dozens of hostages seized by al qaeda linked insurgents are reported dead in algeria following a botched rescue attempt by the country's military. and the crisis in algeria causes david cameron to once again delay a much anticipated speech on the u.k.'s future within the european union. plus as israel gets ready to go to the polls prime minister benjamin netanyahu struggles to maintain support for his reelection bid.

i. am welcome to you from our studios in moscow this is our team with me and he said now our top story algeria says there are a number of dead and injured following a hostage rescue attempt at a gas plant near its border with libya there are also reports indicating that at least thirty captives and eleven militants have been killed in the operation by the country's military but an al qaeda linked group occupied the plant on wednesday claiming the hostage capture which included many foreigners and it wasn't retaliation for french military intervention in neighboring mali and french president francois long says that the situation means that the operation to oust islamic militants is justified paris has increased its presence on the ground fourteen hundred soldiers after islamist managed to retake two villages in central mali the u. has pledged to help train the mali an army. the u.s.

also promised logistical support but stopped short of deploying its own military now author and historian gerald horne says the fallout from the intervention could backfire and result in president alond being forced out of office. what mr old law is doing is enlarging and worsening an existing problem what's striking is that mr sarkozy had initiated this intervention in libya and part raises for it being a popularity ratings i think that it's fair to say that mr mccoll on this intervention in mali for similar reasons the problem is that when the body bags returning to paris the populous will turn on vista along with a vengeance and he will be driven from office just as surely as sort of the what's driven from office i think that this war and the consequences of want to spread it into neighboring countries is going to jeopardize french uranium interest in nigeria it's going to jeopardize the kinds of agreements that france and the other

north atlantic countries have with algeria in terms of natural gas so i think that if they had thought through what they were getting themselves into they would not have moved in the direction of an invasion i dare say that this french intervention in mali will end in tears well meanwhile the situation in algeria has caused british prime minister david cameron to indefinitely postpone his much anticipated speech on the u.k. status within the e.u. experts released from the statement say there's a danger that europe will fail and that there's a looming possibility of britain leaving the block unless reforms are carried out parties sarah firth says by delaying the speech cameron has put himself into an increasingly tight spot. this long awaited fourth speech is now being put back the prime minister saying that this is cheetah the own growing crisis at the algerian gas plant now obviously we see the situation there developing and the prime

minister saying that it's a very dangerous very fluid situation but i think the prime minister really in this circumstance assert himself for a full release license of wide open to the criticism here we saw this speech arranged for right back last year around june time it's been put back four times already. various different reasons at one point the prime minister having jokes comparing the speech to tantric sex saying if you know the best so when it actually comes you know that's not looking particularly funny anymore and people wondering when if indeed it will ever come well everyone was looking for from the speech was clarity leadership over this issue we've been speaking to a lot of the british public over the past few weeks and they're very confused about what cameron stance is on europe one n.p.r. was speaking to said this quote this is the tail that's wagging the dog that this hard core group of euro skeptics within his own party were really dictating the

prime minister's actions and i think it's really going to wash. really treated him so from the corner where he's got to have a referendum after an election and he will try a school for politicians to use through paper over the cracks to give a brief to them to them and say that we now are looking for europe to make a response to our proper request for david cameron as prime minister he's definitely in a tight spot right now he's he's not looking particularly strong he's not looking like he's led the way and so you know he is a lot of trouble here we've seen the speech today once again say the uncertainty continues i'm afraid. pakistan's government has reached a deal with a muslim cleric to hold mass protests in the capital islamabad tens of thousands of congress supporters and it ended the sit in after he convinced authorities to dissolve parliament before march ahead of elections after that voting should take

place within ninety days they've also agreed to discuss electorial reform of a country's demand that the army be consulted on the structure of the interment ministration was rejected political chaos and growing surely over widespread corruption also deepened after the government clashed with the country's top court its order to arrest the prime minister over a corruption case has been rejected professor paul sheldon foote from california state university says condor is message to raise a lot message to raise a lot of questions he's been able to keep his. campaign talks very big he says he believes in supporting minority rights and i haven't heard him can do only murders. and hurt shiites by in large numbers he claims to have been a professor of constitutional law says that only he can understand what the prophet mohammed meant and this is a mere thought of trying to do actions the people who roll pakistan have always

depended upon the west particularly the british but there are programs to such as america. and to have the indication you have both international support and some money. there's always a good indicator when you're running against the wealthiest families and part of the earth the march in results don't come out the way he wants your claim it was a rupture of the process that only a man such as him could run in a real islamic democracy process but instead is already an islamic republic. used to be very precise about why he regards it as a failure or simply citing corruption is not enough. for mass rallies staged by the influential cleric in pakistan have only added to the country's uncertainly thinking electorial reforms democracy and a bar on corruption to hear country has called for revolution before the deal was

reached our hands our team has talked exclusively to a protest leader who told us exactly what he means by that. when i say we should keep in your mind in egypt in tunis in libya and all these countries. we needed a dictatorship for years and years for a long time. and the people stood up against that in iran there was a brunette akira rule of shan shah that people stood up against that. stanek is a bit different. there is no one else rude neither monadic elude nor military dictatorship here is electoral authority did twenty billion is electoral dictatorship true democracy does not exist in this society neither in political field nor in social feed nor economic field no democracy so this is a lawlessness total chaos and anarchy in this country government is totally dysfunctional. saw that this is the single nation

a single country in the whole muslim world having a nuclear capability and if the same situation continues there could be a very big disaster if we could come to the level of collapse so out of this martin movement is anti corruption to educate our society from corruption and this is need of the whole muslim world. the old turd world and developing muslim countries the have to get to rid of corruption and corrupt leaders. you can see our interview with pakistan's top cleric in full at r.t. dot com here's a clip of what else you can find there what's online footage showing how a fire man in russia was the most natural is lighter by a huge slab of snow after his lucky escape he continued to save the lives of a woman and baby trapped in the apartment or on that on a website. and it's not a sin to be beautiful a top vatican cleric graces the cover of vanity fair for more on this story and

much more head to our team dot com. head of the twenty second of january election israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has to deal with plummeting poll figures while many of you in his politics is not radical enough although still expected to return into office netanyahu is losing supporters to his former right wing allies as artie's polish clear now reports. he's the surprise success story in campaign one twin millionaire who says a palestinian state would be suicide for israel naftali bennett used to work for prime minister netanyahu but now he's working at taking supporters away from him like this man who used to be a diehard supporter of netanyahu so he could party until these elections rolled around the likud is. a bus full of right wing members of knesset with a left wing person driving the bus as far as being i mean.

even though i am opposed to all state. i would say most members of the likud obviously a minute is for it the irony is that while the world sees netanyahu as a white leader at home he's losing face among supporters for not being focused enough this is part of the right wing campaign he's up against there are some things we all know will never happen in the sopranos will never return for another season ramiele climbs the line with a marker on our pro and a peace agreement with the palestinians will not happen promises like this have been a jewish home party food position it's poised to take more than twelve percent of parliamentary seats analysts say little yahoo while still expected to serve another term is running scared he's up his rhetoric i say in the most clear of terms the western wall is not occupied territory i don't care what the un says we will build in jerusalem because it's all right netanyahu is he could list has grown even more

right wing with ready cars like this woman high up in the pecking order. but then the league would be taken apart it is a party with values the state of israel is a state of the jews whose internal capital is general celeb. but what will be the implications of such rhetoric after the elections many israelis are asking themselves about the day after will netanyahu become more rightwing and risk drawing israel into conflicts with its neighbors or will he back down and risk losing face among his supporters speaker is hoping for the latter that netanyahu will listen to world opinion and reach a compromise with the palestinians he knows all too well what the current cycle of violence can bring speakers daughter was killed in a suicide bombing seventeen years ago and. we don't have unfortunately in the center and the left a leader who is significantly charismatic to lead this country and give its people

hope the left is also divided but i do think netanyahu will find a way to compromise because of world pressure but that compromise won't come easy enough to be bennett solution to the israeli palestinian conflict is to annex most of the west bank while allowing palestinians limited self-will in the wrist and while that might not seem a possible idea to most of the international community it's exactly what his constituency wants to hear a fact in a time yahoo is acutely aware of policy r.t. tel aviv. well with just days left until israel heads to the polls to choose its next parliament our table being closely following the election campaign and vote writing you with in-depth coverage how will change with to run develop it will settle the expansion isolate can there be peace with gaza what's next in relations with america will netanyahu survive his snuff election on january twenty second.

israel decides. still in sample survivors of october's super storm status and they are struggling to get their lives back to normal and they say they're getting a little help from us authorities will be hearing various stories after a break. the news today is once again flared up. these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. giant corporations rule the day. what makes life complete. and

a happy family. or self-expression. seems so true. for a little lady. plus

live. live. live live.

live . you're watching r t live from moscow where it's seventy minutes past the hour good to have you with us now the artistic director of the renowned russian bolshoi ballet has been seriously injured in an acid attack as he was returning to his home in central last count sergei filin is now in hospital undergoing treatment for severe burns to his face and eyes my colleague john she discussed the incident with her and she's alexei yourself. so you feel in the artistic director of the borzoi

theater walked away from his house this morning he was approached by a man who called him out by his name when he turned around to face the man the assailant threw a ball of acid into his face so good feeling was delivered to a hospital and reportedly now doctors are fighting to save his eyesight but it would take at least six months according to the doctors for him to fully recuperate from this attack according to the press secretary of the borzoi sergei filin has been intimidated for several months now he has cost tires were slashed his facebook page was hacked just a few days ago and he also received some calls on his mobile phone but clearly even the people in the bolshoi have no idea who could have attacked the artistic director of the theater who has been there for more than a year now ever since the bolshoi reopened with a grandiose new design a new style the law enforcement agencies have now started a criminal investigation into the case but definitely this story is shocking

especially given the fact that today is the bolshoi are one hundred eighty eighth birthday and such a tragic day for one of its key figures is definitely making the headlines now in russia there have been reports of some conflicting interest at the bolshoi theater and that feeling could be the victim of some infighting that you mentioned earlier what more can you tell us well as i've said there's always been some kind of infighting inside the theater but. still nobody has any idea who could have done that the investigation is promising to be a thorough one with many obviously will be questioned and suspected of that but clearly it is very early to say who could have done that such a very shocking especially that there's been no previous record of anything like this in the bolshoi theater so more news from inside russia a probe into the activities of the country's former defense minister has led to a criminal case being launched and attorneys will be investigated over allegations

of abuse of power and the progress already revealed that some top defense officials ordered soldiers to landscape the gardens at a vacation base belonging to the former defense minister's brother in law the defense ministry has been at the center of a major corruption scandal for several months now and authorities are to quote lost his job in november and has been a witness in a number of fraud cases involving his former subordinates. now to other news from around the world a string of roadside bombings in shiite muslim regions of iraq has raised the death toll to at least sixty people since wednesday and extended a deadly wave of bloodshed into a second day the deadliest of the attacks targeting shiite muslim areas killed at least seven people after two car bombs exploded near shia pilgrims traveling to a shrine in a city north of baghdad although there was no immediate com a claim of response i should say responsibility such attacks are a tactic of sunni insurgents seeking to undermine the shiite led government.

safe gadhafi the son of former libyan leader moammar gadhafi has appeared in court in libya for the first time since his capture more than a year ago he is facing charges of handing secret data to an international criminal court lawyer putting the country's security in danger the trial is thought to be linked to a deal with the i.c.c. that wants him extradited to the hague to face trial for war crimes meanwhile former french president nicolas sarkozy is denying claims by say that he received millions of euros in financial support from moammar gadhafi during an election campaign. a huge bush fire is burning out of control across the australian state of victoria the blaze that started in a national park destroyed up to forty five thousand hectares and is now predicted to move fast in a northeasterly direction carried by a strong wind several homes have been raised and many fires still remain

uncontained prompting fears of more to come the wave of wildfires hit australia nearly two weeks ago with sydney now experiencing its hottest day on record with temperatures around forty six degrees centigrade. now the u.s. northeastern states ravaged by superstorm stance sandy in late october have been promised over fifty billion dollars of aid by lawmakers the senate is yet to approve the measure is passed earlier this week in the house of representatives despite many opposing the bill and the politicians are bickering over cash the storm survivors are left with almost no support in this to see a church in the reports. of gorgeous beach turned coast area the rockaways in queens one of the places hit hardest by hurricane sandy to want to have months ago still in shambles today miles

and miles of devastated businesses residential buildings and houses like this one a place some family probably used to call home now almost literally hanging by a thread with almost zero chance of ever being rebuilt few locals on the collapsed boardwalk most of them in dire need of help this man who chose to remain anonymous due to government related work survived hurricane katrina his hopes of recovery post sandy are meager aid never going to move you still go parts of alabama louisiana mississippi where it got hit with katrina was other areas they've been touched yet after sandy hit and lead october he spent over a month with no electricity heat or hot water and thirty degree weather raymer three terms i feel the creation of three times our guts or politicians have the who are here. the folks here that put him in office of the least on the a list money

looks better in your pocket that is spending it on something that may get washed away again i had to replace my. water heater retired local roberta hof was currently burning building her walls floors emma stairs says the destruction after the hurricane has been immense we don't have a movie theater we don't have the hospital it's gone the banks and finally opening now it's two and a half months it looks like your acts after a war or after no in afghanistan or something. and most of the help in hurricane affected areas has come from volunteers i didn't see too much of the red cross to be truth it was volunteers who have often been affected by sandy themselves like ayman use of from staten island actually it was like a foot on top of it that's how much it was the water his house deemed unsafe after the hurricane is about to be demolished the only think we need is the plants the fund is not there to get help you know we we get in like two percent swear we're

going to get the ninety percent that's a mystery we need a check from god that's what we for a month and a half a man lived in this tent where he also set up a help center for the community somewhere a lot of people coming there are still a lot six seven hundred people. a day six seven hundred yes yes. all of these people victims of sandy everybody around here go up to them they'll tell you the same thing they said you know they did hand me a sandwich and a blanket and i was in water up to my chest and they said hey see you later oh by the way i want to exit the truck occupy sandy a child of the occupy wall street movement has been a big part of the recovery effort to even praised by the n.y.p.d. what we have is a lot of people coming in here and not knowing where to turn and some of them are in tears and you know it's very hard to tell them that help is coming and you hear all this talk about that the nine billion if you would think that would be a big help if it actually got to communities while politicians seem to have

perfected the skill of arguing over how much cash to spend on relief aid getting money and help to ordinary people who needed right now is clearly a skill that is yet to be learned and if they see a church in our party new york. coming up in just a few minutes here in and see abbie martin's breaking the second. congress' approval rating has hit an all time low never has american record history been so disappointed with the lawmaking body the united states even former arkansas governor mike huckabee said that their approval ratings are just barely above a pedophile so i guess that's good news for the disgusting pedophiles out there so you won't be the most hated group in america anymore but i don't think this

statistic reflects the quality of government but so much the quality of the governed in some small country with a hard to pronounce name if the government became that unpopular the country would simply collapse but no matter how many wars congress gets involved in and no matter how many jobs are shipped overseas or no matter how much the american dream gets stamped out everyone still rallies around obama and votes democrat and republican this popularity rating doesn't show how effective the government is it shows how arrogant they are because they seem to have no fear whatsoever of getting reelected or being punished in any way for their bad behavior so you know congress i have to save us keep up the good work go for one percent popularity and maybe someone will actually do something about you but that's just my opinion.

to live on one hundred thirty three bucks a month for food i should try it because you know how fabulous. i mean. i guess i just really miss. it's. worse for the little thing the white house or the. radio guy for a minute. what. we're about to give you never seen anything like this until the.

aloha welcome to break in this that i'm your host abby martin let's talk about the west african nation of mali as i anticipate what we are hearing a lot more about in the coming weeks over the last few days french troops have been deployed to the country to counter girl rebel forces and aid their army to reclaim areas occupied by militant groups so why should we care about this well because back in december the state department and treasury announced that two extremist groups existed in mali the movement for unity and jihad in west africa and officially labeled them as terrorist groups mali has been and remains an area where the u.s. routinely carries out unmanned drone operations and this past monday defense secretary leon panetta announced that quote we have responsibility to make sure that al qaeda is not establish a base for operations in north africa and mali and they might not have in any immediate plans for attacks in the u.s. and in europe alternately that still remains their objective but.