flames literally games to store a birth place in greece before setting off an epic four months really across russia leading up to sochi twenty forty. three attacks in two days leave seventy dead in nigeria is says that mr insurgents target universities churches and civilian infrastructure in retaliation for a government offensive. wraps up with a return to hope and diplomacy world powers agree on a syria resolution they could finally be light at the end of the tunnel over iran's nuclear crisis. plus loved. mixed welcome then for iran's president rouhani and his return from new york with opposition crowds furious with the idea of ties with the united states.

even chief you just joined us just after eight pm now here in moscow watching the weekly a round up of the top stories of the last seven days here on out with me kevin now in first the limpid flame for the twenty fourteen winter games has been lit in the limpia earlier the birthplace of the legendary event of course it's from there that the torch will travel thousands of kilometers to next year's host city and russia. spoke to r.t. to andrew farmer at the ceremony in greece and also to buy much say in sochi. lympics flame for sorcery twenty fourteen has been lit will probably be able to see it just behind my left shoulder there and it also we will see here at olympia the birthplace of the games the longest torch relay in elim pick history just a few moments ago the lighting of the flame ceremony took place it was basically

a step back in time winding back the clock perhaps two and a half thousand years is so we're not trying as a high priestess light the flame using the powers of the sun and a parabolic mirror which is basically what happened in seven hundred b.c. that flame is them brought here to the ancient stadium which is where i am standing and it is now being used or just was used to light the torch the very first torch bearer he runs off to my right by tradition he's always a great guy and on this occasion he was an eighteen year old ski called yanis antonio who hopes to compete for his country in sochi next year and he will hand this torch the first russian torch bearer alexander ovechkin the ice hockey star he himself has only been released by his club the washington capitals for forty eight hours to carry out this honor he flies back to the states this evening but he says that this event today was one of the highlights of his career while the torch will

go on a tour of greece for the next seven days and that will end in athens next weekend before it flies to moscow for the russian leg that's the longest in torch relay history but it all has started here as we've been on there in the limpia the birthplace of the olympics now let's cross it to bang with say is in sochi the host city for the twenty eight fourteen olympics so tomorrow power the storage will get to sochi well it's definitely going to be an olympic torch relay that's going to break a many records and here's why it's going to take around one hundred days for all of that torch to go through russia it's going to take sixty five thousand kilometers and ford. a thousand torchbearers to bring it right here to the holy city how it's going to date through nine at times earnings in russia eighty three regions of two thousand nine hundred and cities and settlements of possible russia and also visit the nose poll also it'll go to the top of the europe's

a highest mountain in the russia's and north caucuses it will then make a trip outside of eartha to the i.r.s. says away cosmonauts they will take it on a space walk now this has never happened to before in the history of the a lympics now in terms of traveling of the tours around russia it's going to have a conventional ways such as you know the train a plane as well as on foot or through personalities but it's also going to go through unconventional ways us through rain d.s. lanes and hot air balloons of course a russia wanted to highlight some of it's a culture it's the history and of course this emerging new younger russia that we're seeing being developed here at the host city in a sort she. is on its epic journey to such. one hundred and twenty three days. through to some nine hundred cities of russia.

really fourteen thousand people or sixty five thousand dollars. in a record setting trip by land air sea and others face. a limp dick george. special coverage on our. there's a miss militants in nigeria reportedly went room to room at night executing students as they slept in an attack on a university killing up to fifty people in total it was of seventy have died over the weekend in three attacks they believe to be the work of boko haram which is increasingly targeting vulnerable civilian infrastructure johnson founder of viewpoint africa says the cell is ultimately directed by al qaeda the un all these groups are all joined together. i'll shut babin somalia or the wider m.l.a. in in mali or in the. across west africa these jihadist cells are all only

blueprints on the organizational al-qaeda on their very very strict. their focus is the same she said and they they also want to do the spectacular in terms of the sort of attacks on they can do and they always keen on grabbing the headlines and they're very strict sometimes you drive away to between the religious divide in specially christians and muslims and in countries like nigeria which is very already splits on ethnic and religious grounds it makes it that much easier for muslims to be pushed to the edge muslims many of them who are don't have anything to do with to be marginalized and then themselves become. elements for these groups because they are already on the fringes of the society. cry against austerity the british government's health care cuts try tens of thousands out of the streets of manchester just as the leading party prepares for its annual get together we report on that shortly. but next. no

one expected it just two weeks ago but this year's un general assembly's provan that there is enough space for consensus between world powers it sit in a storage phone call which raised hopes that the deadlock can be broken in iran's nuclear crisis but a show of unity pig when the united nations security council unanimously voted on the syrian resolution something that seemed to be allusive more than two years of his nissen now reports from new york hope for diplomacy progress on two fronts at the united nations a new tone in policy towards iran and a security council resolution on chemical weapons in syria the european union we've been hearing increasingly often the argument that the threat or use of force which is directly precipitated by the un charter might be the most efficient way to solve international problems the united states of america is prepared to use all elements or power including military force to secure. our core interests of the rich

but rare consensus at the u.n. emerged after years of deadlock over how to deal with the syrian crisis the un security council unanimously passed a resolution to secure and eliminate syria's stockpiles of chemical weapons according to the geneva agreement put forward by russia and the u.s. the mandate outlines a legally binding compliance but no threat of automatic sanctions or military action i think it shows there were turning towards a diplomatic solution recently issue of chemical weapons but the other issue that is still remained outstanding is what will happen outside of the issue of chemical weapons will the promise to be pursued by the united states or will they continue to find as they have the opposition or in the opposition still a day that happening and trying to deepen the conflict over there was out in another way it's a u.s. policy that iran's new president says has no place in the region his debut at the u.n. this week star hassan rouhani reach out but also defend tehran from political attacks

iran is an anchor of stability in unstable region the iranian threat is imaginary and is used as an excuse for the misdeeds of others iran poses absolutely no threat to the world or the region ronnie made it clear that iran does not want nuclear weapons and that it wants peace but also to be treated as an equal or rainy and u.s. officials praised high level meetings that took place on the sidelines of the general assembly and the country's president spoke over the phone for the first time in over three decades but what would it take for a would be photo op to become a new u.s. approach towards iran but as has our very tied there his hands are tied that there are people and lobby groups in the united states that do not want to see the united states and iran after thirty four years of demonizing the country to have relations the u.s. is in a tough spot it has to keep from north. relation of the middle east and now the

alienation of the arab muslim in general against the us is mostly due to the commitment. to shows its relations with israel obama said to meet with israeli prime minister netanyahu on monday in washington now is the real test will the u.s. be able to move forward with diplomacy in the middle east both with iran and syria the first week at the u.n. general assembly has opened the door to rethink a failed policy the question is will the obama administration shut it the first chance they get reporting from new york and he's anally r.t. president obama's also facing enormous pressure at home over his middle east policies especially on syria his approval ratings dropped to a two year low and storage at home told us that politicians there are eagerly awaiting his next misstep do you may recall that approximately two weeks ago it seemed as if washington was on the verge of military strikes against syria this

would have been disastrous for the obama presidency that is to say given the high level of antiwar feeling in the united states this would have led probably to his impeachment if not his removal from office on the one hand you have the republican party opposition split with one wing pushing for military strikes led by senator john mccain of arizona and another wing basically pushing for the opposite led by senator ted cruz of texas that is to say one wing was pushing mr obama to war the other when would lead in the pitchman drive if you were to go to war now with diplomacy taking the lead it is possible that we can have some sort of resolution of this crisis. u.n. inspectors return to syria this week to probe several more cases of alleged chemical weapons use the criticism of their other investigation of the oldest twenty first gas poisoning to damascus it wasn't stellar enough according to moscow

there's a blemish i mean no wonder you scrutinize the report believes the holes need patching first thing we have to know is that this was a very rushed investigation there was. very little access available in total the u.n. investigation team was in. for seven and a half hours two hours and one which is the west and five and a half hours and time runs amok which is in the school. so there was very little time and the other problem with this investigation one of the week this is according to a chemical weapons expert who i quote in my article is that the medical team that they met with whether first responders witnesses doctors nurses they were all pre-selected by one or two pro opposition doctors so this was a you know

a questionable exercise from the start if you couldn't have proper access random sampling and the time you need in which to conduct a full and thorough investigation what was the point i think what's important here is that the u.n. now as a result of all these holes in its original report needs to address these and ensure for itself that it has the proper access and time to investigate other areas of alleged chemical weapons attacks. because on the opposition in iran's once again show the president rouhani faces a very rocky road if he continues to steer the country towards diplomacy with the united states and i agree mob pelted with eggs and shoes as you return from the u.n. general assembly in new york protesters are particularly outraged by this story a phone call with barack obama which marked the first direct talks between the country's leaders in three decades norman solomon from the institute for public accuracy thinks it's crucial hardline is a kept to bay for diplomacy to succeed here. the u.s.

government is under great pressure from the hawks in washington many of whom why the united states to either attack or wink and nod towards israel launching an attack on iran within the next year or so the role of the us i think is now to see what's possible diplomatically and i think it's a combination you know it takes two to dance that was not possible under our dinner job it would not be possible under president romney or president mccain for instance i think that is the very important factor the combination it's a matter of timing. but it will be very important for the grassroots leaders as well as the powerful in both iran and the united states to keep this on course so that the hardliners in each country don't gain the upper hand we've had to want

to dot com for much more analysis on the signs of a thaw in iran u.s. relations as well as predictions for future nuclear talks to. one of britain's biggest cities is seeing its largest ever protests his health cut store tens of thousands onto the streets it's time to catch members of the governing conservative party who are descending on munches for their annual conference no gibson who's a labor party councillor nearby sheffield says the only people benefiting from the government's policies are the tories friends in big business. national service in this country belongs to the people and always cause it was setup by the people we pay for it we tie a national insurance contributions out of our wages that pays for the national health service it belongs to the people and it should be kept in the public not privatized the government should be causing in the people's ill health is. the money in the house of it should be spent on improving the service training the stuff not handing out profit to shareholders among its private sector doesn't put money into the n.h.s. private sector draws money and then it says it takes

a profit it takes money ought to send to the pockets of private shareholders it doesn't invest money back into the into the national health service not what we need more money invested in it and at least in the in the public sector nobody wants a state government wants it not the unfit ones that the nurses don't want the doctors don't want the people of the good of britain don't want that coming up in bahrain the opposition has found that speaking out means getting locked up as the main force here on the un to get the protest movement was jailed for members of one opposition group behind bars for supposedly thinks with militants talk about that after this very quick break. i.

choose your language. of choice we can with no infidels they still. choose to use the consensus you can. choose to give any answer that invigorated your mind. choose the stories that impact your life choose the access to your office. this is my first trip. and i think you're. gonna read what. i. say.

about ready court sentenced fifty shiites to up to fifteen years behind bars for organizing a plan test on opposition groups linked to anti-government militants the february fourteenth coalition was formed in twenty eleven i was the major driving force in debug the nationwide program for what rising so it's not a day for chairs the bar and rehabilitation antiviolence organization also spent two months in prison there and says the whole. level tactic of demonization actually it's quite all the propaganda and the whole process all through the demonization of the pro-democracy corners and to pro-democracy groups is a quite an old fashioned thing that the the authorities that are aiming at are at this they'd be using it for a while and it's not working anymore i mean at this moment they failed absolutely failed to provide any evidence that these groups are involved in any

to terror attacks or any terrorist events take movements two years ago exactly at the same date same judge he a convicted doctor has almost fifty doctors for sentencing up to fifteen years it's the same thing the repeating. weeks of anti fascist riots and rallies finally yield results for great protestors please bring in the leaders of the golden dawn part two the fishelson the extreme group now facing charges ranging from murder to money laundering we've got more just ahead tonight. and the far right makes a last minute surge in austria is elections but exit polls suggest the centrist coalition has made it back into power by the narrowest of margins were plotting that too. hearings have started for eight of the thirty greenpeace activists arrested for trying to scale

a russian all platform in the arctic a court order that the twenty two others should be held on remand for two months the protests comes as the polar region gears up for a significant changes hugo piskun off explains more. the pictures that stormed international media greenpeace activists trying to climb onto a floating platform in russia's north arrested by coast guards. all thirty activists from eighteen countries were detained and are now awaiting whether they will be officially charged greenpeace claims their actions were peaceful but the authorities say they could have endangered not only the lives of the rig's workers but the environment itself. it's obvious they are not pirates but they tried to storm the platform and these people violated international law by coming dangerously close to the president's common scheme and an international arctic conference organized by russia we're here in city huts the only city in the world located exactly on the arctic circle line where the presidents of russia

finland iceland other officials along with around four hundred experts have gathered and the arctic environment is what this forum is all about as average temperatures warm up and the arctic is opening up new opportunities for trade routes and energy projects moscow says only companies with experience working in the tough region and enough funds to do it properly and without harming nature must be allowed access and cleaning up the heritage of the cold war era is another issue abandoned military bases equipment and piles of barrels with fuel i know a map the arctic binary assessment program has been involved in that but russia has really been working on its own to try to and we have a ways to go and they're not alone there are places around the planet or similar things that happen when people didn't recognize it as something they did had long term negative consequences for the environment the arctic nations seem to be on the

same beach looking after the north wall is a responsibility they must carry together so that the mistakes of the past aren't repeated especially when their every move is under such intense scrutiny you've got this going off in the arctic circle. it looks like austria's governing grand coalition is just about straight back into power according to the first election exit polls but the far right freedom party appears to have scooped more than twenty two percent of the vote as well even more than expected peter all of the reports next on how rights is groups gaining traction across europe. the political right is on the right say europe and it's drawing some surprising support a lot of people from the working class blue collar workers lower educated people are voting for the extreme right of the radical right because of the policies staying put forward like immigration and european integration corruption i guess apologises to massage so these are the topics that are now days important for those people voting for the radical right across europe there's

a time that's turning right ukip is being talked about as the legitimate third party in britain while alternative to germany just missed out on a place in the bundestag norway's conservative government came to power with tough immigration promises and in sweden and finland there's also been gains here in australia euro skeptic right wing parties are gaining support from people who feel that the main issues important to them being addressed they might care less and we should all feel the need to slow down immigration i have nothing against foreign us but enough is enough. yeah e.u. is saying where the money should go to like an all kind poor country is on its of their own country and they're used to wouldn't be like john dictate everything that actually goes it used to be their own party's interest spruced and

the e.u. second now it's only half year old it's doing well and having the freedom party of austria have made significant gains in the polls heading into sunday's election. its critics call it xenophobia its leader begs to differ being out of australia i don't have foreignness. even so the party adopted a different campaign tactic that it had done in previous elections their issue hidden message about religious values and a sense of the. love your neighbors which is a very catholic way of talking about issues but of course the hidden message behind us that this is against islam or against muslims also flying the roofline is stroke canadian billionaire frank strong who come dems the single currency is the road to rack and ruin. we need to stop creating debt every housewife knows that if she spends more money than she earns all parameters most of europe's recent elections

have been nail biters for politicians desperate to keep their jobs amid limping economies austria is different it's doing relatively fine what's happening here is brussels persistence with bailouts and encroachments on sovereignty has given the right to come didn't seem broad to beat them with peter all over on t.v. vienna. elsewhere in europe may be the beginning of the end for greece's extreme right golden dawn party with its leader and top members charged in court they were accused of running a criminal gang as well as resorting to murder violence and extortion it all began after the murder of a prominent anti fascist spy and alleged member of golden door more than twenty of the party's officials been arrested now with special police squads looking for a dozen more authority is said to have found guns ammunition and tens of thousands of euros at the home of golden dogs lead to results you heard earlier in the week

it's unlikely that the party itself for fear is driving the group on the ground careful of what. fury on the streets of athens clashes erupted following a protest against the murder of pablo's physis the anti-fascist rapper was stabbed to death last week by an alleged supporter of the far right golden dawn party allegations the group firmly denies. kilpi as a young man was known to be not have been the first to die at the hands of rick. groups but he was the first non migrant golden dawn has also been said to be targeting anarchists and communists renewing political tensions between the extreme left right and the greek government they have acquired a fear of i don't phrases they have collaborated with them out says maybe guides they have blood on their hands this is why we say go with this government with the

golden dome the group is trying to keep a low profile in the wake of the killing and wouldn't speak to us on camera this man however was keen to talk george says he's one of the group's oldest members and he blames journalists for giving golden dawn a bad rep is the only party that has spent poor people and desperate greeks who are suffering the crisis we're not extremists and we aren't against anyone yet georges also wanted to make sure i noticed people in the neighborhood he claimed this man was an egyptian immigrant who lived on handouts at the expense of greeks like himself as for the nazi symbolism the fascist salutes that the group has been known for all a misunderstanding he says. once wrong with this there's nothing wrong with a salute just a way of saying hello so i did myself it's a greeting that still terrifies this greek resident he believes that golden dawn was to blame for his recent assault but he also points to another factor behind the growing divisions and the violence economy a process i didn't used to be afraid but agrees has changed everyone is suffering

financially and some are looking to blame others immigrants an easy target despite the public shows of anger against it golden dawn it is greece's third largest party and at least until now its fastest growing political force it gained ground against the backdrop of unrest linked to the economic crisis and a country burdened by debt soaring unemployment and deep cuts to social spending. it's the little bit of a make it's when your life changes totally like ours has. in the past few years when you lose your job and can't provide for your family you grab whatever helping hand you can get and golden dawn has helped as we'll fight to the end. spiros a shop owner who's had to shut down one of his stores because of the recession blames the influx of immigrants for straining scarce resources and he says golden dawn keeps order in his neighborhood when the government fails. we don't want to use violence but when golden dawn kicks out immigrants who are squatting illegally

. and forces peace and order of course we'll support them as the government does nothing. the financial crisis has done more than simply cripple greece's economy it's changing society too when asked to describe how local say that the writing is on the wall in this neighborhood it literally is in the red it says out what foreigners signed golden dawn in the black fashion work a slow go it's evidence of a growing ideological divide and with the greek economy still in trouble that divide is unlikely to heal anytime soon lucie county of r t athens. alexander kazimierz who's a specialist in greek politics told this writing in golden dawn is not going to be easy given his extensive connections and resources it is clear that there are ties between golden dawn and certain parts of the greek state operators and these have been going on for decades.