the more defenseless the. fear that it is a thousand days on our key. officials raise the alarm over corruption underworld sucking one hundred twenty billion euros a year from the european economy roughly the size of the u.s total budget and what's worse the report warns it could just be the tip of the iceberg. as the u.s. reportedly plans to back up syrian diplomacy with more weapons for the rebels and our t.v. crew travels to a damascus school where the children refuse to be victims of the conflict. with the winter games just days away and the gay propaganda boycott battle still in the minds of many we talk to members of the city's community to find out if the law really has affected their life in sochi.

nine pm in moscow i'm good to have you with us our top story this hour eva officials say they are uncovered a corruption pandemic sweeping member states with one hundred twenty billion euros lost to shady deals each year the figure published a report by the e.u.'s home affairs commissioner one that the scale of the problem is probably even but he highlighted for us the most troublesome details. over half of those who were surveyed have said they think the corruption within the union was growing seventy six percent of those who were asked thought the corruption was widespread within the european union twenty six percent said that they'd been directly affected by corruption government effectiveness at tackling corruption though 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 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 philip plays an m.e.p. for the flemish nationalist vamos belong party focused on what the report didn't say and promise to follow what up. problems in some member states are huge and widespread and the problem within the european union is that all the member states are in danger of being contaminated by this problem because when you are in a euro zone for instance and when one of these member states in the eurozone has

a big corruption problem world 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 i found 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 karl dolan the e.u. office director of transparency international this tribe to my colleague marina joshie what type of corruption the report touched on and why brussels so far if uses to look at its own graft problems. in many of the newer member states of the e.u. there is still a lot of corruption that citizens paying small drives for access to basic services

like health care. but in other countries 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 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. the 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 e.u. institutions and will be publishing shortly and un report pulling no punches over

britain's bedroom tax saying the levy on spare ribs is pushing the country's most vulnerable citizens further into financial uncertainty and made a serious housing shortage. but first the u.s. secretary of state john kerry has reportedly admitted washington suffering a diplomatic defeat in syria according to two senators who met him privately and as all tight as power spreads in the region america is looking at a new strategy that may include sending more arms to the rebels or he's more important i has more from new york 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 to 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 set 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 turned the war in a war torn country into a terrorist training hog 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. and oceano into a school in damascus and inside the country many believe more guns won't help.

lesson of arabic in 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 look up there were ten i'm blessed called a day and crossed the road i saw sarah and then a missile fell 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's sister who was also killed that day is now afraid to go to school a choice pons 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. 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 this year in kids die away 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 so they have nothing to do with this conflict so why did the. publisher. 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 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 hell holy

religion of pain is immense the children and the administration have been deeply affected but it's also encouraged us to continue or tutoring and are learning the mission of education is to bring a new engineers a 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 reasons 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 but of the future to ration oceanography from syria.

log on to r.t. dot com for more frontline experience from syria as well as latest reports on the flimsy shelter provided for those who fled the war. and switching into a lympics mode winter sports stars from the world over descending on stowage sochi where the stage is set for the winter games let's get the latest on the build up to the festivities for martin andrews joining us from the host city so officials from the international olympic committee very now they got a personal tour from a very special person tell us more about them. that's right matt president putin arrived earlier today ahead of the olympics starting on friday in the at the wonderful state but he's completely behind us we actually have a her hustle but taking place at the moment but it was the president putin's first stop when he met the if this is going to get some of the i.o.c.

one hundred twenty six committee to open the session today this bus stop was to the small cheap national park what was that will do the same facts the whole group all of that it's posted liquids as then known through rehabilitation center was a pretty a few years ago impudence of actually went inside one of the cages to pets the cubs of course the wildlife is an important subject for the presidency important to the people of salt she so much so that they actually chose a letter to become one of the mascots of the winter olympics here in. regarding the actual delegates they had a great feast and banquet and a peaceful savey it's architectural buildings they enjoyed live music from russian traditional musicians and also listen to some western music in the form of we have the champions of course the famous hit by queen regarding the people who are here with six thousand athletes that making their way to salty over the next week and how they want to mess up with the melville unpick mountain village i spent long as

you're about he spoke about the security issue. i help people including businesses i just feel about the atmosphere here in sochi take a look. that you did not just the latest but it's been a good many of their lives have been saying that back home they saw 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 are very impressed by what's going on here they say there's much less hassle and discomfort is pressure when it comes to security checks compared to previous games. but they lympics as i said to them because well as i said the opens on friday people are still fighting for a ticket for the opening ceremony we have various that would seize a ride here and such as there are helicopters around this as we speak princess diana arrives earlier today but also r.t. spoke to the famous tennis star maria sharapova about the excitement surrounding

the winter olympics twenty fourteen. the students and i'm very impressed by what i've seen here in sochi i haven't been here for a year and when i arrived yesterday i was amazed when i finally saw all the stadiums and then use i really hope that everyone will enjoy the olympic games here in sochi. and so martin i understand the plans for the opening ceremonies are being kept tightly under wraps but has anything gotten out so far. you know absolutely nothing i've had friends some of them are volunteers they flew in from canada they were fortunate enough to see over hustle repartition as they call it in russian on sunday including some fireworks tonight at eleven o'clock the fish stadium that seats forty thousand people that will also be in full swing the rehearsals but of course they have actually heard nothing at all of course this is said to be the most expensive games in history at a price tag of fifty one billion dollars it's important that thomas who's the

president of the i.o.c. he actually stated that we need to take into into account that lots of that money actually went into the infrastructure here in sochi the area is really quite large you've got forty five minutes that goes to the the mounting cost of present pollyanna we have we have motorways that been built we have tunnels bridges and also we've got the motorways that go to the area and city of sochi which is forty five minutes to the other direction. as for the controversy we've had various protests that have been planned i've not seen any personally myself but there we planned over the next few weeks ranging from human rights issues to the stories regarding russia's anti-gay propaganda towards children and the protests that are hard towards that regarding the subject of gay rights in russia i went to russia's only gay nightclub in fact sorry such as only gay nightclub called my on the beach front in sochi city center where i met some of the the onus and the business

of the of my coven here's what my package has to say about the reality of gay life in sochi taking. thousands of athletes visit his 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 growth. yes there 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 impost for two decades in the late eighty's we had to the city's only beach front gate venue my ak or lighthouse english club that's been in the city for more than thirty years it seems that and it's being subculture is far more liberal than people think traditionally one of the more tolerant russian cities when during the soviet era russians from all over the country could holiday here. club owner and his partner a man had been

a couple for over thirteen years and sell that they don't agree with the law they remain mostly unaffected by it and well business is booming they describe the west's response as heavy handed and an overreaction. of color i think it's really bad it negatively affects gay russian people because society blames them for spoiling the olympics for a new port of 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 meeting people. need like any other gay bar that i've ever been to. backstage the performers are getting ready for tonight's performance in preparation for the club's new foreign audience english songs have been added to the show. the performance here can't believe the media attention bush's gay scene has

generated in the west activists abroad 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 are brought in last year but bringing a new way to the baby and violence and in the situation has to be paid in full and they gave up alcohol. let's get straight to the simple lauren 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 old liberal views this month is going to be a celebration of sports to remember most of them to reduce c sochi r t is at the heart of the winter games we're broadcasting daily from sochi throughout the events and online at twenty fourteen dot com.

and still to come it seems the german government is not getting away with its lax snooping controls coming up n.s.a. leaks forcing the country's main hacker group to file a criminal complaint against the government over its part in this spy scandal stay with us.

the. economic downturn in the final. days. and the rest. will be a prickly. with

us twenty one minutes past the hour a new report has slammed the british government's so-called bedroom tax saying it's leaving the u.k.'s most vulnerable citizens in quote tremendous despair but ministers have dismissed the un's findings out of hand as artie's tests are silly reports from london the united nations special repertoire and 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 and those who are of working age and receiving house and benefits may have found this money reduced if they are found to be living in flats with spare bedrooms and the 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.'s a house 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. ages i mean to accuse un 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 launched 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 policy this awful government just stripped from the poorest people in this country it'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 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 at 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 tests or cilia and the astronomical ambitions of the world now on our website find out about the crowdfunding device that lets you know when the international space station is hovering overhead plus. city mayors in the hot friendly netherlands vying for even more liberal rules on marijuana seeking the legalization of homegrown weed all the details on our. breach of citizens privacy in germany apparently too much for even the country's leading hacker group the chaos computer club is suing chancellor merkel and the government for failing to prevent the u.s.

and britain from spying on germans linus newman is one of the activists behind the legal action and he explains. if you look at what happened in germany off to the wooden revelations or in the course of this in the revelations the answer is nothing the german government has denied 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 would give him a reason to investigate what's going on it is a danger to any democracy that a government reaches this kind of power over its people and we see abuse of the spall 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 to you now to some other stories making international headlines in yemen a shia muslim rebels and sunni tribesmen have agreed on a cease fire in the north of the country while in the capital side at least two soldiers were killed about a dozen wounded in a bomb attack on a military bus monday thousands of shia protesters march accusing the sunni led government of mass corruption and abuse of power. huge blast outside a hotel in the north pakistan city of peshawar is killed at least eight dozens were also injured in the attack is 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 now says they can't go ahead until the taliban confirms the members of their team. up next why cash rich canadians are eyeing property in detroit stay with us here on r.t. . 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 could 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

the world people are looking for change and they want to massive storm 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. the united states. significant technological edge over the rest of it while that it is now using that spy on the rest of the world then there was the deal between the u.s. and england where u.s. spy agencies couldn't spy on people in the u.s. but british a spy age. she's could spy on people in the us so that the government said all right each of us will spy on the other citizens and then we'll trade and that way we'll be. sure veiling our own people so this is what i think of as the

scandal. there i marinated this is boom bust and these are the stories that we're tracking for you today. coming out gerald celente author or blogger and publisher of the trends journal is live on today's show you won't want to miss what yes to say about the u.s. economy plus the latest on the herbalife ackman pyramid drama this week the f.t.c. is being forced to look at allegations that the company is one big old pyramid scheme but tell you all about it coming right up and add harrison joins me in today's big deal to talk about canada finally and from the u.s. to build a bridge to detroit for a story you all want to miss and it all starts right now.

today we're talking about the emerging markets crisis and the u.s. economy however i want to lead off with the latest drama surrounding nutritional supplement distributor herbalife now the head of the federal trade commission if ramirez has agreed to meet with minority and consumer out of this to hear their concerns about the pyramid scheme excuse me excuse me company i meant to say company herbalife it's a company now herbalife the peer. drama it's already the stuff of legends thanks to an impromptu televised verbal brawl between investors bill ackman and carl icahn now after man has been shorting herbalife and calling the company

a pyramid scheme for well over a year however caller carl icahn along with some other big name hedge fund honchos like george soros and downloads they've taken the other side of the bet and done much much better herbalife shares were up six percent in early trading monday after the company said it increased its share repurchase program from five hundred million to one point five billion dollars herbalife considers itself a multilevel marketer and strongly denies allegations that it's a pyramid scheme the f.t.c. says quote a company can be considered a pyramid scheme if it's just repeaters make more money from or prevent them from selling products to consumers outside the network senator ed markey sent a letter sent a letter to the f.t.c. last week asking them to investigate herbalife and according to brant wilkes executive director of the league of united latin american citizens more than a dozen activists from around the country will be meeting with ramirez in washington.