officials raise the alarm over a corruption underworld sucking one hundred twenty billion euros a year from the european economy probably the size of the used total budget and what's worse the report warns this could just be the tip of the iceberg. as the u.s. reportedly plans to back up its syrian diplomacy with more robyn's to the rebels and r.t. crew travels through damascus school where children refuse to be victims of the conflict. with the winter olympics days away and a gay propaganda boycott battle still in the minds of many we talk to the city's community to find out if the law has really affected their lives in the sochi.

eight pm in moscow i mattress of very good to have you with us our top story this hour officials have uncovered a corruption pandemic they say is sweeping member states with one hundred twenty billion euros lost to shady deals each year the figure published in a report by the e.u.'s home affairs commissioner who warned that the scale of the problem is probably even broader engage in worse or he's bigger all over highlighted for us the most troublesome details. over half of those who were surveyed have said that they think the corruption within the union was growing seventy six percent of those who were asked thought that corruption was widespread within the european union twenty six percent said that they'd been directly affected by corruption government effectiveness at tackling corruption no only twenty three percent thought that they were capable of doing that and seventy three percent a huge number three quarters almost saying that they thought that the best way to

get public services was through bribery just into who's put forward this report the e.u. commission or an unelected body they have made the headlines themselves a few times when it comes to some of the more leftfield laws that have been imposed upon the e.u. citizens now their report didn't look into e.u. institutions and that's certainly raised a few eyebrows people wondering just how much more than one hundred twenty billion a year in backhanders of being going on if the e.u. it looked into themselves carol dolan the e.u. office director of transparency international described to my colleague marina joshie what kinds of corruption the report touched on in my brussels refuses to look at its own graph problem. in many of the newer member states of the e.u. there's still a lot of petty corruption that citizens paying small drives for access to basic services like health care. but in other countries the the the main corruption which so to do with political corruption that's the kind of conflicts of interests that

are in the dealings that politicians have with business but how can they be effective here i mean on the one hand the our commission to investigate corruption but then on the other the high the corruption don't really exist within the european institutions well the commission says that it is a self assessment would not be credible. we don't think that's the case we think any government should have the capacity to assess corruption risks in its own institutions luckily transparency international is conducting its own assessment of integrity problems integrity risks in the e.u. institutions and will be publishing that shortly philip plays an m.e.p. for the flemish nationalists of alms belong party focused on what the report didn't say and promise to follow it up. problems in some member states huge and widespread

and the problem within the european union is that all the member states. are in danger of being contaminated the by this problem because of when you are in the euro zone for instance and when one of these member states in the eurozone has a big corruption probe uhm well this problem will be felt by the other member states within the eurozone that's a problem with greece for instance so the problems in one country are becoming more and more the problems of the other member states would i find surprising them with one fun interesting at the same time is that the european commission has made this report on corruption in the european union but didn't make a survey of corruption within its own institutions and didn't have any specific information about corruption with e.u. funded projects un report pulling no punches over britain's bedroom tax it says

a levy on spare rooms for some of country's most vulnerable citizens further into financial uncertainty made a serious housing shortage. u.s. secretary of state kerry has reportedly admitted washington suffering a diplomatic defeat in syria according to two senators with whom he met privately as al qaeda is power is spreading in the region the u.s. is looking at a new strategy that may include spending sending more military hardware to the rebels artie's marine important reports kerry's comments reportedly came during an off the record closed door meeting on the sidelines of the munich security conference now according to the two senators in attendance john mccain and lindsey graham they said that the u.s. secretary of state admitted to them that he no longer believes the obama administration's approach the crisis in syria is working and they say he talked about supporting a plan to arm the moderate opposition. in syria according to the two senators they

say that that plan would be aimed at blocking al-qaeda affiliates in syria from carrying out terrorist attacks on america now kerry spokesperson denies that he raised the issue of supplying weapons to the syrian opposition now according to the two senators that are mentioned mr kerry also said during the meeting that he believes bashar al assad's government is failing to uphold its promise to give up chemical weapons according to the schedule that's been outlined however russia's deputy foreign minister recently said that syria is proceeding according to plan and even this month the assad government plans on removing a large shipment of chemical substances and that process is said to be complete by march first while there have been some delays moscow says western officials are overblowing the situation russia says the reality is that when a stockpile of chemical weapons are being transported it's not always easy to immediately get proper security for the entire operation now in the past few weeks

u.s. statements regarding syria including the ones that i just spoke about have indicated that america is still beating somewhat of a war drama last week we heard america's director of national intelligence james clapper warned that damascus may be producing biological weapons he also said that syria's influx of extremists have turned the war in a war torn country into a terrorist training and subsequently that's a threat to u.s. national security so here we have three years after the civil war in syria started it appears as though the u.s. is back to square one with no coherent progress being made on the crisis in syria and still some experts would say looking for excuses for a potential military strike or to arm the opposition parties are very few notion of visited a school in damascus to find out inside the country many believe more guns will help. lesson of arab league and history in elementary school these boys and

girls may look like ordinary kids but they've already faced a lifetime of adult experiences they must have the cover at which head out of bed but let's call them day and cross the road i saw sarah and then a missile foul somewhere nearby me and my cousins ran for cover the next day when i went to school our teacher told us that sarah died god bless her was that. sarah sister was also killed that day editor is now afraid to go to school the true spawn's was a bravery that many grown ups would be proud of it was good to me that i hear from my parents teachers and friends that there is a lot of people dying but i will not surrender i will continue to started to rebuild my country. amid the violence of a protracted war the kids grow up very fast so the whole of this i feel afraid

because of various and i feel sad because it's not ok to see kids killed like this it's not good the searing kids die when this. is eleven years old the syrian conflict has claimed for his relatives he was eight when it started and his had no real childhood since he won't i ask myself these girls why did they die if they have nothing to do with this conflict so why did. the pleasure. this story is not unique in almost every syrian school direct casualties like these. last november the entrance of the school in damascus is old town was hit by three mortars four children and a bus driver died at the scene i haven't been able to accept these deaths until now they were my kids i can clearly see their smiles and hear their voices i still see them in my dreams that nothing can justify this no religion no moment of thinking makes it acceptable. but life the principle of the school tells us must go on.

is immense the children and the administration have been deeply affected but it's also encouraged us to continue or teaching and are learning the mission of education is to bring out new engineers and new doctors new teachers to build up this country we have to resist this violence and this will be anything but an easy mission after a short break kids at this school in damascus are back to their classes but thousands of other syrian children all across the country still can't make it as their schools are destroyed and families displaced there were around twenty thousand schools in syria before the crisis today at least if easy for them a gun and even if the reason school nearby parents are simply too afraid to let their kids out of this site once a thriving nation with a strong education system syria today faces not just

a crisis of the present as of the future to. from syria. and switching gears now to the winter olympics in the sochi winter sports stars from all over the world descending on the olympic host city where the stage is set for the winter games let's get the latest on the build up to the games from our own martin andrews live in the host city with the latest hello martin good to have you with us officials from the international olympic committee there in the sea. now and they got a personal tour from president vladimir putin tell us more about that. yes that's right president putin arrived earlier today his first stop is actually to the such a national park where he visited a leopard rehabilitation center that was sort of a few years ago he then went off to meet the delegates and the wives and the. you see the one hundred twenty six session was formally opened there he met there was actually he introduced himself and spoke to them in english they had

a gigantic feast and a putting speeches at this wonderful glorious old soviet architectural house beautiful white everyone's in formal dress and that they listen to traditional russian music and some western music course thrown in with the likes of queen and we are the champions regarding obviously people talking about security here at the winter olympics which opens on friday just three days away and we spoke to the mayor of the olympic mountain village. who has more to say on the subject of security business here in such a take it. was that you did not just among the spokesmen of the many of the athletes have been seeing that back home liesl very negative media coverage of all the sochi olympics some are even afraid to come here but when they arrived they started wondering what all the bad press was about and a very impressed by what's going on here they see this much less hassle and this conference is specially when it comes to security checks compared to previous games

but it has not been as a country. and martin of course whatever it is looking forward to is the spectacle of the opening ceremonies but i understand the plans for those are being kept very very hush hush can you tell us more about that. but i certainly know that they had a rehearsal last sunday with a few of my friends actually were lucky enough to take some seats and tonight we have rehearsal taking place in elin pick fish stadium. right behind us as we see fireworks will be taking place tonight at eleven pm so lots to look forward to that regarding the event itself there are forty thousand tickets that is completely sold out they're not available at school and that's happening on friday where the six thousand athletes are making their way here to sochi during the week. thousands of athletes visit is are expected to arrive this week and three billion people are also estimated to watch the winter olympics this month for some however

the games aren't about spiritual progress they're about gay rights and the controversy surrounding last year's legislation that restricts children being given information about nontraditional relationships a similar law to the u.k. section twenty eight that was imposed for two decades in the late eighty's we had to the city's only beach front a venue my ak called white house english for cup it's been in the city for more than thirty years it seems that it's being subculture is far more liberal than people think traditionally one of the more tolerant russian cities when you're in the service era christians from all over the country that holiday here. club owner and his partner a man have been a couple for over thirteen years and they don't agree with the law they remain mostly unaffected by it and while christmas is beginning they described the west's response as heavy handed and an overreaction. up of course i think it's really bad it negatively affects gay russian people because society blames them for

spoiling the lympics for an important opinions are still divided on sexuality in russia and this club does give something of an insight into the reality of gay life here the one time in the club and i'm meeting people through this meeting like any other gay bar that i've ever been to even out of the backstage the performers are getting ready for tonight's performance in preparation for the club's new foreign audience english so. added to the show. the performance here can't believe the media attention bush's gay scene has generated in the west to be sobre would have spoken loudly in great numbers but the reality is that the issue is more complicated than it seems while so many algae to communities they brought him on here let's bring in a new wave of violence but i think you would you know it's

a pretty. much like it's. somewhat. well people do not run the streets handed hand in sochi behind closed doors at such clubs people can be openly affectionate and one thing is for sure whether you have conservative or liberal views this month is going to be a celebration of sports to remember. he. and our team is at the heart of the winter olympics we'll be broadcasting daily from sochi throughout the games out on the line at twenty four twenty fourteen our t. dot com.

the german government may not get away with its lax snooping controls coming up n.s.a. leaks force the country's main hacker group to file a criminal complaint against the government over its part in the spy scandal stay with us. a year ago or worse so much of the b.b.c. news subtitles as we enter the chinese new year which is of course is called the year of the horse alas i believe the b.b.c. is forty and sub reveal a lot more about the true state of the british and global economies that which is not allowed to be said publicly by the likes of the beloved b. if you think about it the elites in government think tank and business have been

forcing public assets and their populations to turn tricks for bankers using the pip slap of debt until the finances plug those national assets of one too many loads of debt and then abandon the trickle of a nation screaming for more credit all the way of the factory. thanks for staying with us nineteen minutes past the hour a new report to slam the british government's so-called bedroom tax saying it's leaving the u.k.'s most vulnerable citizens in quote tremendous despair ministers

have dismissed the un's findings out of hand so at least as are sillier reports from london. the united nations special rapporteur on housing released a report on the u.k. social housing conditions and call for the suspension of the so-called bedroom tax saying that it negatively impacts one's right to adequate housing as well as the general wellbeing of the most vulnerable individuals and households now since the introduction of this bedroom tax that those who are of working age and receiving house it benefits may have found this money reduced if they are found to be living in flats with spare bedrooms at the u.s. report also says that britain is facing a crisis of availability and affordability with tenants finding themselves with quote a few rights and a little security but the u.k. is a house that minister has this this this report as partisan and he says it's disappointing that the united nations has chosen to associate itself with a quote misleading marxist diatribe the outrageous mean to accuse this u.n. report of being marxist diatribe is to be like accusing. being

a marxist organization these are basic human rights we're dealing with here this nasty party has a crusade against the poor in this country what they've done quite apart from already forcing the poorest families in this country to choose between heating and eating now they've got them worrying about shelter these are the basic tenants of civilization this awful awful government just stripped from the poorest people in this country he's driven them to depression and even suicide this isn't the first time that the u.k. and the un have exchanged words on the matter but the u.k. government stands by its decision saying that this will allow the freeing up of bigger flats for families that need it more and it also talks about talks savings of about four hundred eighty million pounds in the first year however this is likely to continue as campaigners say they will continue to fight it on human rights grout in fact to liverpool council is reporting david cameron to the united nations saying that his government may be violating international rules on keeping

people out of poverty reporting from london i'm tesser cilia. the astronomical ambitions of the high tech world now on our website find out about the crowdfunding device lets you know when the international space station is looming overhead plus . city mayors in the pot friendly netherlands by for even more liberal rules on marijuana seeking the legalization of homegrown read all the details are dot com. a breach of citizens privacy in germany apparently too much for even the country's leading hacker organization the chaos computer club suing chancellor on the merkel and the government are failing they say to prevent the u.s. and britain from spying on germans linus newman one of the activists behind the legal action he joins me now live with more good to have you with us here so. what is your group hoping to achieve with this lawsuit. well if you look at what

happened in germany after the snowden revelations or in the course of the revelations the answer is nothing the german government has deny that there are any and the breaches of german law that there is even any reason to act the german general prosecutor has denied that there is even the faintest hint at criminal activity that would give him a reason to investigate what's going on and of course this type of reaction is quite unusual if you look at the german constitution and the. criminal law so we're wondering whether. the refusal to do anything is because the people have something to hide or whether it is because they have something to be afraid of and we want to find the answer to that question now admittedly i don't know much about the chaos computer club but you are described as a group of hacktivists hacking into private computer systems and going after

secretive data is something that activists in general do as a member of this group then why has this gotten you so angry that someone has dared hack into private data. because computer club is an organisation that respects citizens' private rights and i can tell you any head would go to jail for far less than what we see happening on german grounds here so . i try to correct this image of the evil hacker and i also want to remind you of what we do every day by helping people to protect their systems so the knowledge about computer security weaknesses is not necessarily the motivation to actually exploit these but it can also be pursued by the motivation to close these in order to protect citizens better so if the court sees your point of view

in the case and decides to back it do you think other groups in other countries may follow suit. depending on the situation in their country and the legal situation i certainly think they should follow if they have the legal basis for this type of action but i also acknowledge and wellcome other actions that we see in other countries for example activists in utah now trying to cut off the n.s.a.'s water supply anything needs to be done now because i believe this is the one time in history that we're going to have this discussion that we should have had way before all of this surveillance equipment was installed so deep that if you look at the status quo this is probably. metaphorically speaking the final battle now you as a hacker understand the potential of the internet as a source of information people are increasingly living their lives on the line wouldn't it be putting more information on why wouldn't it be remiss for

a government to try and delve as much into the online world as possible in order to get information that protects their national security. i certainly understand government's motivations to penetrate these networks and to penetrate these social networks that people reveal online. it is however a danger to any democracy that a government reaches this kind of power over its people and we see abuse of the hallway every day this is why we have laws against this this is why we have constitutions against such to vittie and this is why we need to defend these rights because we know where history will lead us if we allow governments to become more and more in transparent and citizens to become more and more transparent all right we have to leave it there unfortunately linus newman from the cast computer club thank you for your time thanks for turning now to some other stories making

international headlines in yemen shia muslim rebels and sunni tribesmen agreed on a cease fire in the north of the country while in the capital sanaa at least two soldiers were killed and about a dozen wounded in a bomb attack on a military bus monday thousands of shia protesters marched through the capital accusing the sunni led government of mass corruption and abuse of power. a huge blast outside otel in the north pakistan city of push our has killed at least eight dozens were injured in the attack this comes as peace talks between the pakistani government and the taliban have been dealt a setback the sides were due to meet to start negotiations but the government says they now can't go ahead until the taliban confirms the members of their team. next friday and slips by the b.b.c. and insights they could give us into the global economy that and more on the always entertaining keyser aboard.

the first recreational marijuana shops are now open in colorado finally the question of what effect legal marijuana will have on the american public can be answered with real world experience you know there are a lot of people out there with strong arguments as to why we should legalize this controversial play it firstly there are plenty of things just as bad for us as marijuana or worse like beer cigarettes anti-depressants and mystery fast food meats which are totally legal secondly young men are often thrown in jail for the absolutely victimless crime of smoking marijuana i can see punishing someone for drugs like crystal meth which can and do turn people into maniacs but have any of you out there ever heard of someone breaking into people's houses on a we ramp age no no you haven't the downside to all of this is that across america

and while the world people are looking for change and they want a massive star rise but when the masses are stoned out of their minds it makes things in life that we shouldn't tolerate become very tolerable we now call allow us to make it through another day of our miserable lives so that we can live without going through all that effort of trying to make things better or challenge the system legalizing weed will just pacify the masses even more but that's just my opinion.

welcome to the kind of the report imax guys are welcome to the year of the horse so the b.b.c. news subtitles as we enter the chinese new year which is course is called the year of the horse alas i believe the b.b.c. is forty and slip reveal a lot more about the true state of the british and global economies that which is not allowed to be said publicly by the likes of the beloved being if you think about it the elites and government think business have been forcing public assets and their populations to turn tricks for bankers using the pip slap of death until the financier is plug those national assets of one too many loads of debt and then a bed of the truth will set of a nation screaming for more crack all the way to the glue factory. yes welcome to the year of the horrors. max well you know is speaking

flattering and screaming your way for more debt on the way to the glue factory we might want to look here where there's been a lot of horse riding going on real wages have been falling for a longest period for at least fifty years oh and as says real wages have been falling by two point two percent a year in the longest sustained period of falling real wages in the u.k. on record we'll look at this chart that accompanies this is from one thousand sixty four to present and its average earnings growth with r.p.i. inflation stripped out and this is from the office of national statistics and you can see that we real wages have been falling consistently since two thousand and ten this is the longest period back since the past fifty years because wages are not needed they think about it the nation pays its bills by collecting taxes. but says the central banks in particular bank of england simply prints money and hands it over to speculate.