criticism for china was far more muted for taking the same position but the reality is that china the west have to treat with much more with kid gloves because of the integral relationship in terms of the way that the chinese economy now is so totally woven in with the western one night the country is capable of dominating the other and neither country is going to win a cold war type situation as china's influence grows president obama has pledged to strengthen u.s. positions in the pacific going as far as the ploy in extra troops to the region this is made some wonder whether the u.s. can reconcile with the situation when it's not dominating. announced disappeared at the pentagon by the way the pivot seems from that middle east to asia this means more u.s. interference is cellcept in the sauce china sea military station the starting in norse in australia but maybe in contacts with surely p.m.'s singapore in thailand specially very close allies of us here in southeast asia so the chinese they look

at this in a big circle washington's treatment of this or that country depends on its interests there is nothing surprising about that but it seems with marina america may find itself hostage to those interests in a situation where you cannot simply dictate its policies in the meantime beijing's economic clout is growing feeling america's fear i'm going to check our reporting from washington our. grace approved a new austerity bill on sunday in return for a second e.u. bailout the cuts were designed to prevent the country from defaulting on its debt although angry greeks worried about their pensions and jobs responded with more protests on the streets of athens jacob graves reports. the system on the seach m.p.'s drowned out the pleas of tens of thousands of demonstrators amassed within a short passing game another round of them popular cards. the results proved incendiary

. that uganda protests turned violent as protesters including fringe and the kids clashed with police again leaving their mark on athens. a day on this is the remnants of public anger but glass isn't the only thing that's been broken as governments past increasingly unpopular austerity cuts will be left asking who can they trust serve their interests the measures are very very tough part of the poor people especially and this is the reason that they feel. it today so i think more measures have been taken and they're it's not going to work in the end it will be another bill he clearly bad and. i hope for the best but i don't see it coming. under pressure from brussels berlin and the international monetary fund the greek government has cut more jobs and slashed funding for the nation's

pensions a minimum wage but current policy appears to mainly expose those most vulnerable to crisis conditions is a mindset some feel is doomed to fail they already have destroyed the whole generation of young people in their dreams they will destroy. the sabian infrastructure of the whole country we know that it is impossible to repay this debt that we have now signs that these illegal or old news we cannot continue like that because the policy that the government is following actually increases the day instead of finding a solution at the heart of activists claims is there a solution that they've known austerity for the best part of five years now and that time taxes have risen incomes have fall and but the country's deficit only seems to grow and in this austerity cycle is something sought by in. creasing

number despite the governor wallace will follow but what is a bad system is that they have the right exactly the date even more. they are going to come the only way out of this point is the default default is going to be very tough for us but there's going to be a better solution of this slow death from now relative calm has returned to the streets of athens smashed buildings have been patched up the signs of damage swept away but the simmering discontent hasn't been a mass force medicine appears to bring nothing but pain many are continuing their call for turned to treatment greece. now some other world news and briefly of this hour an explosion in northwestern pakistan left eight people dead and four injured according to reports it's thought militants may have been targeting local police the area had witnessed fighting between security forces

and insurgents the night before on friday twenty people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a busy market in the nearby city of perishing are. to honduras now where a fire in the main market district in the capital injured at least eleven people and destroyed eighteen hundred stalls several blocks were engulfed in flames sending thick plumes of black smoke over the city much of the market area was outdoors reducing the possibility of people trapped in blazing buildings and it comes as funerals were held following one of the worst prison fires on record which left three hundred fifty eight people dead in honduras many victims burned alive in their cells. and the familiar sound of carnival is in the air in rio de janeiro for the traditional blackball parade it's the day a legendary somebody's troupe which has been performing for ninety four years and gathers people this year over two million of them to dance drink and sing until

morning street parties take place in nearly every part of the city which is home to six million people the five day carnival ends on ash wednesday. and just two weeks russians will vote for a new president the candidates are doing all they can to woo the electorate from intense debates to controversial t.v. adverts r t is that it takes a closer look at the tools contenders are using to win support. this is the video that's caused the most uproar so far in the presidential campaigns underway in russia in it one of the candidates version of famous for his showmanship and occasional fist fights with fellow parliamentarians claims mcgann other times when russia's symbol was a traditional troika with three daring horses and jingle bells these little mantra donkey has become a symbol of our country the whole country has come to a standstill like the sentiments with less than a month to go the five candidates have plastered the streets with election posters

and desolate views with t.v. promos heated discussions on television radio and the internet have become part of everyday life. i don't cause in the race billionaire businessman mikhail prokhorov promises their arrival of a new russia with a new president known for his height riches and playboy past he's the only new face on russia's political scene formally editorials party animal his reputation was once dented by an international sex scandal which has come back to haunt him on the web we are vegeta help here with all our body and soul as for the elections will win them anyway you can buy anything so you can buy your victory to the remaining candidates are familiar crowd to the voters the unchanging leader of the communist party good night is a gun of presents a fresh image with a campaign featuring a mix of faces from the past as well as the present while his rival from the just russia party still game it on the it's trying to attract the older generation the

only clear favorite in the race prime minister vladimir putin has refrained from getting involved in the campaign directly he has controversially refused to take part in any t.v. debates sending his representatives instead and his promos never show his face. on this three politics there are only talk either big meeting. either prop or tin or against porter so if you when he doesn't go to television when he's part of st politics when he's a part of television coverage oh he's a job as prime minister he is there is the only one let's say the only candidate with so many resources so much media attention i think that he wants to show that he's the only real candidate precisely by not going there and according to the latest opinion polls the level of support keeps on growing across the

country despite the wave of opposition protests i think that brought us tend to mobilize his core electorate because when. people like right wing politic politician brought her up are saying that you know the social benefits from the cut that factories that are inefficient because that stage would not interfere so much i think that the message that people gather cross russia is that we should keep putting election day may only be around the corner but this still plenty of time for the other four would be presidents to try and chip away at this current lead and while some voters rely on traditional t.v. campaigning others are turning to the internet for some comic relief. and calling himself believe john could bonhomme the supposedly. has recently become an online sensation with a song praising the virtues of the prime minister all the by putin's initials.

ls and while the jury's out on whether it's propaganda or clever hoax aimed at discrediting putin the electoral campaign rolls on with more surprises likely along the way. obama party must go. and recap of our top stories shortly. stay with us. all.

the. blind rushes would be so much brighter if you knew all about song from funniest impressions some of. these for instance on t.v. dot com.

more news today violence is once again flared up. these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. giant corporations are on the day. let us news in the week's top stories on our team here are your headlines the syrian government feels the squeeze internationally and from within as it struggles to crush what it calls a foreign funded insurgency while promising to usher in democratic reform russia and china are pushing for a diplomatic solution while the violence rages on across syria. passed new austerity measures calls in more protests in athens from angry workers worried

about further cuts to wages and pensions demonstrators say the budget slashes will damage the country's economy and well into the future. just two weeks before russia goes to the polls to elect a new president of the candidates are using all tools available to woo voters and gain maximum support they're turning to head to head t.v. debates and controversial advertising to get their message across. and israel accuses iran of targeting its diplomats in a series of explosions in thailand india and georgia this week fiercely denies being behind the attacks but israel wants more international sanctions against it and its nuclear program. for more insight into the circle of sanctions closing around are around we spoke to brian becker a member of the answer anti-war coalition that interview is up next.

thank you for joining us on r.t. thank you but does the united states want from tightening the sanctions i mean. even beyond tightening the sanctions now indeed it is the united states government has created an artificial crisis that's first and foremost it's a manufactured crisis iran is complying with the i.a.e.a. iran does not have a nuclear weapon iran is not threatening its neighbors iran has not started a war with any of its neighbors israel on the other hand has hundreds of nuclear weapons and unlike iran refuses to sign a nuclear nonproliferation treaty does not allow. inspectors into its country so there's not really a nuclear menace or a nuclear danger from iran and so what is the cause what's the cause of the crisis of the artificial crisis the real goal is the united states government has embarked on a course of extreme economic aggression against iran with the hope that by creating

economic suffering economic isolation economic misery that part of the population will rise up or become disenfranchised with the government so that the u.s. can do as it has in history carry out regime change they deny that the u.s. tonight that it's trying to carry out there was a change in iran right i mean we have to take that with a very very big grain of salt because we know that since one nine hundred seventy nine the united states refuses to have relations with the islamic republic of iran why is it because iran is a dictatorship well it's actually a democratic government it has democratic features far beyond some of america's most foremost their allies in the middle east such as saudi arabia for instance since one thousand nine hundred nine iran became an independent government before that between one nine hundred fifty three and one thousand nine hundred seventy nine when the shah was there the shah basically is a proxy or a puppet or a client of the american power. so the u.s.

says they're not carrying out regime change but in fact everyone who's watching knows that indeed is the u.s. policy to create pressure on iran carry out overt operate covert operations economic sanctions and now these new sanctions are not really even a like the old saying they are saying to the rest of the world if you dare do business with iran central bank if you buy iranian oil which constitutes half of iran's g.n.p. if you have any business with iran whatsoever you will not have access to american banks to american corporations to the american market this is in fact a blockade something like an economic blockade of iran and by international law in economic blockade is an act of war and so we should understand it just like that so what do you think iran's response is going to be well iran so far has been very prudent even though they said that they would consider closing the strait of hormuz

that six mile stretch of the persian arabian gulf where twenty five percent of the world's oil supply goes through. and even though much was made of that in the western media in fact iran has not done anything to give the u.s. . pretext an excuse a provocation so to speak that would allow the united states or israel to trigger a set of military actions. i think is also telling its people that we are not panicked we the iranian government are not panicked that they're trying to show that they have a serenity and a calmness and a confidence and that they will weather the storm but in fact economic sanctions are taking a bite on the iranian economy right now there is a lot to see about this israeli possible attack specially israeli possible attack wall street journal says that the u.s. is planning a plan b.

. said israel attack i think the israelis try to pretend that iran constitutes an existential threat to israel i don't think that that in fact is the case even though iran's military has the capability to do great damage to israel in the event of a war even though israel is a nuclear power i think that the israeli government has in a pattern and a practice of invasion and bombing of its neighbors in the middle east it carried out the bombing of a racks a nuclear facility in one nine hundred eighty one even though that was a permitted by international law and subject to i inspect sions in other words a nuclear program for civilian energy purposes israel came and bombed it they did the same to syria in the last few years and they would like to carry out military strikes against the iranian government the americans don't want that right now even though they are happy to be have iran in a state of tension they don't really want israel to become the main protagonist

with the iranian government by carrying out an unprovoked military strike i mean i'm talking about the main sectors in the american establishment because that would then present the crazes death struggle between the islamic republic of iran on one side in the israeli's regime on the other and in that case iran will be able to mobilize mass support throughout the middle east for it the united states has a different tact they want to keep israel sort of in the background lou mean danger in threatening iran in one way keeping iran in the state of tension perhaps militarily but have the economic sanctions do the bulk of the work by carrying out economic and financial isolation against the iranian government they think in the long term that's the easier way the better way or the more effective way to carry out regime change the u.s. has puzzled over israel's intentions so what if israel does decide to try. iran and

this is a u.s. official says it's hard to know what's a bluster and what's not with israelis well i think a lot of this is baloney and nonsense the israelis are the recipient the benefactor of three billion dollars a year in u.s. military aid if they do something that's completely contrary to what washington wants they will be on the very short end of the stick the israelis are not dominating and dictating u.s. policy in this geostrategic they are not they have a big influence in washington they have a strong lobby but when it comes to iran or when it comes to iraq the israelis do not tell the united states what to do it's vice versa if israel strikes no if the conflict is presented that way between the islamic republic and israel the people of the middle east will really to the side of iran the assassination of tehran in scientist which rick santorum called half a measure. or john bolton of. the former u.s.

ambassador to the united nations the sanctions the tightening of the sanctions the . coalition that the u.s. is trying to build against iran what is iran going to do to face all of this pressure well iran has certain allies to iran has russia and it has china increasingly it has the venezuelan and cuba another words those governments in the world in addition of course to syria which has its own problems right now but the countries in the world don't want the entire world to be dominated by one power the united states of america they recognize that the existence of iran as an independent government is something that is positive meaning that if the united states were were were to be successful in carrying out regime change in iran they would be emboldened to carry out further destabilizing efforts against other powers including russia and china by the way even though there are great powers. so i

think that iran has allies and i think iran is trying to show that they can weather the storm and also that they can rally their population in spite of the fact the divisions that were revealed in two thousand and nine after the elections the presidential elections the iranian people as a whole i don't believe they should be sanctioned the iranian people believe that they have as they do the right to develop nuclear power for peaceful civilian purposes and i think right now the iranian government is trying to weather the storm and they're also making it clear that they don't options that they have they have limited options they have limited options and and that's the big issue here i think is that. in america right now in the united states nobody feels this issue they don't feel there's a war looming they don't feel the problem of economic sanctions it's the iranians

who are feeling it it's the tension the pressure of the economic problems are all one sided this is like a great power the seven hundred pound gorilla who decides to sit wherever it wants to sit and it can create immense tension and pressure and economic suffering somewhere else without having to endure any political price so that that's the big problem and as a peace activist and as someone who believes in human rights in i think will do will see this more and more in the united states we are starting to concentrate our efforts to expose the fact that the united states government is carrying out through a different set of tactics the same thing that they did in iraq they carried out regime change in iraq not to make iraq more democratic more human rights oriented but to dominate a wreck and i think they they want to do that in iran and we need to have people outside of iran stand up and say iran should not be alone on this does the presidential elections have any say in what's going on in vail and what's going to happen with iran in terms of washington. i think the presidential elections in the

united states definitely play a role in u.s. policy towards iran that by the way has been the case ever since the iranian revolution in iran has factored into american politics in this case the republican candidates are sort of baiting obama and suggesting that if obama is reelected we will have a nuclear iran someday soon well i might do something just to counter at their statements because it's an election year i don't think so i think that it's not out of the question that obama could opportunistically up the ante or even escalate tensions or even allow some sort of limited military attack against iran in order to show how tough he is and how why he's not a liberal. or something like that but i don't think so this is a very big project for the pentagon for the cia for the us establishment i think it goes beyond electoral politics and i think the obama administration and the

pentagon are having a carefully calibrated approach that won't again with regime change the republicans and democrats share the same objective one is more demagogic we militant against iran they both share the same objective which is to bring iran back into an americans fear of influence and i think the republicans can't move obama that much because obama actually has the backing of the pentagon in terms of this particular approach the pentagon is bogged down in afghanistan they really were pushed out of iraq they have a lot of a lot of military problems a major full scale war right now which could happen even if they don't intend it by people climb the escalation ladder. wealthy british.

markets. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike stronger or a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines. kinds of reports. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else you hear or see some other part of it and realize everything. you don't i'm tom part of the big picture.

line. would be soon which will brighten the few new movements from phones to print. for instance on t.v. don't come. latest news in the week's top stories are to the syrian government feels the squeeze internationally and from within as it struggles to crush what it calls of foreign funded insurgency while promising to usher in democratic reform russia and china are pushing for a diplomatic solution while violence rages on across syria. israel accuses iran of targeting its diplomats on a series of explosions in thailand india and georgia this week fiercely denies being behind the attacks but israel wants more international sanctions against it and its nuclear program. passed new austerity measures calls in more protests in

athens from angry workers worried about further cuts to wages and pensions demonstrators say the budget slashes will damage the country's economy and well into the future. and with just two weeks before russia goes to the polls to elect a new president the candidates are using all tools available to woo voters and gain maximum support they're turning to head to head t.v. debates and controversial opera tossing to get their messages across. time now for sports with paul. hello welcome to the world of sports it's cute to have you company is what's coming up. boxing brawl breaks david hang in there a cheese or a square up in a post by press conference has bitterly klitschko retains his w.b.c.

heavyweight title. put through their paces guus hiddink holds his first training session since becoming manager of russia's big spending and. dutch defeat nicholai devon loses to roger federer in three sets in the semifinals of the world tennis tournament in iraq today. but we start with boxing where heavyweight champion visually klitschko has points victory over british challenger derek zorra has been overshadowed by a brawl in the post fight press conference he was celebrating retaining his w.b.c. title with a unanimous points victory over trees aurora when the press conference was interrupted by another former heavyweight world champion david haye in a war of words then later she's alright leaving the stage and confronting hate all of them used the watchdog claimed he was glossed by hate and then said he would shoot his compatriot at one stage had swung the tripod his train i'd include.