what was damascus like for you? >> reporter: well, i was told, bill, before i left here, not to leave my hotel room and as a matter of fact, the jordanian airlines won't allow their pilots to stay overnight. i was a little concerned. the city is very calm, shops are open, i had a minder, a young woman with me, all the time, but i could go anywhere. people are sitting, you know, in malls, drinking coffee and so forth. and yet, one hour away, there's violence and people being killed. again, there's this disconnect that's very hard to put together. we landed in the capital, damascus in the early morning and found this ancient city largely quiet, no overt signs of tension or heightened security. as the stores opened, we found food stalls well stocked and busy. same with the old damascus market. only at the high end stores and hotels is the punishment starting to hurt. >> it dropped to zero right now. >> reporter: meanwhile, the protests rage on. bashar al assad was never meant to be president. his father had ruled his n

damascus. it's been nearly ten months since there is uprising began the capital of damascus has remained largely sheltered from the conflict. in the bustling side and so it seems like it's business as usual there's one to say it's in the winds of change have begun to float a little stronger the arab league's impose tougher economic sanctions the effects of which be felt even head in a poor area of damascus interact and family struggling to make ends meet so new year has learning difficulties fava beans for a living that he barely makes one hundred fifty three in pounds a day three dollars to support him and his wife. now the fuel for his vending cart has become harder to get hold of with shortages the economic sanctions driving the price up. there last products available and the prices are pushed higher there's been fights over gas we've been trying to manage by cutting back as much as we can sometimes when we can't afford it which is don't eat the economic situation in syria was one of the are

syria is not in a spiral of violence but more than forty killed in suicide blasts in damascus as country struggles on the mountain pressure from the west and the arab league. and next week after north korea's ruler of seventeen years kim jong. un steps into his shoes as the new supreme leader. on air and online this is our weekly news review welcome to the program tens of thousands of people massed in moscow on saturday in another peaceful protest in the whigs parliamentary election police say thirty thousand gathered in a central square where the organizers claim a number was. a rally echoed one held two weeks ago remain the same hold another election president addressed the protesters in his annual state of the union speech missing widespread political reforms some of which underway in. the courts. the time for change has come. people are tired of not being able to promptly solve the most pressing issues people are tired of having their interests ignored speaking at his fourth and final state of the union address. the president listed a set of proposals which have already been deemed t

two deadly suicide blasts rocked damascus with reports of upwards of thirty people killed as a league observers enter syria to try and find a peaceful end to the country's ongoing in. the fighting goes on more u.s. soldiers are now losing their lives to suicide rather than enemy bullets causing some to warn young people to enlist. british human rights groups. in the world's most surveilled country calling on the city council not to record. russia has cut its interest rate. this level. in the business but. it is a good to have you with us on this friday you're watching live from moscow with me . two separate suicide bomb attacks have now hit the syrian capital damascus where arab league observers sent to help stabilize the conflict torn country just now starting that work state t.v. which says the blasts left at least thirty people dead and dozens injured suggests that al qaeda militants could be to blame let's get more on this from just returned from syria thank you for coming on the program today good to have you back safely from syria let's talk about these suicide blasts the timing

damascus and the government syrian government i believe that as i have a direct daily contact with damascus and with syria and we do understand that syria made it clear that is not using is not using for and weapons against peaceful civilian rule is not a winning to do it but damascus is will continue to defend. against the insurgent no one can deny the presence of the and serve their own in syria even hillary clinton did recognize this and said they are well equipped and well trained like that now the situation we have to be clear about defending against and surgeon and which is very very dangerous and very sensitive i don't think the observers can be in a situation to go in the battlefield and to see what's going on but they have to do and to do their mission at our company is their mission and to do their job but as i said syria the government of syria will not continue i am not i am sure about it will not shoot civilians and demonstrators but the army and syria will defend good can do will continue their military operation against desire of terrorism from the army and against the insurg

here in damascus, scenes that evoke the terror of neighboring iraq. according to the government, to suicide bombers drove cars into state intelligence buildings on the west side of the city. a vehicle mangled by the blast. all of this happened in an area that should be one of the most secure in the country. the dead and wounded were said to include security personnel and civilians. >> television broadcast images of the survivors as they recovered and hospital. >> i saw a black car and then an explosion. after that, i was taken to hospital. >> until today, damascus have largely avoided the kind of violence that affected most of the rest of syria. state television began live coverage. much of it is too gruesome to show. within 20 minutes of the blast, the government was blaming al qaeda and linking it to the opposition, saying this was not the way to achieve democracy. opposition activists today said these were fabricated by the regime. with independent media severely restricted, it is not possible to investigate the claims and counterclaims. the arab l

damascus. the arab league's observer mission to damascus follow syria's membership of the organization being suspended but jordan professor and journalist. should not be lecturing another arab country. talking about reforms in syria especially when this kind of talk is coming from out of gulf states where. even a constitution yet on top of. our freedom of the media or the are that i to organize and political parties or organizations so this is this is just nonsense i mean when when someone who lacks the very basic tenets of democracy is preaching to syria or other arab states that are in the pendant or somewhat untie imperialist about democracy well that's what the senators seem has said we are going along with all our reforms on our agenda and our time and we need to see what those states have in the way of reform before they start preaching to us about reform this is obviously. an sos and see that has been instigated by night so and it's cronies and the world. and later this hour the inside t

damascus. and her family struggling to make ends meet her son here has learning difficulties beans for a living but he barely makes one hundred fifty syrian pounds a day three dollars to support him and his wife and now the fuel for his vending cart has become harder to get hold of with the economic sanctions driving the price up. their last products available and the prices are pushed higher there's been fights over gas we've been trying to manage by cutting back as much as we can but sometimes when we can't afford it we just don't eat. economic situation in syria was one of the areas president packing faints be making progress. for a population that it started seeing the results of economic opportunity say. financial transactions. have blackouts that come with. it they could be even the financial times ahead. because of the economic sanctions people. people are a little bit afraid of the fact that. this is when you see these queues this in place by the arab league it was the sanctions which t

finding life under the sanctions increasingly desperate surf city damascus. but after his who's an expert on the region says the syrian opposition groups seeking foreign intervention are driven by power rather than humanitarian. we know how the syrian people feel they're all against foreign intervention and we've seen what foreign intervention has done in other countries in iraq for example and in libya recently it was a disaster so nobody i think not only let alone the syrians would welcome a forty intervention but these people the so-called opposition has gone out of their minds i think. just last. and they're beginning actually to. contact complete contact with the syrian people it's the simple as that these people are desperate they want power they they of course they want to topple the syrian regime and they don't care about the country you know even if the country is destroyed as long as their regime is toppled as long as they. gain power they don't care much about their own homeland after all they've been out of their country for a long time and i don'

damascus the u.s. and its allies claim their foreign policy is aimed at stopping president assad's regime cracking down on protesters but despite mounting evidence the west remains reluctant to recognize that the opposition is also armed some analysts believe it's because the anti damascus coalition wants to see regime change in syria. what we see here about these atrocities five to house the. death here and the so-called massacres none of these numbers are confirmed they are actually given and if you look at the media they are actually telling you that they are getting their information from the. rebel army but they're not getting it from inside the country but of course when you look at the mainstream media at least here in the united states they are just repeating those numbers this is basically a make up of a psychological warfare first of all the decision on syria was made a years ago even as the preparations began and this is a turkey on the border there there are nato air base there injured airb

damascus. the u.s. and e.u. say their stance against damascus is a reaction to the regime's crackdown on peaceful protesters but they're refusing to recognize the opposition is also armed and fighting to bring down president assad some analysts believe it's because the west wants to see a revolution in syria here is one perspective. the reason they would want to provoke regime change is to put in place a government that would be friendly to us and its allies interests and of course to enable those interest to control strategic resources in syria and throughout the region which is the same case that we saw in libya i mean the whole justification of protecting the population was really just a front to be able to overthrow and assassinate really a moammar gadhafi and put in place a government that would be friendly to the u.s. we have to remember that right after the obama administration would drew troops from iraq to some of those were relocated to the border of syria from jordan and in preparation of arming this

damascus. u.n. security council faces mounting pressure to act on syria but its members are unable to agree on a resolution friday washington is european allies blocked a statement drafted by russia supporting the arab league observers mission to syria moscow's envoy to the u.n. said western states are not being cooperative this is straightforward text. of a commendation and support and appreciation of the efforts of the out of. it pretty straightforward to the expression of attention that the it will help to do well and unfortunately i can tell you that to the number of members of the security council objected to hold up this is a little strange one of the difficulties we encounter in working with the security council because i would try to do something positive with inevitably the met with all sorts of concerns about balance why didn't you do this why didn't you do that and it brings us to two to square one in the entire conversation. later this hour the inside track on the year's most momentous e

the christian world gets ready for christmas there's a little festive spirit in syria the capital damascus is recovering from two suicide blasts that left more than forty people dead more than one hundred injured the arab league is searching for a solution to the crisis trying to find out the truth behind me and arrest syrians say they just want the bloodshed to end or to sarah for has more from damascus. chaos and confusion in damascus as the capital which until now has remained largely spared from violence starts to feel the effects of an escalating conflict. the first day of the league's work was a bloody tragic day the people of syria will never forget these terrorists this time live here the capsule is usually brightly lit as christians here can succumb to scent of the population get ready to celebrate christmas but these scenes of devastation are a harsh contrast and a stark reminder of just how much the country has changed in the past nine months. last year at christmas we used to wish health and pray for people in other countries that were going through hard times with war we never

this is a suburb of the capital damascus. demonstrators fought running battles with security forces. people did the best they could to help the injured. nearby, there appeared to be a large number of arrests. what happened to these men is not known. we cannot verify these pictures, but across syria, activists say dozens were killed today. and all this under the eyes of the arab league observers, surrounded by people desperate to tell their story. since the observers started work four days ago, activists say there were over 150 people killed. protesters have reported clashes across the country. more than 60 monitors on the ground have managed to visit a few of these places. exactly what they saw and what they said were not clear. whatever they say is unlikely to be agreed on by both sides. many opposition activists have fled here to lebanon, and they don't believe the observers are doing their job. >> the arab league's stated that there is a violation against syria and this mission must go to ensure their safety. this is not w

damascus. and her family struggling to make ends meet. beans for a living he barely makes a hundred and fifty three and the day. is really. now the fuel for his vending cart has become harder to get hold of with the economic sanctions. there are less products available and the prices are pushed higher there's been fights over gas we've been trying to manage by cutting back as much as we can but sometimes when we can't afford it which is don't eat the economic situation in syria was one of the areas president that he seems to be making. the for a population that it started seeing the results of economic opportunity say that financial transactions. back out become a little. bit they could be even the financial times ahead. because of the economic sanctions people. people are a little bit afraid of part of. this is when you see these coups this in place by the arab league it was take the sanctions put the government hands when it came to ending the violence in the country because inside syria at t

damascus. it's been nearly ten months since syria's uprising began the capital of damascus is a mango as he sells it from the conflict the fight in the bustling sand say it seems like it's business as usual as one says sets in the winds of change have begun supply evidence stronger the arab league sometimes tough economic sanctions the effects of weights and be felt even headed in a poor area of damascus and his family is struggling to make ends meet his son years learning to follow the beans for a living but he barely makes a hundred and fifty syrian pounds a day so even three dollars to support him and physically. now the fuel for his vending cart has become harder to get hold of with the economic sanctions. there are less products available and the prices are pushed higher there have been fights over gas we've been trying to manage by cutting back as much as we can but sometimes when we can't afford it which is don't eat the economic situation in syria was one of the areas president had been

damascus. dr has xanga cib an expert in the region says the syrian opposition groups seeking foreign intervention are driven by power rather than humanitarian needs we know how the syrian people feel they're all against foreign intervention and we've seen what foreign intervention done in other countries in iraq for example and in libya recently it was a disaster so nobody would know i think let alone the syrians would welcome the venture but these people the so-called opposition has gone out of their minds i think that just. beginning actually. it's called the conflict with the city and it's the simple is that these people are desperate they want power they they of course they want to be at the top of the syrian regime and they don't care about the country you know even if the country is destroyed as long as there is even toppled as long as they. gain power they don't care much about that. after all they've been out of their country for a long time and i don't think. anybody who called so for

about forty people have been killed more than one hundred wounded in double suicide bombings in damascus the syrian regime is laying the blame for the attack on al qaida it's the first incident of its kind in damascus since the uprising started in march this against the backdrop of the first batch of arab league monitors arriving to implement a peace deal russia supports the nation but the u.s. and allies have blocked a u.n. security council statement supporting the observers moscow's along the way to the un expressed regret over the west refusal to cooperate. this is three full with text into of a commendation and support and appreciation of the efforts of that to be. a pretty straight forward to the expression of invention that the it will help to do while and unfortunately i can tell you that the number of members of the security council objected to hold up this is a little strange one of the difficulties we encounter in working on the security council because i would try to do something positive will inevitably be met with all sorts of the concerns about balance why didn't you do thi

with me wrong research showing two separate suicide bomb attacks have now hit the syrian capital damascus where arab league observers sent to help stabilize the conflict torn country just now starting their work state t.v. which says the blasts left at least thirty people dead and dozens injured suggests that al qaeda militants could be to blame let's get more details on this from r.t. surf earth who just returned from syria thank you for coming on the program today good to have you back so free from syria let's talk about these suicide blasts the timing is being called into question nine months of unrest in syria now lots of gunfire on the streets many many people dead but now for the first time two suicide blast this is something you would expect perhaps from iraq or afghanistan but now syria absolutely very very concerning indeed of course you've got the arab league advance team that's just arrived in the country yesterday there to pave the way for the observer mission is to at the end of the month they're going to be eva seeing president assad pledges to end this crackdown and stop th

good to have you with us so we haven't seen a suicide bombing in damascus since the uprising started how close do you think the country could be now to civil war. i think we are already in civil war civil war is fought in many ways and we have seen in places like homs and hama and several other border areas in syria there were armed clashes between heavily armed insurgents supported by nato or turkey or the arab gulf states against syrian troops so this is just an escalation of the already existing civil war and the attacks happened just a day after the first arab league observers have arrived in country do you think it's a coincidence or what do you think about the timing i think that the opposition as we have seen on subdural t.v. in that where it's really irritated that the syrian regime has accepted to invite out of monitors from the arab league to come and monitor the situation in syria so i think this is an attempt to sabotage the mission of the out of monitors as this would like a calm down by the regime since it's the responsibility of and that regime to preserve law and orde

huge demonstrations took place in damascus and duma. authorities used mail bombs to spurs the crowds. >> these treats screened with blood. many urgently needed medical care. the clouds of tear gas needed difficult for crowds to great. activists say this unconfirmed internet footage is from a suburb of the capital of damascus. this ries "-- reads the 30th of december. thousands came out to protest against the regime of president bashar al-assad. damascus and homs has become the center of the nine-month revolt. international authorities are trying to determine whether damascus is complying with a plan. protesters ran out in force on friday, determined to make the case that regime violence continues. >> democracy remains elusive in egypt where police have raided several ngo's in cairo, including american groups and a german foundation. egyptian authorities say the raid was part of a probe into foreign funding of the groups, but the military is accused of trying to silence dissent. >> few photos of the operation exist. heavily-armed police

i wonder, what is it like to live in damascus these days? >> reporter: i think it's almost schizophrenic, to be honest. you have pockets of people who are living in these bubbles of denial and pretending what is happening across the country is not going on. and then you have the majority of people who are just intensely frightened, and it's a fear that's ingrained deeply for the last 40 years. and that one man who i spoke to whose son was killed, whenever i would ask him anything even vaguely political his eyes would sort of shift back and forth as if he was looking to make sure who was listening. >> pelley: thank you very much, clarissa ward. the republican presidential candidates talked up their support for israel today at a meeting of the republican jewish coalition. front-runner newt gingrich promised to move the u.s. embassy from tel aviv to jerusalem. gingrich says that his role as house speaker in the 1990s makes him west prepared to be president. so we asked nancy cordes to find out what his former republican colleagues would say abo

specifically those who were on the streets in how to stop that's about twenty minutes outside of damascus one of the guys that we interviewed he actually disappeared for two days and he said he was held by security forces he was beaten up after forty eight hours of detention and torture they took all of my money and belongings and threw me out into the. st. we also spoke with soldiers families those who have been killed and you can wholesale feel that they are angry at the protesters because their sons have been lost fathers have been lost husbands have been lost and you can understand the point of view that they're coming from how console gers kill other soldiers this is impossible whatever media says this is plainly lawyer. speaking about fear look out tell you one incident we were supposed to interview one of the leaders of the. national coordination council the local opposition. the interview was sets and he when we called him he said i might have to cancel because we there were security forces we think who were at the office and they wrote some threats on the wall. we had to our fixe

in syria the festive holiday spirit is broken by a new round of violence in damascus that leaves dozens dead. and do dubious resolution david cameron reveals plans for involvement in the oil rich somalia calling the country a threat to british security. very warm welcome to you thank you for joining us three o'clock here in moscow thousands gathered in central moscow to protest against this month's parliamentary election results the rally was organized by opposition groups who say the poll was raked artes and they say now was at the scene. it's certainly fair to say that the head count of this saturday's rally beats that we saw it two weeks ago at below plan square official figures we're hearing from the interior ministry is that thirty thousand opposition is saying some hundred thousands but certainly tens of thousands of people came onto the streets of moscow to goal for free and fair elections you have mobs of different political groups here people that just came out and say they're not part of any political group that in fact they don't want this to be politicized they want to just