supporters of the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei are up against the loyal supporters of mahmoudhmadinejad. in this contest, the ayatollah holds all the cards. and there's a subject that worries most voters. over the last year, the price of day-to-day goods has gone up, and the economy is in trouble. >> i think the economic situation has become a large part of people's daily lives. the elections have lost their color because of high prices. i don't feel the elections will be as sensational as the previous rounds. >> i will vote. it's a national responsibility. considering the increasing prices, sanctions and economic issues, yes, our vote is very important and vital. >> and this is why the rest of the world is paying attention to this vote. iran's nuclear program worries western governments. but no one expects a change of policy following this election. the ayatollah will still have the final word. james reynolds, "bbc world news." >> i want to bring you the latest from homs again. obviously we understand the red cross and indeed the syrian red crescent are on their way. we under

the contest was mainly between conservatives who backed either ayatollah ali khamenei or ahmadinejad.t reformers were forced out of the race. iran's state media said khamenei's camp had secured more than 70% of 225 seats that have been decided. a run-off vote will be held for the remaining 65 seats. ahmadinejad's allies lost by a large margin. the outgoing parliament plans to summon the president soon for a rare hearing. lawmakers will question his handling of iran's economy. the victory by hard-line politicians could increase tensions with the west and israel. conservatives reject any compromise over iran's nuclear development program. >>> disgruntled russian citizens and a defined political opposition are keeping up the pressure on vladimir putin. thousands of people took to the streets in moscow to protest his victory in the country's presidential election. about 20,000 people rallied at a square near the center of the capital. opposition leaders say the vote was rigged. they include grigory yavlinsky, who was prevented fro registering to run in the election. one demonstrator said

will bolster his support in parliament and at the same time strengthen his position against ayatollah ali khameneiiran's supreme leader sees ahmadinejad as trying to reduce the influence of the ruling clerics. they have the final say in almost all political decisions. to keep it that way, the guardian council will that its power long before voting began, letting candidate -- vetting candidates and barring some established loyalists, forcing him to pick younger political unknowns. the power struggle could intensify after the parliamentary elections. lawmakers have summoned ahmadinejad to answer questions on his handling of the economy, a process that could end in his impeachment. whatever iran's new parliament looks like, it is unlikely to represent the will of the people. >> the will of the people was heard in geneva when you're ago when it became the first nation to topple its government and set off the wave of arab spring of presence. now the countries trying to come to terms with its past, and it is turning to germany for some help. >> to nations hope to learn from germany's experience dealing

ayatollah ali khamenei. flooding continues to affect large parts of southeastern australia with fifteen hundred people now forced to leave their homes in the state of victoria has been called in to help carry food water and sandbags to stranded residents the ones that ten rivers in the region could burst their banks may greet you south wales people are preparing for the possibility of the heaviest rainfall in over one hundred years. slogans promises and pledges of the usual attributes of any presidential campaign but this year's race in russia has seen some brand new creative weapons unleashed the internet has become one of the major battlegrounds although the content can be scandalous not entirely innocent parties are katrina to turn over looks at the online arsenal. there is been a lot of singing dancing drawing and even cooking this election season as presidential campaigns go in hot and creative. issues oppositionists afford hard in the online wars from wrapping and slating that put in the bed in tandem

districts the current leadership's main competitor is the united front of principle its backing ayatollah ali khamenei is the first nationwide vote since the presidential election of two thousand and nine that was marred by violence and a crackdown after allegations of vote rigging. a series of tornadoes have been tearing through the northeastern u.s. already leaving twenty nine people dead officials warn the death toll could rise as rescue workers continue to search for victims just just the past year alone in america twisters have claimed almost six hundred lives. well debate rages in the u.s. of a religion in politics all of this going on during the presidential campaign we've been to the streets of new york to ask people if they think that it's proper for government or media to support particular ideologies original reporting on the big apple went to find out. when is it ok for a government or the media to support an ideology this week let's talk about that i don't think it ever should. i think that the government is there to serve the people in the media is there to report the news not make edito

other after reaching the street between president mahmoud ahmadinejad and the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei. ok i told you the markets now as i promised marina are standing by cross out the business that's going to see you so what how are investors reacting now to the only growing issues in the eurozone and of course upcoming elections but we'll get to the euro zone in a second but first let's start with the upcoming election and so far it seems quite positively actually the ruble is near six more days and as far as the stock markets are concerned there is soaring twenty four percent since the summer and that makes it the best performing stock market in the world and let's take a look at the latest figures the r.t.s. has slipped slightly into negative territory it's news in the south point zero eight percent at the same time and my sense is the importance of territory just and also let's have a look at that individual share moves on my sex rehab. with his boss is a national telecoms company and that's one of the top performers still of the day that's going after announcing an acquisition an

conservative groups supporters of the current president and supporters of the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei. slogans promises and pledges of the usual attributes of any presidential campaign but this year's race in russia has seen some brand new creative weapons unleashed the internet has become one of the major battlegrounds although the content can be scandalous and not entirely innocent it is a country which overlooks of the online awesome. there is been a lot of singing dancing drawing and even cooking this election season as presidential campaigns go it's been hot and creative. with your opposition is a force hard in the online wars from rapping and slating to continue that it sound them to posting not so innocent video fakes. charges against it would include embezzle and financial fraud and abuse of office. compatibly grass it anti kremlin complaining that broke out in videos can seem a little toothless. was making. me laugh. can you believe. you. can't. leave the topic of ukraine not paying for russian gas present this video has been made on the kremlin's orders otherwise i don't und

each other after a recent dispute between president mahmoud ahmadinejad's supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei. or it's in the business there's not a fine marina talk about all sorts of various market issues hello to you so the eurozone issues upcoming elections are certainly here in russia investors in europe shaky but not here in russia. that appears to be the case for a first of all the ruble is close to six months is that we have the russian stock market which has sorts twenty four percent since december and this makes it the world's best performance not market this year but let's take a look at the latest figures both divorces are of course in positive territory the r.t.s. is adding point three percent the south rather my sense is adding point let's take a look at the breakdown of individual fare moves we have russia's national telecoms operator ross telecom which is gaining and that's among the top performers of the day actually following news of an acquisition at rave now we have them the company just announced its net profit rose to eleven billion dollars last year and we have the cd a

conservative groups the supporters of the current president and supporters of the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei. flooding continues to affect large parts of southeastern australia with fifteen hundred people now forced to leave their homes in the state of victoria the army has been called in to help ferry food water and sandbags to stranded residents but there are warnings that ten rivers in the region could burst their banks in neighboring new south wales people are preparing for the possibility of the heaviest rainfall in over one hundred years. for the stretch of the markets with hello good to see you time to check out how the markets are performing this hour i understand it though the russian markets are fairly fairing rather well for two thousand and twelve yeah you're right roy they are in these and having sold twenty four percent since december which makes it the world's best performing stock market this year the ruble is also closest six month high but as you can see this hour we're looking at mixed picture the r.c.s. down around half a percent of them i think just in positive territory

are overlooking some important points which are for example that the iranian supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei said in a speech on the iranian new year that iran doesn't strive to possess nuclear weapons now that is a message of which is being given to the west and on the other hand as well obama had some messages on obvious or when he made accused iranian you your speech of pushing the iranians so yes we do have all of these pressures we do have all of these scientists i was at the same time and there are exchanges of messages being between the two and i think particularly if obama is reelected i think then we might see a chance that there might be some kind of a deal being reached between both sides when you talk about a deal being reached around as agreed to revive talks with world leaders on its nuclear program or these talks though in the past collapse in istanbul in january last year can we expect these talks to reach some kind of agreement if they were to come back to the table or the question is i suppose or i should ask you is the u.n. even interested in revived nuclear talks with ira

they accused him of mismanaging the economy and of defying ayatollah ali khamenei, the islamic republic's supreme leader. the iranian parliament has the legal authority to ask a president questions, but it had never exercised that power until today. ten questions were read out in a live broadcast. >> thank god for having the chance to carry out one of our key duties as members of parliament, mainly summoning the president for the first time in the islamic republic's history. that will let people know it's a real democracy and not superficial and pretend democracy. >> sreenivasan: ahmadinejad was defiant in the face of the allegations. at times, he answered with sarcastic jokes. and, he denied challenging the authority of ayatollah khameni. >> these false labels cannot be applied to the government. but my life shows that i've always tried to defend the religious position of the supreme leader through my action and through proper right and logical statements. and to show that it is a system of compassion, justice, progress, hard work and solidity. >> sreenivasan: if parliament finds ahmadin

. >> reporter: last week, the supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei promised swift retaliation if any iranian nuclear sites are hit. >> we do not possess nuclear weapons, nor we will make them, but in the face of enemy attacks, whether it is america or the zionist regime, in defense of ourselves, we will attack them at the same level they have attacked us. >> reporter: but there's argument about whether iran would carry through on that threat. >> if iran should engage in a direct military attack against israel, there's always the risk of u.s. involvement, and the islamic republic would do anything in its power to avoid u.s. intervention in such a conflict. >> reporter: ali alfoneh, a resident fellow with the american enterprise institute in washington, believes that risk will keep iran from retaliating directly against israeli military targets. >> and they know that if they start a conflict which would run, spin out of control, and which would involve the united states, that would be a very, very costly conflict. >> reporter: there's another option, alfoneh said, more advantageous to

ayatollah ali khamenei is saying recent remarks by president obama represent a "window of opportunityup here. he says the president's comments tuesday in a news conference appear to indicate he is in no longer being in delusion." here's what the president said. >> at this stage, it is my belief that we have a window of opportunity where this can still be resolved diplomatically. that's not just my view. that's the view of our top intelligence officials. it's the view of top israeli intelligence officials. >> window of opportunity, reza. we're hearing this both from president obama, iran's supreme leader to possibly resolve this whole dispute over iran's nuclear program. do you see momentum building in that direction? >> i do, as someone that's been following this closely for a number of years, we really haven't seen the amount of positive signaling taking place in the run-up to negotiations that will probably commence in april or may after the iranian new year this month. but again, actions speak louder than words. it's very promising to hear the words of the extreme leader and our ow

the president's words have drawn praise from iran's supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei.ews in israel prime minister benjamin netanyahu says he hopes there won't be a war and that diplomatic pressures on iran work. it's not clear if israeli's prime minister is listening. benjamin netanyahu is laying out a time frame for an attack on iran saying it's not days or weeks, but it's also not years either. >>> whitney houston's daughter giving her first interview since her mother's death a month ago. 19-year-old bobbi kristina brown sat down with oprah winfrey. >> did you think that drugs would end up taking her? did you think that? >> the handwriting was kind of on the wall. i would be kidding myself to say otherwise. >> that's whitney's sister-in-law. the interviews will begin broadcasting sunday on oprah's own network. which show is the most influential in the history of television? survey says, "hill street blues." you know that music ♪ >>> "hill street blues," aired for six years. a survey cited the police drama's large diverse cast and said it paved the way for more comple