i better sweet good. games are officially over kept by a spectacular and thrilling ceremony and going down in history for its remarkable performances as well as someone usual backers and highlights. ukraine's opposition rushes through new laws after taking power in the ban on the former ruling party and the communist fears of a surge and nationalists. and scotland's and now the referendum in sports and so iconic a national flag may be in for some major changes. so many things would have to be changed we asked some brits how they feel about the redraw and one of their country's most recognizable symbols.

live on air and online this is artsy and sir national with me marina call survivor welcome to the program all the song games have bid farewell capping sixteen days of tough competition with its as closing ceremony and after all those special olympic moments were consigned to history it was sealed with the finale i remember now the breathtaking show accompanied by spectacular fireworks at the viewers for their on their journey through russian culture taken up from the opening ceremony where the organizers not missing the opportunity to poke fun at themselves over the infamous olympic rings out of course what an open and the biggest excitement came from the russian fans after the host nation surged to the top of the medal counts well

that's total of thirteen golds and the so now and kevin no one who are following the show from artsy soft. there we are in the amazing closing show with it was a really strange moment when the flame extinguished that huge olympic flame that had such a journey together and we saw it. at the beginning of all this so much excitement you saw the tears on people's eyes that i got a bit weepy really strange to see it go really touching the flame is now officially out it's essentially the official start of the paralympics this is what sochi now means for the olympic organizers also because of the seventh but for now let's concentrate on the closing ceremony so it's really unfortunate but it is always par for the course we were able to show. us exactly what was going to say that because a very strict copyright rules. like that every time with a live picture it's nothing new however we were looking. at wachovia as well and you are saying it was phenomenal it was family was very different then the opening

ceremony just as grand again they went back through the deep russian history this time there was a focus on the historic. performing arts so they went through. the boatswain theater downstairs later it was largely he was there it's just just at the very end very famous russian conductor conducting what looked like a child's chorus and they essentially i assume are singing as we're looking at these beautiful fireworks so really a tremendous show people were floored lots of people crying in the audience people very proud of course russia coming out on top of these olympics breaking so many records it's going to such an emotional moment when it all comes to an end i think people are genuinely happy but also a little bit sad right now but of course we must look to the future as you say the paralympics kicking off on the seventh of march last for just over a week doesn't it and then just remind us what's going to happen remote of us what's going to happen to the majority of this site afterwards well there's a huge help but this will be the future of russians for things here that russians

did not break and are in fact. their worst performance ever happened i'm and so that was a huge dream overhaul of sports because i hope that this will bring sport back to the policy that it was back in soviet times when it was the mix of city into it. just doesn't take a pause because it looks like we're getting some great shots of the crowd here from sources but i think what a beautiful backdrop for a spectacular end to watch but you know a great games thomas barclay are on today said there were a great game says far as the i.o.c. is concerned i think that preston's were a little bit skeptical themselves good purpose to stop the pacific norman and to have her and i think process maybe a little bit nervous if they want to pull it off and for russia today they realize that they did it and they did it really really well and i mean something very important to russians to ordinary russians across the country. the sochi olympics

have broken lots of records in a song just sports we're talking about here now almost half of the planet's was watching that at some points with at least a three billion viewers and talking about the fact they actually set a surprising sound records are and want a vector on speed skates and races with a cheer is reaching as loud as one hundred and ten decibels and there's another record for you quite an unexpected one thirty four babies were born in solitude on the day of the opening ceremony and that's the city's highest single daily total for newborns now the sochi games will also go down in history for the weather becoming the warmest winter olympics and history now being a winter games capital with a different song she also welcomes some unusual competitors to as our seas paul scott has been find out. for some athletes twenty fourteen was simply about taking part take for example

indian illusia shiva can shave in his commitment to his sport highlighted by his training regime winding his way down dusty tracks by passing goats and lorries along the way. my wife's insight yes he may have come thirty seven thousand and thirty nine but the him there was more at stake following accusations of corruption the indian and limpid committee were suspended by the i.o.c. in two thousand and twelve and was lifted during these games meaning cachet than could finally compete under his nation's fly unfortunately there's a lot of politics played with the flag of india which i'm sure many people are not happy with but now that's over that's a lesson learned for everybody. to look ahead to one of the more colorful characters of these games was prince you bertus of hohenlohe in london the fifty five year old is a descendant of a former german royal dinner state he's also

a photographer. by the name of royal disaster. these are his sixth olympics the jewel nationality skis for mexico he's never won a medal for the maybe deserves gold for p.r. . russia the only problem at this stage of the p.r. person like me to be better p.r. before i mean you know it's a great thing that we're on the floor thank you for everything it's really. just got a positive pipe over to europe and to america that we're so good to see tom de made his debut in these games bruno banani went in the luge to tell his real name mind as part of a sponsorship deal he changed his name to that of the german underwear company but he told me he wants to be known for his sporting prowess if i didn't qualify for the olympics they wouldn't care at all what names i am so i think it's the most important thing that i try hard in training hard to get to the olympics. and does

any winter olympics complete without the jamaican bobsled the main attraction for press and fines raising their own funds to compete missing a connecting flight losing their luggage on coming second last still didn't dampen their party spirit proving that in amongst all the sporting excellence there is still room for sports to be fun. such as. betting a heartfelt goodbye to the winter olympics we asked you to submit your highlights and feel good moments of the game so our fast facebook page and let's take a look at some of your salsa moments that are right so the first ever russian gold in women's figure skating no wonder you picked that one a huge and also on expect the triumph there and of course another great olympic moments was a norwegian by athlete all that i know but kalman the most decorated olympian now many others were impressed by snowboarder of course vic wild and has a russian wife scoring medals for the host nation on the same slope then we have

the national. the opening ceremony that was also like that and finally of course you couldn't help but mention the sublime performance by a russian figure skater a margin as a new star and all of. their. well a bittersweet look back there but we're also looking forward to the paralympic games starting in less than two weeks and our online scene has more on the winter games its heroes and most touching moments ahead artsy dot com. in other news after taking the reins of the ukrainian capital the former opposition is now its own order in the latest measures against the all the ministration the country's parliaments has suggested banning the once ruling party of regions and the communist party from any political activity now seventy four delegates have already withdrawn from the ruling party so the fear of reprisals the names of some members wanted for questioning have reportedly been circulated to airports while

vehicles are also being searched on the roads around the capital. explains freedom democracy independence smiled on the downing of the dictator and mourns those killed in a city or street battles and perhaps the way certain groups of the opposition have been acting can hardly be called democratic. party has been burned down those with a different political stance or physically attacked inside. right now it's more about emotions rather than political rivalry the most important thing right now is to prevent a pardon from being banned completely because then the situation would lose. the president has fled the capital has been carried out well. as a printing press. including.

from the national. the party taking charge of the prosecutor general's office nowhere close to this just isn't for me it's a new regime is taking shape really quickly and with the use of strong measures it has nothing to do with democracy because those coming to power will go on with pursuing tough policies and they will conduct massive expansion of the eastern territories was among the first laws adopted the banning of russian as the second official state language despite nearly fifty percent of those living in the east of ukraine being ethnic russians the public is stalled from now on the right wing is going to be heavily present in ukraine's point for sprint at the moment the situation in kiev is basically controlled by radical people with with us who are pursuing a very very militant agenda which is a political call i think he is an utterly discredited man he cut deals with opposition who were quite obviously since the nineteenth of january no longer in

control of the crowds and here so he's political leadership has been disastrous and i think that he's recognized across the whole country there are reports that foreign journalists who've been promoting different values from the rebels have now been put onto a wanted list as well as trying to temporarily ban russian t.v. channels many are now raising the question if this is the type of democracy so many ukrainians put their lives on the line for. kiev. they use foreign policy chief catherine ashton as visits in kiev to meet opposition leaders to discuss measures to shore up the country's crippled economy meanwhile the e.u. said it's right it's a provide ukraine with twenty billion euro once the new government is formed to show off the former president of the soviet union. let the people of ukraine decide their own political future. have you seen what's going on there he

told traders you need a bulldozer to push all the consultants from the u.s. and e.u. all told that they should let the people decide for themselves issuing recommendations to nations these on acceptable they shouldn't provoke people they shouldn't send bandits in old sides need to head to the negotiating table and talk to one month or six months if needed they will come to an agreement eventually was . and still to come for you up essential a boy called good sparks concern and as for out after the break we'll take a look at what's at stake for television as a process on what that settlement program and. the sarah palin very hard to take. to get their

clout at that tax cut that her hair cut. cut. cut cut cut cut cut cut cut cut please play. play such. a pivotal.

welcome back to r.t. international we consider you now with other news the union jack has been a long and inspiration for artists fashion and an enduring symbol in pop culture but what scotland's independence referendum just months away there's growing talk about whether the iconic five will need a make over there already several designs around an art sees laura smith once you find out what people in london think about them. the campaigns on both sides of the scottish independence debate a hosting op the factions have until september to sell their idea of how the union should look going forwards westminster says an independent scotland would lose the pound but hardly anyone seems to be talking about something even more simple legs that the rest of the u.k. could lose if scotland declared independence the union jack scotland's represented

on the flag by the blue background and diagonal white cross but if scotland left the u.k. might have to give that back old these flags would become obsolete and replaced with balls the u.k. charity the flag institute has moped tops and suggestions so let's see what people think that's a nice looking want to see. who's got the overall kingdom so the current state sure kingman. no it's too fancy that one. some of these are my favorite british ones ok and what what you think of the idea what you think of the concept in general i would have to try to do what is going to more. and everything so i don't want to change i suppose it makes more sense i mean there's some point to having a share in there of an impartial became more attractive as a shy kid usual old flag that you know be difficult for people to have any change

really yeah i mean to be said. so many things would have to be changed. it really was that do you think maybe. you know the union jacks enjoyed a resurgence in recent years becoming an iconic brand again apparently everything from high fashion to soft furnishings it would be holds for britain to discard it and indeed there are no firm plans to change it even if scotland does declare independence but david cameron and alex salmond might do well. better the flag in mind as this war of words save in scotland gets here and. and online you can find the knots in my back yard energy giants my claim fracking is safe while their bosses clearly don't want to look knowledge anywhere near their homes for more on the controversial statement from exxon c.e.o. heads who are called. los angeles joined google claims robots will be able to

understand us better than we understand ourselves more details on a futuristic forecast are just a click away. right to see. first street view and i think the jury. on our reporters were very. instrumental. in the little. but. we're going to go digital the price is the only industry specifically mentioned in the constitution and. that's because a free and open process is critical to our democracy albus. role. in

fact the single biggest threat facing our nation today is the corporate takeover of our government and across several we've been hijacked lying handful of friends national corporations that will profit by destroying what our founding fathers once told just my job market and on this show we reveal the big picture of what's actually going on in the world we go beyond identifying the problem trucks and rational debate and a real discussion of critical issues facing us. ready to join the movement then welcome the big picture.

german chancellor angela merkel travels to is for a lot monday to meet with the country's prime minister binyamin netanyahu he describes germany as a good friend bought his country's relations with bigger opinion haven't been particularly warm recently published reports. when the european parliament president martin shorts touched down in jerusalem recently he experienced the cold shoulder of israel's right he was heckled while dressing the parliament and accused of telling lies surely rough airlie was among those who walked out on the poor and ashamed of being a plenty of world leaders spoke here just recently french president hollande said very harsh things on the need for a palestinian state and we needn't walk out of. shoots later acknowledged he was mistaken about some of the figures of palestinian versus israeli access to water

although the figures are far from equal now it is fellow countrywoman angular merkel's chance to face the firing line. that the at the. in my mind and in my party's mind this ocean is not to have two states rather the solution should be that in the land of israel there will be only one country and i hope that uncle merkel is coming to talk and not to pressure us this is the most divisive issue israeli settlements in the west bank and jordan valley because of it according to recent polls only fourteen percent of germans view israel positively the european union already bans all products grown in settlements as israel's number one trading partner accounting for about a third of its total trade it hurts the pockets of farmers like your seed deeply. organic vegetables in the disputed jordan valley and the family that we used to sell to tonnes per month today are barely export two hundred to three hundred kilograms when i asked these companies why they tell me it's because the stores

they sell to tell them they don't want to buy any more from the settlements all mother guti who spearheads the anti israel boycotted disinvestment and sanctions movement believes the e.u. stand is making inroads europe no checks they ask for the place of origin if it's coming from a settlement they want israel to declare that increasingly they know their new thing the settlements are losing the european market germ. he has always had a special relationship with israel because of its nazi past but merkel's visit comes amid reports that german israeli ties are the wusa in a decade no don't put pressure on the israeli government especially as the german public feels it needs to apologize. jerusalem. let's take a quick look now at some other world news the three people were killed including two children when a grenade exploded out of opposition rally and leaders of the protest movement blamed the governments for the attack while the prime minister has condemned it as

an act of terror more than twenty people have died in silence in the last four months and ongoing and government demonstrations. crowds have marched through the main square in madrid rallying against what they call curbs on civil rights and freedoms the protests covered a wide range of issues from the economy to immigration spain as climate out over two year recession but unemployment keeps rising and harsh austerity cuts are still in place. in venezuela one of the price that would do roast critics has engaged in an armed standoff with the army officers who came to arrest him generally have with us who's accused of masterminding a trap that killed a government supporter armed himself with an assault rifle and refused to surrender the officers were then chased away by supporters the standoff took place after thousands gathered in caracas in support of president ledger oh.

well coming up next on r.t. international some straight talking on the world's most troubling. news. i'm not slightly but the fact is i admire their commitment to cover all sides of the story just in case one of them happens to be accurate. that was funny but it's close and for the treatment of mike think. it's because one full attention and the mainstream media work side by side. is actually on here. and our teenagers we have a different brain. because the news of the world just is not this funny

i'm not laughing dammit i'm not how. you guys talk to the jokes well handled it makes sense that i'm. if you see greece if you see friends and they have such different problems and possibilities of economy often economical possibilities the smaller you have to entities the easier and perhaps in a certain way the european union can also learn something from switzerland in that

regard. winter is when the sahara comes to life again oasis palm trees are being harvested. people are waiting for the biggest event of the yeah. the desert festival. this is through a video out of this race leading camel races have spent the last year preparing for the grueling marathon. the day before the race there's a heavy sandstone overcoming the power of nature is a never ending challenge. a desert went to a nutty. old. child a little.

bit. more. pain for the young girls cam all for of a future honner. between two and three hundred million guns united states so you can act like they're not here and keep kids away from them. the pass' sound is a lark you know i mean this teaches them a lot of for a responsibility and simply come to pay through the eyes of children if we can do it for our children for our future what is the country. dramas the chance to be ignored to the. stories others to refuse to notice. food choices changing world rights never.

full picture of today's news no longer from around the globe. broke to. well welcome to go on sophie shevardnadze switzerland has just narrowly voted in a referendum to protect tightly on the flow of immigrants into the country however the proposed quotas for the new arrivals run contrary to the use ideals of freedom of movement while this was no to ruin the country's ties with the european union how will switzerland keep attracting world class talent and is there really

anything wrong with immigration well we asked the vice president of the party which pushed the idea through he's our guest today. switzerland the heart of europe a lender for cultures and the historic haven for refugees is now cracking down on immigration. the country voted to shut the door to new or rivals immigrants really a minister the swiss will be e.u. punished for his drastic decision or should others follow switch or example. and here we are with vice president of the swiss people's party of us just some it's great to have you with us so we're going to go right had an ask you why was this referendum on whether to limit immigration even need it. oh i think for the swiss population is very important indeed because the last two years have shown that the immigration grew bigger and bigger and it is switzerland to say stop

somewhere we have to have a limit of the free movement of people of course euro is a pillar of the e.u. our interest of the clearing a war on that basic ideal. oh you know you have to face the fact a crucial point is switzerland is not a member of the european union i think if the european union among their borders want to have free movement of persons that's their problem but with a third country an outside country it seems to be totally normal that immigration is a different story sure i completely agree with you it's not part of the u. but it is heart of europe and also injuries many treaties with european union to facilitate trade or many other things are not very diligent germany's foreign minister has said that this vote will harm switzerland president of the european commission warrants where citizens could lose their right to live and work in the new was it worth it was it was the risk.