are these really start to really freaking out with the morsi move because now they see that egypt has become a dictatorship so there could be some counter kooks from foreign actors as well basically from the muslim brotherhood going to as you do you don't want any more frictions between skaf. and the president so we can say that for the moment this

korea's muslim brotherhood won skaf zero the problem is the military even if the jew is relying now or rearrange they control almost forty percent of the egyptian economy egypt has no money i'm betting in the long run that date will last egypt cool apps in terms of being practically defaulting a game maybe later do rearrange another egyptian military coup and go back to power . formula.

thank. you. farai isolation and prejudice. to fight aging. take a risk. do it with passion. or to sleep. learn to fly. jump to the top. ignore the pain.

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