but what's the story here in damascus? >> unlike other countries that have been engulfed in what's now called the arab spring, the center of damascus is not the focal point of protest. but that doesn't mean the capital escaped from the pressures and street politics of this moment. we've been trying for months to take the road for damascus. >> we just spent hours at the border getting in. they looked through every page of our passports, every bit of equipment. but so few journalists are getting in to tell this story. >> the government complains nobody is telling their side. i have been coming to syria for years. what's changed after six months of protest and brutal crackdown? we don't think it can be hard, damascus hasn't lost charm or bustle but there's no tourists to enjoy it. business is suffering. i didn't expect people to openly criticize the government. without an official reminder, however amenable at our side. one man told us on camera there were no problems. later to me said he didn't tell the truth. pain clothes a

we have been trying for months to take the road to damascus. we have spent hours of the border getting in. they looked through every page of our passport and every bit of equipment. but these journalists are getting in to tell the story. the government complained that nobody is telling their side. i have been coming to syria for years. so what has changed after six months of protests and a brutal crackdown? you don't see it here, and the heart of the city. damascus hasn't lost its charm, but there are no tourists to enjoy it. if business is suffering. i did not expect -- and expect people to openly criticize the government. one man happily told us there were no problems and later whispered that he could not tell the truth. plainclothes agents are everywhere. there is clearly some genuine support for the president. >> everybody here, the population 23 million -- [inaudible] >> these are what he calls lies. videos sent by activists. the government insists the protesters are criminal games. activists that did believe in dialogue no longer do. he t

the syrian uprising for the first time red cross officials have given access to a damascus present. midday in london, 7:00 a.m. in washington, 1:00 p.m. in libya, where there are reports that a convoy of heavily armed vehicles if have crossed the country's southern border into neighboring niger. pickup trucks laden with gold and currency, secret deals to give a fallen dictator a way out. speculation about all that and more. what do we actually know? bbc have learned that the convoy consisting of 50 vehicles and carrying members of the gaddafi entourage has reached a town. it is due to head true the country oppose the capital. now the latest from peter. >> the net closing around gaddafi or have his associates found an escape route? this is a quiet market town in northern niger. now the focus of international attention amid reports that a libyan convoy has been heading in this direction. time information is biased. >> we have had reports in the past two days about the number of pro gaddafi forces try to exit the country. some of those have been confirmed and some have not. we still ne

we're hoping we will get out of damascus soon.damascus itself, i have to be honest, it has never been easy to talk about politics. they're more reluctant now. the people who love assad are willing to speak out and speak out loudly against the foreign media. those who disagree with them about like to talk in public. everywhere we have gone, people have taken us aside and say, listen, we cannot talk to you, because there are intelligence agencies close by. we would like to see change in this country, but we cannot tell you that. it is a divided country. there have been six months of protests which have basically reached a stalemate. some call it a very dangerous stalemate. >> thank you very much for joining us. "bbc world news america." still to come, the tablet or is he that, but will amazon's kindle fire be enough to spark users and make them put down their ipads? china is scheduled to launch a module on thursday, marking its first debt towards building its own space station. the mission is generating huge national pride and is se

bbc news, damascus. >> you are watching news day. still to come, we speak to families and students and india that say cast divisions are a major cause of suicide. more than 2 million people have been affected by rain in india. 80 people have died and some areas have been cut off by rising water. heavy monsoon rains have been battering ndf for the past fortnight. >> waiting for help. these villages are some of the 2 million people stranded by -- or their homes are under water. this is the only way to get around. patterns of northern and eastern india. the government launched operations to help those in the worst hit areas. hundreds are being used to carry the stranded to safety. national rescue helicopters have been dropping food parcels through remote parts of the country. >> supplies have been going on since yesterday. and all steps are being taken by the administration to bring relief to the people. >> for those that do escape the floods, this is now their life. living out in the open with the few possessions they've managed to sav

in syria as the head of the international red cross meets the country's senior officials he's in damascus discussing the humanitarian side of the conflict which is claimed even to animals and lives meanwhile russia is rallying members of the un security council to encourage the sides to stop violence and start negotiations the kremlin believes president assad has worked to change the situation on the ground through reforms and his efforts deserve some credit for the u.s. and its western european allies are pushing for action against present ourselves a regime which they've already sanctioned french political analysts believes there's an underlying motive and calls for protect. syrian civilians. sanctions in general do not work because countries always find ways to go around the sanctions and so on the sanctions expired the only. go on with production of oil although they would be about banning the importation so it's not quite logical and most probably syria would find different outlets were in every single one of these situations is every time that the west or other countries talk about

to gauge the mood inside syria. >> friday prayers in the northern suburbs of damascus. there are protests and today, the soldiers are out in force. people are coming out, looking at the presence of a camera here. foreign journalists getting into damascus, we have been given permission to see what happens after friday prayers. let's see what does. crowds gather around us. this man said to please not show his face. someone else jumps in. what would you like your president to do? >> to give time, everything will go up. it won't be in two or three days. give it time. >> that there are whispers behind me that he is not from this neighborhood, he is with of the government. >> there are snipers on the roof. someone just handed us a piece of paper, it is written in english, thank you. the army is in the other streets and the people are afraid of them. others bravely told us their views without being seen. what car is that? where? down the street? in uniform? >> [inaudible] >> what are they trying to do? >> fight us. >> are you scared? >> very much. >> we saw the car at the end

in syria as the head of the international red cross meets the country's senior officials he's in damascus discussing the humanitarian side of the conflict which has claimed in for two thousand lives meanwhile russia is rallying members of the un security council to encourage the sides to stop violence and start negotiations the kremlin believes president assad has worked to change the situation on the ground through reforms in his efforts to credit let's get some perspective on this now from a. man who sees a political science professor at paris west university and on the phones it's a gallon many thanks for being with us here on our c as i was saying russia is warning against encouraging the opposition in boycotting dialogue with the government so who's behind holding these two sides apart do you think. well obviously you know there's a divide between nato and russia on this issue and one should really separate two types of issues there's the ethical issue and the political issue the ethical issue is. as as a teacher as killing people and a significant number of people protest and syria

in syria as the head of the international red cross meets the country's senior officials he's in damascus them discussing the humanitarian side of the conflict which is thought to have claims able to howell's and lives meanwhile russia's rounding members of the un security council to encourage the science to stop bonded and start making solutions the kremlin believes president assad housework the taste situation on the ground from his efforts to some credit for the u.s. and its western european allies are pushing for action against president assad's regime which they've already found. sanctions in general do not but because countries always lie in ways to go around the sanctions and saw that sanctions would slide only eleven to tie and go on with production of oil although they would give the banning of importation so it's not quite logical and most probably syria would find different outlets for where it's viable in every single one of these situations is every time that the west or other countries talk about a humanitarian intervention a question that needs to be asked is why there is t

we have been to a school in damascus. >> back to school in damascus. under the watchful eye of their teacher and president, students at the girls' school are hard at work on their french lessons. today's class is about good behavior. we were invited here to show that the students are on their best behavior. during the past six months of protest, a young syrians have been out on the streets joining calls for the president to step down. when the schools reopened, students took that call into some classrooms. it is hard to confirm how many took part. some burned textbooks and chanted slogans. i asked those -- a girl which he thought of this report. have you heard about the students protesting? >> students? yes, but not in damascus. >> you are happy with your school, you're happy with your life? >> girls' schools like this are unlike girls schools anywhere. in syria, even the schools have become caught up in the protest. there are bright prose here and they want to talk. >> they knew girls that had been taken away. the principal says there is nothing to ap

of damascus. there have been protests here today. the soldiers are out in force. the press have just ended and people are coming out. they're looking out of curiosity. so few foreign journalists are getting into damascus. we have been given permission to come to see what happens after friday prayers. crowd quickly gathered around us. this man lets us know, i am against the regime. please do not show my face. someone else swiftly jumps in. what would you like to see in syria? what would you like your president to do? >> i believe everything takes time. give this regime time. >> there are whispers behind me that he is not from this neighborhood. he is with the government. there is a sense of menace on the ground and snipers on the roof. someone has just come up to us and the crowd and had as a piece of paper. it is written in english, thank you. no one can make a meeting with you because the army is on the other street and all the people are afraid of them. others bravely told of their views without

. >>> in damascus, syria, today, a pro-government mob cornered u.s. ambassador robert ford and his embassy staff, trapping them for about two hours until syrian security forces finally intervened. nobody was hurt, but the u.s. response is undiplomatically blunt. >> intimidation by progovernment mobs is just not civilized behavior. >> this is clearly a part of an ongoing campaign to intimidate and threaten diplomats attempting to bear witness to the brutality of the assad regime. >> we condemn this unwarranted attack in the strongest possible terms. >> cnn foreign affairs correspondent jill dougherty is at the state department. jill, we heard some strong words. any action to follow? >> no action because really what they have to do is get the syrian government to protect these diplomats. it's not just the u.s., candy. it is -- the french have gone through some similar things. but so far, these incidents seem to be escalating. listen to what secretary clinton said specifically about protecting those diplomats. >> this attempt to intimidate our diplomats

of damascus steel. assuming i can. get it. in the right place. and you have to be accurate over and over again just like that. policy is just over six times and having to do that all day. it's an exhausting process but fortunately i'm dreaming has a machine that will do the next most of hard work for you. as this. is where. to get. the whole city would like a. lot this out of this game i think. you need to do it several side of the poles once metal gets cold and get brittle. unfortunately can lead to cracks it seems this chunk of damascus steel was going to have to be recycled fortunately andre has another developed specimen. this is. a solid metal with most of it just calories in the edge. and hopes of getting the right. of the blades. and we just have one last round of heating in hammering to go. one final but. while. it is. painfully hot. way to get the right temperature. barring the shouting. hey you have it. a blade. for a cause that we're. most famous soldiers with cavalry bottles of old may be consigned to the history books the people of p

of damascus still. in the right. and you have to be accurate over and over again just like the. policy is just five or six times nothing to do that. is an exhausting process but fortunately i'm dreaming has a machine that will do the next most of hard work for you. as this. is where. you get. the most so you would like a. lot. of. you need to do several sizes of holes once the metal gets cold brittle. unfortunately that can lead to cracks it seems this chunk of damascus steel was going to have to be recycled fortunately andre has another developed specimen. this is. solid metal work mostly just hammering the edge. and hopes of getting the right curvature of the blades. and we just had one last round of heating and how to go. one final get. while that is. painfully. aware that to get the right temperature. barring the shouting. they have it. of blades. most famous soldiers with cavalry bottles of old may be consigned to the history books the people of president john still share a love of speed. the sun's out crowds are coming in. and the race is especially when i get to meet. his

of damascus steel. in the right place. and you have to be accurate over and over again just like the. policy is just over six times i've been having to do that. it's an exhausting process but fortunately dream has a machine that will do the next most of hard work for you. so this. is where. you get. the most so would like a. lot of this out if. you need to do it several times of course. once the metal gets cold brittle. i'm unfortunately can lead to cracks it seems this chunk of damascus steel was going to have to be recycled fortunately andre has another developed specimen. this is. solid metal work. just carrying the edge. and hopes of getting the right. place. and we just had one last round of heating on hammering to go. i don't get. while. it is. painfully. aware that to get the right temperature. pouring the shouting. hey you have it. a blade. fit for a cause that we're. most famous soldiers with cavalry bottles of old may be consigned to the history books the people of our still share a lot of speeds and. the sun's o

. >> syria's capital damascus today, the u.s.ambassador roared ford came under attack by supporters of the president who hurled tomatoes and eggs at him. it drew an angry response from hillary clinton who called it wholey unjustified. for more, i'm joined by the bbc state correspondent. they said this is part of an ongoing orchestrated campaign to intimidate diplomats. why did she say that? >> it's not the first time that the ambassador or the embassy come under attack. in july, the embassy compoundç in damascus came under attack by a group of pro assad protesters. they said they had been bussed in specifically to stage that protest. the ambassador has also been harassed several times repeatedly over the last few times as he continues to go out and either try to visit towns where protests are taking place or meet with opposition activists. it's important to note that the french embassy and the french ambassador have also come under attack several times, but ambassador ford has also been welcomed quite nicely by protesters. for e

of damascus steel. in the right place. and you have to be accurate over and over again just like the. policy it's just part of a six times i've been having to do that. it's an exhausting process but fortunately i'm dreaming has a machine that will do the next most of hard work for you. as this. is where. to get. home we'll see what like a. lot of this. you need to do it several times the polls. metal gets cold brittle. i'm unfortunately can lead to cracks it seems this chunk of damascus steel was going to have to be recycled fortunately andre had another more developed space and. this is what i. suspect i'm just hammering the edge here lightly. and that helps with getting the right. of the blades. and we just have one last round of heating and hammering to go. one final. while. is. painfully. aware that to get the right temperature. barring the shouting. there you have it. a blade. fit for a cause that we're. most famous soldiers with cavalry bottles of old may be consigned to the history books the people of president on s

r t damascus syria. russia condemned western sanctions against syria calling them harmful and in effect of moscow stance has largely been echoed by its partners within the brics group brazil india china and south africa dr sure are a professor at the school of international affairs in india believes it's important the alliance is united in dealing with the situation in the middle east bric is a microcosm of the movement toward someone to want to avoid and you can only. through joint action by bric nations it's very very important that sanctions could be the final step leading to another military intervention by a new door and its allies in the name of protecting the people of syria it's important to prevent this you know want because it made end up in a situation similar to what we have in libya we're there is this transition and which was cheated by western military intervention and propped up america said that they were leading from behind but basically the point was that france britain and the united

even r t damascus syria. who are you going to live from moscow still had for you this hour marching out for future please demand their government focuses on social justice rather a town security as people take to the streets in the biggest protest yet. and as america's top commander in afghanistan bit his final farewell to the military we'll look at the problems he's leaving behind. the u.k.'s chief prosecutor says looters are being punished too harshly breast agrippa country in early august saw people smashing windows burning cars and looting shops hundreds have since been given stiff sentences in already overcrowded jails where the prime minister has called tough love but as artie's ivor bennett reports the system could be a breaking point. prisons in england and wales have never been full or nearly eighty seven thousand inmates are jammed in a record high just one and a half thousand short of maximum capacity now the government's hardline response to the recent riots across england means those spaces disap

i believe business will pick up again will pull through even r t damascus syria. so had for you this hour demanding a future release demand their government focuses on social justice rather than security as people take to the streets in the biggest protest here. and as america's top commander in afghanistan bids his final farewell to the military will look at the problems he's leaving behind. issues that so much. i mean if you would like to have a real treat. the right to read the great financial contraction millions lost their jobs but the rich of only gotten richer should the rich pay. bringing you the latest. from the ground. we. covered. mission free critique free storage free. arrangement free. free. free. hold free volunteers to video for your media projects and free media r.t. dot com in. their case chief prosecutor says looters are being punished too harshly the unrest that gripped the country in early august saw people smashing windows burning cars and looting shops hundreds have since been given stiff sentences in already overcrowded jails where the prim

i believe business will pick up again or pull through even r t damascus syria. so i have for you this hour demanding a future. government focuses on social justice rather than security as people take to the streets in the biggest protest yet. and as america's top commander in afghanistan bids his final farewell to the military will look out the problems he's leaving behind. is the same. maybe. we'll see some really great financial contraction millions lost their jobs but the rich will be gotten richer should the rich pay. really the latest. from. the future. if you. didn't take three years for charges three arrangement three. three. three. three volunteers to video for your media project c.e.o. john darche dot com. their case chief prosecutor says looters are being punished too harshly the unrest and great the country in early august stop people smashing windows burning cars and looting shops hundreds have since been given stiff sentences in already overcrowded jails but the prime minister has called tough love but as our genes are about reports the system could

and i mean you customers would come from this forest when you kilometers away from damascus but now the flow has come down a while first came the unrest then the crackdown then the west quickly stepped in with sanctions purpose of the economic pressure on the cheap the political stop the budget and to help the people of syria to achieve the legitimate aspirations at first all major credit card transactions were stopped earlier this month but mainly affected foreign tourists because syria runs its own payment system and those with syrian accounts didn't feel the pinch however the e.u. when the us are tightening their grip by imposing oil embargo on damascus so will that have any probable effect on the people here. of course sanctions will have a negative effect on syrian economy it's a diversified economy with a stable debt which gives it a certain immunity against these sanctions. and this is not just government gloss in the face of impuls adversity syrian opposition figures are also unconvinced but for a different reason. government have chosen their path and no matter what measures ar

r t damascus syria and coming up shortly events in libya. stay with us to check what's happening in the country divided with both sides ready to fight to the bitter end. plus europe's financial bosses tighten their grip on greece demanding it sticks to its. israeli security forces are given clearance to shoot palestinian protesters preparing to march in support of their bid for state recognition tel aviv has also armed settlers in the west bank claiming the need for self-defense or has the details. in some quarters there is talk of a intifada that some will say will be as bloody and as violent as the first two seculars of whom there are some four hundred thousand living in the land that has some two and a half million palestinians in the west bank all bracing themselves for violence as is the israeli army and the israeli police not for several months the israeli army has been preparing in an operation it calls operation some the seeds and it's now in the final stages of putting the finishing touches in place to this end we're being told that

damascus syria. while russia can down the western sanctions against syria calling them harmful and ineffective and ending the crisis moscow's stance on solving the conflict has largely been echoed by its partners within the so-called breaks group comprised of brazil india china and south africa i'm now joined by dr shriram. school of international affairs in dia thank you very much for being here with us on the program how the break states are united and the need to resolve this year in crisis through dialogue but western countries tend to resort to sanctions so why do you think are there such differences within these two blocs. you know i feel that bric nations are making a stand after learning lessons from their lack of collective consensus on libya when the earlier you know the moment happened before the progress snowballed into an armed rebellion and there were un security resolutions that were actually. hijacked for regime change when the resolution was only talking about protecting civilians so

damascus syria. over libya the old regime may have been toppled but the fighting showing no sign of letting up and rebel say they've done enough talking. to you for the latest from the front line in the hunt for colonel gadhafi has his loyalists remain determined to the. still to come this hour europe's financial bosses plan on tightening their grip on the rest of the eurozone and give brussels a bigger role. the first israelis to allow security forces to shoot at palestinian protesters who are preparing to march in support of their bid for statehood at the u.n. later this month tel aviv claims it's trying to prevent bloodshed by arming settlers in the west bank for self-defense. is across development. in some quarters there is talk of a group into fodder that some will say will be as bloody and as violent as the first two sectors of whom there are some four hundred thousand living in a land that has some two and a half million palestinians in the west bank are bracing themselves for violence as is t

if you go school r t damascus syria. now russia condemned western sanctions against syria calling them harmful and ineffective a stance has largely been echoed by its partners within the brics group presell india china and south africa thanks earthly them charlie a professor at the school of international affairs in india please this important their alliance is united in dealing with the situation in the middle east. is a microcosm ask the movement towards a multi multi lot of work and you can only do multiple l.t. through joint action by brick nations it's very very important that sanctions could be dishonest step. and other military intervention why you do and its allies in the name of protecting the people of syria and it's important to prevent this you know what because it made end up in a situation similar to what we have in libya we're there is this transition and reach was created by western military intervention and prop got america said the deal leading from behind where basically the point was that france brita