the challenge bear sheds a tear a farewell as the curtain falls in sochi two thousand and fourteen a winter games that will go down in history for its remarkable record breaking form . and russia calls and go all those involved in ukraine's political crisis to avoid any further escalation as a manhunt is launched for the country's ousted leader and members of his former ruling party plus it's not great you need a bulldozer to push through the consoled from the snow from the u.s. and. western politicians to step up their pilgrimage to ukraine where the e.u. offering a financial lifeline to win over the new leadership. and brock obama's attempts to tame the n.s.a.

happy parent would fail as reports claim the agency snooped hundreds of german officials after the president forbid them from spying on the country's chancellor. seven pm in moscow watching r.t. international with me wearing the josh while the two thousand and fourteen winter games in sochi have and in style sixteen days of tough competition were capped with a deafening closing ceremony our very own and he's now in our studio was lucky enough to witness the games from start to finish and she takes a bittersweet look back at how it all went. this is sad and it's overwhelming we've seen so many big breaks and heartfelt losses cheers and tears here in sochi over the past weeks a lot of nail biting competitions nerve wrecking races and great performances all

of those are going to go down in the olympic history and this great celebration of sport certainly was sealed with a finale to remember you were taken further on a journey through russian culture picking up from the opening ceremony it was a tribute to the russian greats in the arts music and literature and the organizers didn't miss the opportunity to poke a little fun at themselves over the infamous the limbic ring that would open at the start of the games of course the biggest excitement came from russian fans after the host nation searched at the top of the medal count with a total of thirteen goals and a spectacular moment of course to the farewell show was the magnificent fireworks display. as link ceremony there and plenty of olympic moments to remember we've put together our top five sensations of sochi to begin with the dutch they managed to grab eight golds and all of them in speed skating and actually twenty three out of the twenty four

medals they want in sochi were in speed skating and never for a rising star of figure skating seventeen year old either nina certainly cover she became the first russian ever to take individual gold in women's figure skating i'm very proud to have won a gold medal at the age of seventeen it's such a great feeling it's a bus with everything including with myself. a sensation number three the new russians korean born speed skater victor on he won three golds for his new homeland an american snowboarder vic wild were married to siberia and join russia as the olympic team to become one of the gold medalist i didn't have any good for the united states and that was i'm going to reach the goals that i want to. assure. the opportunity to get people's. person station number two is norwegian biathlete although born by then he became the most decorated winter olympian of all time a great performance for his sixth and final winter games and of course the top stop

goes to team russia for their overall performance of the host nation making a victorious comeback from the vancouver games and making it to the top of the medal table at home with thirteen gold medals thirty three overall. sochi has also welcomed usual competitors to for them it was about taking the podium but about enjoying the games and making everyone else happy and inspired artist paul scott has more on those athletes with a difference. for some athletes sochi twenty fourteen was simply about taking part take for example indian illusia shiva can shave in his commitment to his sports highlighted by his training regime winding his way down dusty trucks bypassing don't send lorries along the way. and i want some insight yes he may have come thirty seven thousand and thirty nine but the him there is

more state following accusations of corruption the indian and limpid committee were suspended by the i.o.c. in two thousand and twelve was lifted during these games meaning can shave and 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 back home we're not happy with but no that's over think that's a lesson learned for everybody. to look at. 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 he's also a way photographer the pop star who goes by the name of royal disaster. these are his sixth olympics jewel nationality skis for mexico he's never won a medal for the maybe deserves gold for p.r. so i think that russia the only problem that they have this thing should have hired

a p.r. person like me to be better p.r. before i mean you know it's a great place. on the floor but you know the for everything is really poor we should have just got the positive of my over to europe and to america that we're so negative it's time to make his debut in these games you know banani went in the luge to tell his real name mind as part of a sponsorship deal he changed his name to 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 is the most important thing that i try hard in training hard to get to the. m d's any winter olympics complete without the jamaican bobsled the main attraction for press and. 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 this posing excellence there is

still room for sports to be fun. such as. the sochi olympics have broken lots of records and it's not just sports we're talking about almost half of the planet was watching these games at some point with at least three billion viewers and talking about fans they set a surprising sound record with their vocal cords during one of victor on speed skating races but the cheers reaching one hundred ten decibels and here's another record quite an unexpected one thirty four babies were born in sochi on the day of the opening ceremony the city's highest single daily total of newborns ever such a games will also go down in history for the weather becoming the warmest winter olympics in history or certainly not complain. there's been lots of sunshine enough snow the olympics of course officially over we're left with a lot of things to look back at but we're also looking forward to the paralympic games starting in less than two weeks well earlier i had

a chance to talk to the man who was in charge of making sure everything went like clockwork in sochi now that's the olympic flame is. shared with r.t. his personal feelings about his project. the biggest achievements probably for us for russians as the nation's. best games ever in the history of my country over us live was that we obtain the confidence that russia is capability to deliver ambitious project and the most important decide that the world that we generated historical legacy for the generations to come well i have the games as you know russia has come under a lot of criticism so how do you feel about those reports i mean how the in any way overshadowed the games you know it's impossible to shadow the truth we were in the brick it's all of this types from the cold war and now it was broken everybody who came and witnessed this. fish and transpire in

a way hospitable they really change from the criticism to the cover and the real positive things a looking at the object of infrastructure that have been created in the city had all the games what can you tell us about how they are going to be used in diffuse the future of my native city of sochi is very bright the plan for the legacy it's all very well. with the money allocated to maintain and given this but the most important. events place where host in a couple of months hosting the formula one the race in four months and no more to come in the walled ball championships so if you're in the wrong from the ordinary soviet style summer resort to the all the year round international sports and laser convention this to nation beating heart felt goodbye to the winter

olympics we asked you to submit your highlights and feel good moments of the games to our facebook page and thanks for sharing your such moments with us no surprise you picked russians. gold and the ladies figure skating there and some were also impressed by the national team's parade while others selected the sublime performance by russian figure skating ruby and olympic darling yulia living it's now just over two hours time kate partridge will be bringing a much more detailed round of all that when their olympic action. right from the sea. first street. and i think that you're. on our reporters were very. instrumental.

while ukraine's interim leader has announced the start of campaigning for what he insists will be a fair and transparent presidential election while the country's ousted leader viktor get a college placed on the wanted list by the opposition for what they call the mass murder of peaceful citizens he is once powerful party of regents has also been taking a battering now seventy four officials have already withdrawn from the party saying they fear reprisals the names of some members wanted for questioning have reportedly been circulated to airports and vehicles are being stopped and searched on the roads around the capital and while the new leadership considers banning the party altogether some of those trying to speak out the former government are being gagged. i shall we say you say yes sure yes sure you will pay as you see and i think this will move the soul of us. this photo it shows a protester who was earlier down with anti-septic when he tried to voice support

for the ousted president victory on a cottage in the western ukraine city of rob now the political tensions in kiev are showing no signs of dying down as are teasing or piskun up that report. freedom democracy independence as mind on hayles won't be downing of the dictator and warns those killed in kiev a city or street battles perhaps the way certain groups of the opposition have been acting can hardly be called democratic around five hundred offices of the now ex ruling party have been burned down those with a different political stance or physically attacked inside the parliament most of those with the issues that they have right now it's more about emotions rather than political rivalry and most important thing right now is to prevent all targets from being banned completely because then the situation would lose all religions he thinks. the president has fled the capital saying a coup has been carried out while the parliament passes new laws as fast as

a printing press. taking down officials and appointing their old political rivals including putting a right wing party liners even government holds such as it must be from the nationalists the party taking charge of the prosecutor general's office because it's just going to be 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. 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 told from now on. the right wing is going to be heavily present in ukraine's enforcement at the moment the situation in kiev is basically controlled by radical people with with arms who are

pursuing a very very militant agenda which is a political corpse i think he is an utterly discredited man he cut deals with opposition leaders who were quite obviously since the nineteenth of january no longer in control of the crowds and here there are reports that foreign journalists have 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 forty kilos of. meanwhile the e.u.'s foreign policy chief catherine ashton is set to meet ukraine's new interim leadership following europe's pledge to provide the embattled state with twenty billion euros once a new government is formed and the international monetary fund insulza confirmed its commitment to support floundering economy former soviet leader mikhail gorbachev says the west has long since crossed the line when it comes to meddling

and ukraine's affairs i know you moved to try to look don't do that we just have you seen what's going on there because outrageous you need a bulldozer consults with the u.s. you know it's of they should let the people decide for themselves issuing recommendation to the nation is unacceptable and you shouldn't buy their own sons. and talk just one moment for six months if needed to move the ball would have come to an agreement eventually. now the uprising in kiev has deepened the longstanding divide between ukraine's west and southeast with its huge russian speaking population the eastern provinces are home to the country's main industrial hubs and the south contains all ukraine's ports in the second largest of those sebastopol ethnic russians make up over seventy percent of the population meanwhile

a statement issued by russia's foreign ministry says moscow is quote alarmed by the dictatorial and sometimes terrorist methods chosen by ukraine's interim leadership to suppress discontent the taxed posted on the ministry website also urges all those connected with the crisis to show deep responsibility to prevent any further escalation of tensions restore law and order and restrain the extremists or striving for power. well stay with our team national and we are closely following developments in around in and around ukraine and can also find the time while the crisis and minute by minute reports online at r.t. dot com. winter is when the sahara comes to life. laces palm trees are being harvested.

people are waiting for the biggest event of the yeah. the desert festival. this is true it is very 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. on a desert winter. wealthy british style. that's not right for. the. markets. find out what's really happening to the global economy for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines to cause a report on our t.v. . welcome back

what's in our national brock obama's recent ban on monitoring angela merkel's communications had forced the n.s.a. to turn to other sources of european data reports say the agency has switched his spine on hundreds of german officials including interior minister arches discussion of has the details from berlin. the national security agency was allegedly monitoring three hundred twenty eight people here in germany mostly politicians also business leaders and this is according to a german newspaper here built and so on tag which says it's info comes from a high ranking n.s.a. employee here in germany now that source was quoted as saying the agency had the order not to miss out on any information now that the n.s.a. is no longer able to monitor the chancellor's communications directly the interior minister a close confidant of mr merkel was also allegedly watched as well as several firms such as s a p a competitor of the us company oracle this allegation was rejected by

the us national security council spokeswoman who said that the united states did not spy to give american firms competitive advantages the german interior ministry so far refusing to comment on what it called allegations of unnamed individuals but this is of course bound to make things quite difficult for on the lower merkel keep in mind revelations last year about mass u.s. surveillance in germany in particular of miss merkel's mobile phone had shocked this country sparking some of the most serious disputes between the two allies in a decade as a result we've seen a tougher stance here the german chancellor now pushing for a european communications network and also pushing for a so-called no spy deal with washington the german foreign minister is due to visit the u.s. on thursday but he has said that he has doubts that such a deal would have very much of an effect. i don't know we jim man has reportedly been arrested and charged with terrorism after returning home from the syrian war

national media say he's accused of fighting alongside jihad is and this comes as as little officials reveal dozens of people have left their home country for the syrian frontlines now western analysts estimate that at least two thousand volunteers from across europe are involved in the syrian conflict around seven hundred of them are from france according to the french government which says it's deeply worried about the trend meanwhile some two hundred fifty british citizens have recently returned from the war and london now considers them a potential homegrown terror threat security analyst how the rulers says european governments are unable to stop the radicalization of the or citizens. well they are in syria might get into and do come into contact with people very broken cool or if you watch the movie. you don't know we're. just very close to the law and that you know if you watch it will call you the chance of worry and. agenda on

the jewels of. history means something capacity and no instruction to carry out attacks realistically have a different capacity is that the system the legal framework that exists it can't be completely stopped some countries have tried to make it illegal to do to join in this for it in syria but it's very difficult to gather evidence and to prosecute so they try to you know cooperation among the various intelligence services also in the region to try to stop at least some of them a moment or in their activity but not much of this activity goes on i think both sides of the region or the intelligence services now gas magnets may claim fracking is safe but as a report of the line they put out with any word near their home this morning the controversy sparked by a statement from x. and c.e.o. at artesia. last alligators of the spy it's a state of the art attack helicopter named after the sharptooth party were joining

the russian air force on to our web site from morning to just. ask a court has handed down seven sister eight opposition activists ranging from as a span of sentenced to four years in jail now they were earlier found guilty of attacking police during a massive anti-government rally in the russian capital in may two thousand and twelve prosecutors were first requesting jail terms from five to six years initially there were twelve to fans in the case but four people were recently released under an amnesty meanwhile outside the courtroom fully. detained roughly two hundred people who were rallying in support of the defendants. and more news now from around the world in bahrain a funeral procession for an anti-government campaigner has turned violent activists threw molotov cocktails at police after they reportedly interrupted the ceremony and attacked mourners pro-reform demonstrations in bahrain have been ongoing since

two thousand and eleven with thousands protest against sunni moderate. people were killed including two children one a grenade exploded at an anti-government rally in bangkok over twenty more were injured as leaders of the protest movement blamed the authorities for the attack thailand's prime minister has condemned the incident as an act of terrorism and defied calls for her resignation more than twenty people have died in the opposition demonstrations that have been raging for the past four months. venezuela one of president's men duros most outspoken critics has engaged in an armed standoff with army officers who came to arrest him general. who is accused of masterminding a trap that killed a government support on student ground with an assault rifle and fused to surrender the officers words and chased away by vivus supporters and the government rallies

across the country have left up to ten dead in violent clashes over the past few weeks. in kabul a funeral ceremony has been held for twenty one afghan soldiers and they were killed on sunday after having armed taliban fighters attacked them at a checkpoint in the konar province the taliban are ratcheting up their campaign against afghan security forces have a nato pull out at the end of twenty fourteen. and next to winter in the sahara desert a special report coming up here on our team to national. judy cox a utah mother out of spite but an entire line of t. shirts at a popular chain store after a local mall the reason that she bought them was because she feels that the images

of nearly naked women on them violate her local towns decency code she wants to make it clear though that she feels the store has the right to sell this type of shirt just not displayed in an exterior window ultimately her plan is to return the shirts on day fifty nine of the store's sixty limit let's hope for her sake they don't have a no return policy i bring this up because this is a great example of a nonviolent form of protest that actually works it caused a scandal and more importantly it will make the company lose a few dollars technically the girls on the shirts are even fully exposed believe me i checked thoroughly and i would even call them are rated by local communities have the right to be more conservative than the rest of the nation if they want to be and it's good that judy cox actually did something rather than just sitting at home on the air complaining about moral decay across the country hey if a housewife from a small mormon community can stand up to the man what's stopping you but that's just my opinion.

it was a. very hard to take. that back with that are required. to keep it. clean. simply. for the people. it's no accident that ali built his cafe on the very edge of the desert. he knows

that any adventure into the sahara will always take this road. ali sells water coffee and coke but trading has been slow today. but on top of that he's heard worrying news on the radio unlikely though it sounds does snow in neighboring egypt. which could threaten it as its main event a festival that attracts thousands of tourists. the mild desert winter is when business usually peaks and when the sahara really comes to life.

a small way of shape slice in the north of perhaps the most famous desert on earth this small country is known as the sahara games. for fifty years the annual desert festival has taken place here it's an event that draws people from all surrounding countries. these people's lives a deeply intertwined with the debt that. so many preparations for the festival began six months ago they've gone deep into the desert every day on an exhausting training shuttle the main event is camel racing any prize in a sprint race is a great honor but winning the forty two kilometer marathon is considered especially prestigious the young boys in the small town of doulas dream of. victory seemingly endless sand dunes begin just beyond the town's borders. like every other man in

the region image hopes to win two years ago he and his camel came first in a sprint for us. i'm confident about this part of the race because my camel is quite familiar with the area but i do have some doubts about the long distance marathon i haven't entered it before with this camel. because the festival only takes place once a year image needs to make a living for himself and his camel so he dons make up and colorful national costume to pose as an exotic sultan for tourists which is particularly popular with some women travelers. as camel though is less than impressed he has a pedigree racer and only interested in entering competitions he frequently and loudly expresses his disapproval. omas life is centered on his camels in the desert. i know this in my life this is in my.

in the in my heart. well done. and now my time in this is not working interest now this is what i've been everything for me in life because this government love me for one time this government like me. a man has always shared a special relationship with his camels there was a time when he trained these beautiful creatures to appear in a hollywood movie that was filmed in the sahara. i am more. than this i give it then and the government and this is basically i want to add in last year's marathon came first but no one can tell how the race will end this winter.