live from our studios in moscow this is r t i'm sean thomas glad to have you with us let's start with our breaking news this hour massive explosions have rocked to the syrian capital with u.s. officials reportedly confirming that israeli jets were behind the attack a video has emerged allegedly showing the destruction caused it to the homes of local residents people are also describing the scene at the military research center as a huge blast which caused everything to shake damascus based journalist abdullah mamma xeni earlier told me the details. the way. we go about the.

more it's a little. more . clear. that was a local journalist and damascus abdullah mama xeni he's now telling r.t.

that more than three hundred soldiers have been killed and hundreds more wounded activists are reporting up to two thousand deaths was any is also reporting huge destruction at the research center itself now let's go live to israel now and get more on the latest developments from martinis policy or policy thank you very much for being with us now has there been any reaction from israel so far. well as of yet there has been no confirmation from the israeli side and this is despite the fact that we are hearing some american officials saying that the strike that was carried out in the early hours of sunday morning was an israeli strike we're hearing the same kind of reports from syrian state television it says that is one launched twelve missiles from lebanese airspace targeting an ammunition depot on the outskirts of the capital city of damascus according to these reports is wady jets broke the sound barrier and hit several military posts not his followers out

menar t.v. station also claims that the explosions may have been caused by a downed israeli good we are receiving some reports of not one but two reason it's have been downed but let me reinforce size that no confirmation in fact no reaction from the israeli government as of yet it's also important to say that there are rumors now surfacing online that following the latest volley of attacks on the syrian regime of the syrian president bashar assad will soon officially declare war on his role now of course this is the news in terms of social media in no way of having any independent verification of this but disturbing rumors nonetheless many are dismissing these reports of strictly rumors various commentators are claiming that such a move would be sure to end the regime of the syrian president bashar assad to quote these commentators within a week they respect relation it will also about the nature of this alleged it is radio tech now some are insisting that israel's weaponry was to quote them nuclear

like that people said they could smell chemicals in the air and that the attack was coordinated by israel with the hope from syrian rebel forces the ammunition depôt that was hit is a strategic military position used by the forces of the syrian president bashar assad there is video footage that has been uploaded to youtube by activists and they show a huge ball of fire rising into the night sky we haven't as of yet been able to verify these videos either. paula this is not the first time israeli jets have been blamed for bombing syria even recently is it. no it's not the research center that was hit and made to be by israeli planes in the early hours of sunday morning was the target of an earlier israeli strike in january now that strike according to the syrian government killed two syrian workers and injured five people we are still waiting for israeli confirmation at least israeli

official public confirmation for another strike that took place overnight thursday on a shipment of missiles in syria that were believed to be destined for lebanon's hezbollah now the first officials to go on record saying that that strike was israeli were american officials and then on saturday israeli officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said that israeli aircraft were responsible but unless like to no official israeli government response what is important is that what we've seen is that this conflict is becoming much more than just a syria all regional conflict but it does have international ramifications his below is a militant organization it is based in lebanon it is allied with the syrian government in damascus israel has repeatedly said in the past that it will stop any kind of game changer weapons from getting into the hands of this organization listen on to has lodged a complaint with the international community complaining that israel has violated

airspace has flown over lebanese airspace is one in recent days has taken widely reported steps as i'm outlining to neutralize threats that are immolating from within syria and while strikes from liberty's is there is this weekend or not for to have been on chemical weapons caches the recent israeli intelligence regarding the so-called use of such weaponry in store to be spurring on rounds of strikes including the latest just hours ago so israel is increasingly using this kind of rhetoric using the thrifts of chemical weapons in syria to justify any kind of military action that it has or intends to take are right ortiz policy or we know that you've been keeping across developments and we know that you will continue to do so thanks for being with us here on our team. now a little earlier i spoke to jason did say news editor at antiwar dot com who says this conflict has more sides involved than it seems at first glance until we have a clearer picture of what was what exactly was targeted it's difficult to speculate

why the targeting took place although well i would say that the united states gave israel a green light for the previous attack in past months and reportedly gave them an ok to launch future strikes so this probably isn't something that happens for one moment which is rather low in the works for some time oh in your opinion what could be the outcome of the current situation what are the chances it will escalate into armed confrontation now that syria could possibly be involved to end it's spreading through the middle east it seems. well it certainly does seem that way and it could get very easily get out of control i of course syria's unlikely being in the middle of a civil war and launch much of a retaliate against israel directly but. at the same time this probably undermines some of the more islamic factions in the syrian rebels especially with reports that they're benefiting from these airstrikes that. paints them as. being

the recipients of israeli aid in these attacks now jason it seems that israel is very keen it to stop west weapons getting to hezbollah how far are they prepared to go fly for i think they're prepared to. to go as far as they need to go and if that means all out war of the yeah as far as a lot of the people in the israeli government is concerned that that probably isn't a big deal although i would say event the fact that they've made such a public. spectacle of themselves promising me these attacks that pretty taxed is sort of leaves one wondering if it's not simply the excuse for any knowledge tax they might want to launch on syria and whether or not it's targets to happen to have anything to actually do with as well are not the world now israel and hezbollah have been on different sides of the syrian conflict from the very beginning what could has blonde get out of the conflict if they get involved. and

why i think hezbollah has already involved someone. in the syrian civil war of course they have sent some fighters to defend shiite religious sites to defend a few she at border villages along the lebanese border i think. again has been lives primarily built as a defensive group to resist invasion as a postman often suborganizations so proudly of have fairly limited capabilities for as far as launching any sort of attack on israel now if you look at the bigger picture like taking a step back the syrian government is basically backed by iran and lesbian lebanon's hezbollah at this point time do you think that israel can afford having these countries against itself in a larger conflict. well i think if if it gets into a larger conflict israel certainly can't handle all of this by itself but i think

there the assumption is that it will especially with the u.s. still publicly plotting their attacks on syria that dobby united states which would step in as well and this would go from internal civil war to a regional war and indeed to a global war and if you look actually at israel's past in the past ten years in fact they've conducted several wars with its neighbors the palestinians and lebanon if it was indeed israel who conducted the airstrikes tonight if they actually own up to this why would they want to unwrap another conflict in the region that's a very good question and i'm not really sure if there's a good answer for it and it seems like a lot of the people in the current israeli government are very hawkish on the idea of. exerting their power especially after the november war or with hamas was seen not to go in their favor and i think

a lot of them are pretty eager to have another war in which they can sort of. flex their power and cause a considerable amount of destruction simply to prove their deterrent capability is but the risk in that is that they could blow this up into a much bigger fight than what their vision me you mentioned blowing this up into a much bigger fight than they're in visioning your words now in the course of the syrian war the region has been flooded with weapons why would one even want to stir up this hornet's nest that already exists in the region that that's another very good question of course we saw that similar thing happen in libya when you know who went into the libyan civil war the result was. i think it's safe to say catastrophic for the entire region with all these weapons ended up falling into the hands of different smugglers different factions and it started wars all across northern africa alone i think the syrian war in no small part stems from all those

arms coming out of lax been armed and who knows where it where old earliest if the syrians are and same way now there are reports people in damascus are detecting strange smells with fears of the chemical weapons possibly used in the city will be following the latest developments in this breaking news story right here on our t.v. certainly rapidly developing our team is across it in the newsroom. now law enforcement officials investigating the boston marathon bombings have turned their focus to the widow of one of the suspects radical islamic material was discovered on a computer belonging to the american wife of the southern ny of who was killed when police tried to capture him and he's lucie county office. katherine russell she's a twenty four year old widow of tamerlan and she's been under investigation basically since the identities of the boston bombers were revealed she initially came under scrutiny when authorities discovered female d.n.a.

on a piece of a pressure cooker that was used to construct a homemade explosive material she submitted her fingerprints and d.n.a. and authorities say they did not match the sample on the explosives that were found however investigators have also been probing her computer materials and what it turns now now is that authorities have discovered al qaeda is inspire magazine and other so-called radical islamic literature on the computer now the key question is whether this material actually belonged to her or whether it was downloaded by her husband or somebody else so that is the key question that investigators are looking into at the moment if we actually begin with katherine russell i mean she grew up in rhode island the christian daughter of an emergency room doctor and a nurse sort of the epitome of the all-american girl before she met in fact she graduated high school in two thousand and seven and according to one magazine report her yearbook quote had mentioned that she wanted to grow up and join the peace corps people who knew her said that this bright girl with

a passion for learning and travel had really radically transformed since meetings are not she ended up becoming a college dropout she married him converted to islam and stayed at home and took care of the children the same could be said for himself actually there was an interesting interview with an ex-girlfriend of his who said that the man she met and dated in two thousand and six had transformed from a pot smoking party boy to an anti american islam minister jihadi essentially that is how she described him it's unclear what prompted the transformation in case but we do know that much of his radicalization officials believe was inspired by al qaeda in the arabian peninsula there's reports that he has watched sermons by the american born cleric anwar all blocky and according to news reports sources of actually refer to inspire magazine as one of the materials found under the possession of. it's known to have published a bomb making guide and investigators have also uncovered other evidence of sort of radical material. reporting for us there well they have been labeled the

clowns and the loonies but now they have picked up a quarter of the votes in british local elections the euro skeptic u.k. independence party a former outsider has got one hundred forty seven seats in local councils a surprise increase from just eight previously they even came second in one byelection prime minister david cameron reached out to you kip which he once called a bunch of fruitcakes now he's saying it's no use insulting them trying to benefit from you kids recent popularity and when that bag voters he demanded to be referendums on europe with the first one next spring cameron's upcoming speech outlining the government's a legislative plans will focus on the main issues of you can program e.u. membership and immigration earlier my colleague bill asked the deputy leader of the u.k. independence party not all whether they're getting work. david cameron is committed to the european union we know that because he said if there is a that friends and he will campaign to stay in and if you're members of the

european union you can't control your own borders so we have a problem in this country where we have twenty two percent youth unemployment a million kids in britain who are going to weigh every day i'm going about open. to twenty nine million remaining and i'm bulgarians when restrictions fall on january the first in communism it says that is not a good can do about that so quite frankly we're not worried that he's going to park his time cannot say because he simply can't see how you're going to gain momentum now because surely most governments at the time of these midterm elections always lose popularity you've got to keep the momentum up now but really to aim for part of parliament now is that that's is that really realistic for you keep it it's early stages well i think we will take a seat in the house of commons if not two seats before the general election in two thousand and fifteen if we continue on our put trajectory and byelection zameen we are for. seconds and a lot of buy elections now particularly in the north of england and i think that we

can eventually take a seat in a byelection but let's not forget that a big elections next year the european elections take place in june two thousand and fifteen these are the elections that we will win i genuinely believe we will send more any peace but it's a brussels than any other party and then in two thousand and fifteen ukip will be standing in every single constituency and we will be putting up a good fight and if we enter the election on double digits ahead of the liberal democrats we have leadership debates in this country and will be on those leadership debates and he would wipe the floor with clegg cameron and for a large mania will start just finally back to the immigration policy people do perceive you as racist how are you going to overcome that challenge just briefly well quickly we have a blanket ban on anybody who's been a member of a political party ever joining you that has nothing racist about discussing immigration and wanting british jobs for british workers. well we've got more news

for you online including public fury against the muslim brotherhood in egypt it reaches a boiling point with the islamist leader's son lynched for a shocking murder he's accused of committing at the r t dot com for the full story . also china's breakneck pace of industrialization may not comply with the people's hopes for a green and environmentally friendly future hundreds rally in the city of against the government plans to build another factory producing hazardous materials for details on a website. thousands of gun enthusiasts from every corner of the u.s. have gathered in houston to explore everything the gun industry has to offer this year meeting of the national rifle association is likely to be the biggest ever despite all of the recent shooting tragedies in the us the n.r.a. is holding steadfast in its opposition to obama's attempt to strengthen gun laws in

the country is in houston with details. the national debate over gun control may be among the most divisive issues in the united states but it's also proving to be upbeat our success for america's largest and strongest kind of rights organization approximately seventy thousand people have turned out for the national rifle association's annual meeting taking place here in houston texas you could understand the enthusiasm and the strength behind the n.r.a. so many families have brought their their children now what those in attendance are not allowed to buy any of the weapons or ammunition but they certainly are allowed to pick up the guns hold them in their hands i aim for the kids there are air guns that the kids are allowed to shoot also virtual guys to play with and many in the crowd told me that they come with the feeling of victory because in recent weeks

u.s. present ever. at first furthering gun control legislation failed in the senate that effort of course was for strengthening garden background checks but when you hear from the people that turned out they say that they will stand behind the n.r.a. to continue to fight any efforts washington makes on furthering gun control legislation to make it shows americans feel good about our freedom to own guns is second amendment and most of these are supporting the n.r.a. because they are a backbone for believing in fighting for our rights i didn't split speaker clinton i didn't use but it's wonderful and i look to you like who took one for the n.r.a. there would be no more i think a lot of people came this year because. president obama was reelected and we know we have to fight to just keep our rights former vice presidential candidate sarah

palin and texas governor rick perry are among the long list of names of pro-gun conservatives that addressed crowds throughout this three day of that all those that spoke accuse president obama and new york city mayor michael bloomberg and even the mainstream media of leading a vicious attack against the second amendment but that fights includes a very hefty financial investment according to reports the n.r.a. spent seven hundred thousand dollars in the first quarter of this year to fight any efforts made by washington to strengthen gun control now ironically as the us leader has been making his efforts to strengthen gun laws gun sales have been a creep increasing and membership to the n.r.a. has been expanding so far in this ongoing political battle of the n.r.a. he's clearly proving itself to be strong enough to go up against and defeat the

president of the united states reporting from here. stammering up or not you are. more international news in brief for you this hour seven u.s. service members have been killed in two separate attacks in afghanistan and roadside bomb killed five men in the southern province of kandahar two other american troops have been killed during an insider attack by a rogue afghan soldier in the country's western helmand province this comes just hours after president i made karzai asked of the taliban to stop destroying the country and help it defended against what he calls for in plots. three people have been killed and dozens injured after two blasts went off within minutes of each other near an election office of a pakistani a liberal political party in the taliban claimed responsibility for the attack militants earlier promised to target three secular political parties ahead of the general elections in a week's time more than seventy people have been killed in the ongoing insurgent

attacks in the run up to that may eleventh the vote is expected to mark the first ever democratic transition of power in pakistan. in hungary hundreds of the far right protesters rallied on budapest martyrs square a day before the world jewish congress opens in the country judges came under fire for authorizing what is widely seen as an anti-semitic protest for the victims of zionism in a country with the largest jewish community in europe it was organized by the job a party who ran a campaign called hungary for hungary and back in two thousand and nine. two soldiers are dead and of four more were injured in an attack on a mali an army patrol near the northern city of gal a suicide bomber and armed militants provoked a clash that left two mali and troops killed three of the attackers also died in the fighting the attack underscores the challenges the country faces of following

a french led military intervention to liberate the three main towns controlled by al qaeda linked groups in northern mali that area has been rocked by several suicide attacks targeting a military forces in recent months. in tripoli government supporters have clashed with demonstrating at militia members who were demanding qaddafi era officials be ousted from the government last week armed men laid siege to the country's a foreign and justice ministry calling for a purge of the old regimes members violence and instability are once again threatening the country two years after a nato led intervention and the overthrow of colonel gadhafi millions of orthodox believers are celebrating easter in church ceremonies around the world it is one of orthodox christianity most important services and marks the resurrection of jesus christ thousands of people gathered at russia's main vigil at the cathedral of crisis savior in central moscow artie's when he has the results. price

does freeze and that's the phrase our two dogs believers read each other with the celebration continues early on saturday you believe. in the church of the holy sample in jerusalem and the holy fly is described by our two dogs believers as a miracle that happens alfre year on the eve of the easter celebration later that fire is distributed to the r. to docs countries including ballo russia serbia drew and many others and it was also brought to russia. in moscow's of local airport and was a later delivery to the price to savor which is really a bit louder and more are to dogs cathedral in the country and that's where the a main easter service was taking place now this service to began shortly before midnight on saturday chris and believers holding candles and carrying on like

around the cathedral right after midnight glory following the resurrection of jesus christ and that service last of were several hours and well into the early hours of sunday it was also time to buy the russian president vladimir putin and plan the meet the needs of and really despite what about what the this day as it was pouring with rain throughout saturday still hundreds of people here to this special night service easter is the presidio it's a by quite a long period of caustic biddy verse abstain from meat ax fish and products for forty eight days which they tend to stunting praying and this is a night service is then followed by the easter sunday that's one of those give each other colored that's the be prepared and special russian easter brad which is called beach it is really a very special moment and a special day for millions of our dogs to believe around the globe as they

celebrate the most important day and they are the docs calendar parties monday night coaching over reporting for us there now my colleague. will be here in just a bit about thirty minutes time to bring you an update on the breaking news that we've been covering. but first coming up after this short break we had to our washington studio for a new show prime interest. good afternoon a welcome to prime interest i'm terry and boring and washington d.c. and here's the story that we're tracking today. it's good news for jobs or is it the two headline numbers from this morning big employment report beat expectations but about two thirds of those games were in leisure and hospitality temporary work or retail sector overgaard plus of this the federal reserve which

keeps very close tabs on this report will take notice of the improvement in unemployment which ticked down to seven and a half percent which this is just a one percentage point above where the fed would start to consider slowing down and the eighty five billion dollars per month the money printing program. just a few weeks into her new role as i.c.c. chairwoman mary jo white is confronting some very tough issues that her predecessor table first it was the jobs act and now it's money market reform and her interim predecessor always be walter had to say this on the subject. i would much prefer to see a proposal be put out by the f.c.c. and by the end i think virtually everyone if not everyone on the upside agrees with the pressure to reform them all tied trillion dollar money market fund industry and the evidence is a key part of the shadow banking system that sees the object of the financial panic we'll talk to stim agr.