Detecting language using up to the first 30 seconds. Use `--language` to specify the language Detected language: English [00:00.000 --> 00:09.280] 10pm here in Moscow this new year's day, warm welcome to, if you've just joined us, [00:09.280 --> 00:14.320] my name is Kevin Owen. This is our tea and our top story. US President Barack Obama [00:14.320 --> 00:20.320] welcomed in the new year by signing in a tough new law, but has set a sanctions for Iran. [00:20.320 --> 00:24.560] Anyone doing business with Iran's central bank will now face punishment, thanks to the [00:24.560 --> 00:29.520] new measures directly targeting the financial sector. This move comes at a time of heightened [00:29.520 --> 00:33.840] tension over Iran's nuclear program, and the threat of sanctions is already seen to [00:33.840 --> 00:39.200] land threatened to block off a key oil export route in response. Well, adding to the situation [00:39.200 --> 00:44.000] as well as Iran's plan to test long-range missiles during naval drills in the Gulf, [00:44.000 --> 00:48.240] that's led to US warships being sent to the area. A researcher at the School of [00:48.240 --> 00:53.520] Oriental African Studies in London, Schirin Schaufei told us America's playing a dangerous game right [00:53.520 --> 00:59.360] now. Iran said that if an oil embargo is imposed against Iran, [00:59.360 --> 01:08.160] and Iranian livelihood is the economy is threatened, then Iran will take considerable measures [01:08.160 --> 01:15.200] to respond to that. So that is not a provocation, but in terms of a real provocation, [01:15.200 --> 01:21.520] I think that what is provocative is the United States sending its warships, thousands of [01:21.520 --> 01:28.160] miles away from its homeland into the Persian Gulf, and also Beijing wars surrounding Iran [01:28.160 --> 01:33.760] with wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan, military bases all around Iran. That is provocative, [01:33.760 --> 01:38.720] and Iran is trying to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. [01:40.320 --> 01:44.160] To Syria now, we're violence that began in March has spilled over into the new year, [01:44.160 --> 01:47.840] how Rubeleague observers on a mission to the country of warm Damascus against cracking [01:47.840 --> 01:51.680] down on protesters, at least 13, were reportedly killed in the past day, [01:51.680 --> 01:56.560] despite efforts to oversee the implementation of a peace plan. An advisory group linked to the [01:56.560 --> 02:00.720] Arab League has now called for observers to pull out, claiming the mission is distracting [02:00.720 --> 02:05.840] attention from the ongoing crackdown. The advice is non-binding with the observers [02:05.840 --> 02:10.400] due to stay in Syria for three more weeks. Janis Auxin Ratanzi says the conflict is a [02:10.400 --> 02:16.560] powder keg that could ignite the entire region. It's certainly the western media's viewpoint [02:16.560 --> 02:22.400] that we must believe. We must believe opposition groups. It seems that any mobile footage is [02:22.400 --> 02:29.440] now accepted as a source. What is in no doubt is that thousands of Syrian soldiers are dying, [02:29.440 --> 02:35.920] and they haven't died because of peaceful protests. But this isn't a Libya. Syria is a lynch [02:35.920 --> 02:40.960] being of the Middle East, and the United States and other countries, some of the more intelligent [02:40.960 --> 02:47.200] people realize that there will be turmoil right across the Middle East if anything happens to [02:47.200 --> 02:52.880] destabilize the Assad government from outside forces, but certainly Syria, the Syrian government itself [02:52.880 --> 02:56.560] has to step up the pace because it's certainly losing the propaganda battle. [02:57.680 --> 03:02.000] Well, the Syrian regime claims its fighting and armed insurgency funded from a broad [03:02.000 --> 03:06.400] batch yet to be independently confirmed. But what is fact is that rebel fighters who helped [03:06.400 --> 03:10.880] overthrow Colonel Gaddafi in Libya, and now he get to take the revolution to President Assad's [03:10.880 --> 03:17.040] door to hundreds of Libya mercenaries reportedly already going for regime change in Syria. [03:17.040 --> 03:19.600] At his Exana Boyke, he reported from Tripoli in the week. [03:21.600 --> 03:27.120] A butcher or dad met. The owner of this kibab shop in Tripoli still and decided [03:27.120 --> 03:43.360] what's the most fitting term for Syria's Bashar al-Assad. [03:43.360 --> 03:48.000] Out of solid territory with their Arab brothers, the owners of the shop have even put on display [03:48.000 --> 03:53.920] the Syrian rebels' tri-color, but they have very firm on where the revolutionary support should [03:53.920 --> 04:15.680] stand. In less than three months, Libyan rebels have gone from being celebrated as liberators, [04:15.680 --> 04:22.560] to being called occupiers. Tripoli residents rarely almost every week, calling on the armed militia [04:22.560 --> 04:28.080] to leave. And for some of these young men hooked on adrenaline and unwilling to part with their [04:28.080 --> 04:35.520] rifles, Syria seems like the next logical destination. We're all ready to join the Syrian [04:35.520 --> 04:39.920] Revolution, and what a help of Allah, we will make sure that what happened in Libya will repeat [04:39.920 --> 04:47.440] itself in Syria. The portraits of Shagibara are now ubiquitous on the streets of Tripoli [04:47.440 --> 04:54.560] with some rebels even styling themselves to resemble the famous revolutionary. With the help of [04:54.560 --> 04:59.200] Allah, we can all be like Shagibara, fighting for peace and freedom around the world. [05:01.600 --> 05:06.960] And it seems that Shagibara's idea of exporting revolutions have gotten a second birth in [05:06.960 --> 05:13.440] the Middle East. The Arab Spring has created a buoyant marketplace for soldiers of fortune. [05:13.440 --> 05:19.520] They move from one revolution to another, some motivated by personal gains, some by conviction, [05:19.520 --> 05:25.360] others by adventure. They fight for their own vision of freedom, and for now, at least, [05:25.360 --> 05:31.680] it's the freedom to live by the gun. As romantic and spontaneous as it may appear, [05:31.680 --> 05:38.240] eating the Syrian uprising with mercenaries may not be such a genuine move. Videos of women and children [05:38.240 --> 05:44.880] in Syria gunned down by snipers are bound on YouTube while it's still unclear who is pulling the trigger. [05:45.680 --> 05:50.640] There are terrorists snipers who are shooting at civilians, men, women and children, [05:50.640 --> 05:57.120] blind terrorism, random killing, simply for the purpose of destabilizing the country. [05:57.120 --> 06:04.000] There from Libya, there from Afghanistan or Pakistan, foreign fighters have been brought in here [06:04.000 --> 06:10.880] by the CIA and the other Western services. One man's terrorist could easily be another man's [06:10.880 --> 06:14.720] freedom fighter, but for the United States, it's now 2 in 1. [06:15.440 --> 06:19.040] A day-hiking billhodge, one of the leaders of AAA militia, [06:19.040 --> 06:25.360] was once on the CIA most wanted list. Today, he's a face of the Democratic Libye who are [06:25.360 --> 06:31.280] according to artsy sources that a group of several hundred Libyan rebels to Syria just last month. [06:31.280 --> 06:38.480] We can't do any help to support Syrian people because we are facing the same situation as we [06:38.480 --> 06:44.640] faced before, and we appreciate the help comes to Libyan people and if we could provide the Syrian [06:44.640 --> 06:48.080] people with any help to get their freedom, I think we should do it. [06:48.080 --> 06:54.160] The use of soldiers of fortune is hardly new in this troubled region. Middle Eastern rulers [06:54.160 --> 06:59.520] hired them for centuries as safeguards against their own populations, and it now looks like [06:59.520 --> 07:05.680] the history of mercenaries in the Middle East has got its new and no less bloody chapter. [07:05.680 --> 07:08.160] I've seen the boycott R.T. Tripoli. [07:09.280 --> 07:12.880] Still ahead through this hour, the year in brief, we take a look back at just a few [07:12.880 --> 07:16.720] of the momentous stories that made the headlines in 2011 around the world. [07:19.440 --> 07:24.240] In Egypt, pro-democracy protesters held a candlelight vigil in Cairo's Tariah Square on [07:24.240 --> 07:28.560] New Year's Eve and memory of those killed during the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak. [07:28.560 --> 07:33.440] Meanwhile, the U.S. says Egypt's current leaders have agreed to halt raids on pro-democracy [07:33.440 --> 07:37.600] rights groups. Early this week, soldiers and police stormed officers of non-governmental [07:37.600 --> 07:42.480] organisations, including some funded by Washington. Documents and computers were seized as [07:42.480 --> 07:46.080] part of investigations into the foreign funding of organisations. [07:46.080 --> 07:49.920] The group secures the ruling military of using the same tactics of repression as the [07:49.920 --> 07:54.720] barbaric regime. Foreign policy analyst Dr. Adil Shamu told me he thinks the generals want to [07:54.720 --> 07:59.040] make sure they hold on to power, but the people won't stop until they ousted. [08:00.800 --> 08:05.440] This is part of the military, the scaveness, the supreme council of armed forces, [08:06.080 --> 08:15.520] way of making sure that the revolution basically is molded to the type of government they want, [08:15.520 --> 08:22.960] because that's, that was the same generals, by the way, who worked for Mubarak, the dictator. [08:22.960 --> 08:28.240] So that's really, basically, as part of that struggle, is the revolution going to go forward, [08:28.240 --> 08:34.960] or is the revolution going to be molded and subdued into submissive role to the military. [08:34.960 --> 08:41.360] But really, the military has to step aside and let the civilian government come to power [08:41.360 --> 08:45.920] once the election are held, and the election should be held as soon as possible. [08:45.920 --> 08:51.280] They will not give up the power that is in it, but I think the Egyptian people, and in the [08:51.280 --> 08:56.960] Arabs, in general, have mastered their fearful corrupt government, and they have restored their [08:57.760 --> 09:02.880] dignity, and they will not tolerate another military dictatorship in their country. [09:02.880 --> 09:07.680] I think all their evidence indicate that despite the sacrifices they have given. [09:08.960 --> 09:13.440] We'll use in brief for Sarah in Nigeria first, the country's leaders declared a state of emergency [09:13.440 --> 09:18.640] in areas hit by a wave of Islamist attacks. President Goodlachonus and shut borders with neighbouring [09:18.640 --> 09:22.880] countries after a string of Christmas day blasts, which killed over 40. [09:22.880 --> 09:26.800] He's vowed to crush Boko Haram militants who claim responsibility. [09:26.800 --> 09:29.360] Violence has continued since churches throughout the country, [09:29.360 --> 09:34.560] but first attacked a week ago now, tens of thousands of fledger homes fearing further conflict. [09:36.160 --> 09:40.720] South Sudan's government is sending army and police to an area at the centre of a violent [09:40.720 --> 09:44.640] tribal conflict. The town of people was attacked by thousands of fighters, [09:44.640 --> 09:49.680] a rival tribe who torched buildings, stole livestock, and forced scores to flee. [09:49.680 --> 09:53.680] You and troops deployed in the region were unable to enforce security. In recent months, [09:53.680 --> 09:58.160] ethnic infighting caused by cattle rustling, was left around 1,000 people dead. [10:00.000 --> 10:05.200] A former member of the Japanese cult, behind an attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995, [10:05.200 --> 10:09.120] turned himself into police just before midnight last night, New Year's Eve. [10:09.120 --> 10:14.080] He had been in hiding for 17 years since the group released sarin gas on the underground [10:14.080 --> 10:19.360] system at the time, killing 13. Our mission record started as a spiritual movement, mixing [10:19.360 --> 10:23.840] Hindu and Buddhist police, but then developed into a doomsday cult, obsessed with Armageddon. [10:25.600 --> 10:30.320] US President Barack Obama's signed into effect on law, which means that any person can be detained [10:30.320 --> 10:35.280] indefinitely without charge. The major defense bill is aimed at dealing with terrorist suspects, [10:35.280 --> 10:41.200] and it comes with a massive 660-$2 billion price tag, too. But critics say the military will now [10:41.200 --> 10:45.840] have more authority to interrogate people denying them their basic constitutional rights. [10:47.680 --> 10:52.640] This is RT Live from Moscow, still ahead of the program with me Kevin O'In, down with knowledge. [10:54.640 --> 10:56.240] What's the capital of Iran? [10:56.240 --> 10:58.800] Oh, here's. Do you know the President of Iran is? No. [10:59.520 --> 11:00.880] All right, do you know his name? [11:00.880 --> 11:04.960] I met a Jenner jar for something. Well, we set up for the streets of New York to discover [11:04.960 --> 11:12.800] what Americans know about their country's policy at home and across the globe. There's not much [11:12.800 --> 11:18.000] new year cheer from economists, predicting a return to recession in Europe for 2012. In fact, [11:18.000 --> 11:22.720] leaders used new year messages to warn of hard times ahead in their respective countries. [11:22.720 --> 11:28.000] German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Europe was facing its most severe test in decades, [11:28.000 --> 11:32.240] while French President of South Korea's war that the debt crisis blanketing the continent was far [11:32.240 --> 11:36.960] from over. Many governments have been forced to slash the spending to meet debt obligations as [11:36.960 --> 11:41.520] economic growth in Europe's been of a standstill. Some analysts believe that the EU leaders [11:41.520 --> 11:45.120] attempts at keeping the Eurozone together is only deepening the crisis. [11:46.480 --> 11:52.880] European leaders are trying to shore up the Eurozone by having greater degrees of centralisation [11:52.880 --> 11:58.720] and what having country-like fronts and Germany have the final say in a sense over the budgets of [11:58.720 --> 12:04.640] those EU member states that have excessive budget deficits. But that really isn't the answer to [12:04.640 --> 12:10.240] the problems, what's really needed is either a massive injection of cash into countries like Greece [12:10.240 --> 12:14.160] and Italy to shore up their economies. Of course, another option would of course [12:14.160 --> 12:20.400] to recognize that the single currency has hurt competitiveness in many remnations of the Eurozone. [12:20.400 --> 12:24.640] So, really, there's a number of options either to transfer funds from the north to the [12:24.640 --> 12:29.200] struggling South, or of course, have an orderly break up of the Eurozone. [12:29.200 --> 12:33.040] The Israeli military's conferred carried out a mass strike on Gaza on Friday, [12:33.040 --> 12:37.040] one Palestinian was killed in the attack, which Tel Aviv claims was aimed at preventing [12:37.040 --> 12:40.800] militants from firing rockets into Israel. The country has been stepping up its [12:40.800 --> 12:45.120] air strikes in recent months, leaving dozens dead. Three years after the Jewish state [12:45.120 --> 12:50.080] briefly invaded Gaza, military officials announced say that they have to start what they call [12:50.080 --> 12:55.760] a, quote, war of necessity, attempts at procuring a peace deal of so far proven fruitless, [12:55.760 --> 13:02.000] Israeli columnist, Gideon Navi spoke to us, thinks Tel Aviv isn't really trying to avoid a conflict. [13:03.520 --> 13:07.040] Three years ago, Israel had a card blanche, and not only a card blanche, [13:07.040 --> 13:14.800] the West had the plaudered Israel and didn't say a word against this attack, but this time [13:14.800 --> 13:21.520] we are facing a new Egypt, and Gaza is in the backyard of Egypt, and I'm not sure that Egypt [13:21.520 --> 13:27.920] will remain indifferent vis-a-vis another attack. But having said this, I'm not sure that this is enough [13:27.920 --> 13:34.160] to prevent an attack, because unfortunately, Israeli politicians and generous, not always [13:34.160 --> 13:39.760] react in a most rational and logical way. The current government of Israel has no [13:39.760 --> 13:46.400] serious intention about the serious dialogue with the Palestinians. Maybe some photo opportunities, [13:46.400 --> 13:54.080] but nothing more than this, and the PA, the Palestinian authority, had just launched another [13:54.080 --> 14:00.480] proposal for Israel to get back to the negotiation table. They even gave up the precondition [14:00.480 --> 14:07.280] of freezing the settlements, which is a minimum condition, and they had suggested just [14:07.280 --> 14:13.840] a symbolic release of 100 Palestinian prisoners to get back to the negotiation table. [14:13.840 --> 14:16.080] And what did Israel say? No. [14:17.760 --> 14:22.720] Okay, we're on a happy note. Russia, welcome 2012 with a bank last night being the world's biggest [14:22.720 --> 14:26.800] country. It celebrated New Year. Nine times, as you can see on the map there, thanks to his nine [14:26.800 --> 14:33.280] time zones. All kick started off in the Far East, and then swept through Russia's to Russia's [14:33.280 --> 14:37.920] westernmost point, the Baltic City of Killinggrad, finishing at offers and great fireworks there. [14:37.920 --> 14:42.080] While hundreds also gathered in Moscow's red square, of course, to toast in the New Year's [14:42.080 --> 14:46.640] great show from Moscow, and the whole rest of the world was treated in mass celebrations around [14:46.640 --> 14:51.520] the globe, as well. That was the scene in New York, thousands packing time, square for the ceremonial [14:51.520 --> 14:56.640] bold, dropping at midnight. Australia, beautiful fireworks, I was an iconic site from then. [14:56.640 --> 15:00.480] Among the first, of course, to open its doors to the New Year with glittering fireworks over [15:00.480 --> 15:05.680] Sydney Harbour. Great fireworks in Asia, too, picking at the bat in the spectacular show as [15:05.680 --> 15:10.160] held across the region. And Dubai, also putting on a spectacle, hundreds gathering at the [15:10.160 --> 15:15.360] world's tallest building to watch the amazing illumination there. And a super show from London, [15:15.360 --> 15:20.080] though, if you're quartered an op, millions of revelers, packing cities throughout Europe, [15:20.080 --> 15:24.080] but a particularly good show there from London last night. The London Eye and fireworks coming [15:24.080 --> 15:28.480] out from Big Ben as well. So, a celebration sweeping the globe, our teaser in this scenario, [15:28.480 --> 15:38.960] looks back at what made 2011. 2011 could easily go down as the most eventful year in years. [15:38.960 --> 15:45.520] The killing of Bin Laden after a decade-long manhunt, Libya's Gaddafi after months of NATO bombing, [15:45.520 --> 15:51.520] and the death of North Korea's Kim Jong-il don't even begin to illustrate 2011. [15:51.520 --> 16:03.360] Time chose the protester as person of the year, and although there were different slogan signs [16:03.360 --> 16:11.280] and demanded solutions, 2011 will ultimately be remembered as the year people came out onto the streets. [16:12.080 --> 16:19.120] The Arab Spring bloomed into a European summer, which harvested an American autumn from Cairo [16:19.120 --> 16:26.640] to California, Moscow, to Madrid, to a career to occupy. Global rallies shared common themes, [16:26.640 --> 16:32.400] but if one thing stood out in the mid-East in North Africa alone, it was protests that led [16:32.400 --> 16:35.120] down one road, regime change. [16:39.920 --> 16:46.240] Tunisia and Egypt got rid of their dictators without war, but Libya was not so lucky. [16:46.240 --> 16:51.360] NATO and allies began a humanitarian mission with a fierce bombing campaign. [16:51.360 --> 16:56.800] A critics called it a mislabeled invasion to take down Gaddafi for benefits. [16:56.800 --> 17:00.160] The only reason there is just a bit of Libya is about the oil. [17:00.160 --> 17:04.480] You hear anybody screaming and yelling about all those people last week that were killed in the [17:04.480 --> 17:10.720] ivory coast, or the Sudan? Gaddafi was brutally killed in October as the world watched the [17:10.720 --> 17:17.680] graphic video go viral. Thousands of civilians were killed over months of bombing, and as 2012 [17:17.680 --> 17:24.720] neared Syria found itself in a similar setup for intervention. Russia and China fearing a repeat [17:24.720 --> 17:35.360] of the situation in Libya as civil war intensifies. This is a direct clash between the US and NATO [17:35.360 --> 17:40.640] on one side and Russia and China on the one on the other side. Much more than it was in Libya, [17:40.640 --> 17:47.040] protests continue in Egypt, Libya, Syria, and many more Arab countries as the year ends. [17:50.960 --> 17:56.320] The battle to save the drowning single currency left boardrooms and banks in 2011 [17:56.320 --> 18:01.440] and flooded the streets of Europe, most commonly and violently in Athens. [18:01.440 --> 18:04.640] Greek debt became the centerpiece of the euro crisis. [18:04.640 --> 18:10.880] protests raged against desperate austerity caused to qualify for IMF bailouts while Germany and [18:10.880 --> 18:14.480] France vied for influence in the debt written zone. [18:14.480 --> 18:19.360] I think we will see an exit of Greece given the situation in which the Greek economy [18:19.360 --> 18:22.400] find itself that has become really unavoidable. [18:22.400 --> 18:26.800] Draining the economy of big euro brother Germany can't go on forever. [18:26.800 --> 18:31.680] Greece and Italy are now led by unelected Brussels-backed techno-cratt leaders [18:31.680 --> 18:38.080] who are trying to curb the crisis coming into a new year. Could it say 2011 bailouts or [18:38.080 --> 18:42.720] bust was the beginning of the end for the single European currency? [18:42.720 --> 18:45.760] Because every chance the euro is going to crash and burn. [18:50.320 --> 18:55.760] London burned for days in the summer of 2011. What began as a peaceful protest [18:55.760 --> 19:00.560] demanding justice over the death of a 29-year-old man who was sent by police [19:00.560 --> 19:04.640] turned into days of riots and left authorities helpless. [19:04.640 --> 19:08.640] Talks of possibly bringing out the military buzzed as shops were looted, [19:08.640 --> 19:12.960] car set on fire and windows smashed across the UK. [19:12.960 --> 19:18.320] The police, the job centre, the banks, everything that's happening, the recession, [19:18.320 --> 19:20.960] you know, there's a lot of anger about that. [19:20.960 --> 19:27.440] Social experts also threw a failed multi-culti program and racism into the mix. [19:27.440 --> 19:32.960] The obvious stop and search and a sense that the police are certainly institutionally [19:32.960 --> 19:38.480] against young urban people and the public institutionally racist as well. [19:38.480 --> 19:42.160] The riots faded but the problems are still pressing. [19:42.160 --> 19:46.000] Some say only a spark is needed to set the public off again. [19:50.080 --> 19:54.960] Occupy Wall Street became a household name in the U.S. and around the world [19:54.960 --> 19:59.040] but when the protests began in September, few were talking about it. [19:59.040 --> 20:04.880] The mainstream media stayed silent until 700 people were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge [20:04.880 --> 20:10.240] and then, truly based in the anarchist roots of American politics, [20:10.240 --> 20:15.360] the crowd is easy to mock. They are disorganized, they look funny. [20:15.360 --> 20:18.320] What are they protesting? Nobody seems to know, [20:18.320 --> 20:24.320] but negative coverage didn't stop OWS from spreading from small towns to huge ports, [20:24.320 --> 20:30.160] occupied was not going anywhere. Rates on camps heavy-handed police and burning [20:30.160 --> 20:36.720] pepper spray only helps occupy grow and spread their message of the need for economic equality [20:36.720 --> 20:44.320] and an end to corporate greed. Their slogan became we are the 99% and they, the rich, [20:44.320 --> 21:00.720] the 1%. From Oakland to Boston, the more people occupied, the more brutality became more evident. [21:03.360 --> 21:09.280] Our police forces have been militarized. They are working more in cooperation with the Pentagon. [21:09.280 --> 21:15.920] They're buying and being given military surplus equipment that has been kind of designed for [21:15.920 --> 21:23.280] use in war. And this is something that leads to treating the public as you would treat an enemy. [21:23.280 --> 21:27.680] A public that is promised to come out in full force in 2012. [21:33.200 --> 21:37.280] Parthamentary elections were the push behind tens of thousands of people coming out [21:37.280 --> 21:42.160] onto the streets of Moscow after allegations the December doom of vote was rigged. [21:44.960 --> 21:51.040] The protest at least 50,000 strong, the largest in recent history called for free and [21:51.040 --> 21:57.520] fair elections and remained peaceful. ruling party united Russia lost popularity in the vote [21:57.520 --> 22:05.840] with official results putting their numbers at almost 50%. But experts say a 16% drop from 2007 [22:05.840 --> 22:09.760] should be taken as a warning. I think a lot of people wanted to punish [22:11.440 --> 22:17.040] United Russia for having power for so long and maybe not doing everything they could. [22:17.600 --> 22:23.040] Protests organized by vast groups of opposition members are set to continue in 2012. [22:23.040 --> 22:28.240] Next year Russia, along with the U.S. and France, holds presidential elections, [22:28.240 --> 22:34.480] which makes it a safe bet. People will be out on the streets in 2012 in Europe, America, [22:34.480 --> 22:38.800] and around the world. In eastern Norway, RT, Moscow. [23:04.960 --> 23:10.080] And a look at the uprisings that demos the disasters indeed of 2011 have seen through the eyes [23:10.080 --> 23:14.320] of our correspondence. Interesting series we brought your last week. If you didn't catch it, [23:14.320 --> 23:17.520] it's online. You can hear their testimonies at RT.com. [23:19.520 --> 23:26.240] Witnesses to history in the making. Testimony. [23:26.240 --> 23:35.440] 10 stories that shaped 2011 on RT. The men and women hoping to become the next president of the [23:35.440 --> 23:39.520] U.S. to pay to spend as much time demonstrating their ignorance to the world as they do the [23:39.520 --> 23:45.040] political credentials. But as our teachers to see a joke and find out that could just be a reflection [23:45.040 --> 23:52.160] of society. It's three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, [23:52.160 --> 23:59.360] education, and what's the third one there, let's say. He's looking to actually fire tens of [23:59.360 --> 24:04.480] thousands of federal workers in eliminating entire cabinet level position. He couldn't even remember [24:04.480 --> 24:09.520] its name. Ask me who's the president of U. Becky, Becky, Becky, Becky, Stan Stan. I'm going to say, [24:09.520 --> 24:14.960] you know, I don't know. Do you know? It's not the fact that he doesn't know. It's the fact that he doesn't [24:14.960 --> 24:30.160] think he should look it up. The basic knowledge of those attempting to spearhead a country can [24:30.160 --> 24:34.960] leave much to be desired. Where does this leave Americans choosing their politicians and their [24:34.960 --> 24:44.400] country's potential future? Let's find out. What's Becky's son? I've heard of it through Bora. For some reason, [24:44.400 --> 24:49.840] I don't know anything about Libya. Do you know what Uzbekistan is? No, I do not know what a Becky [24:49.840 --> 24:58.400] Stan is. Uzbekistan? No. Do you know the U.S. is an air base there? No idea. What do you know about Libya? [24:58.400 --> 25:05.120] Not much. Do you know how to spell Libya? Yes. Yes. Do you know the United States was [25:05.120 --> 25:14.320] involved in a war with Libya? Okay. Do you know why? Nope. Nope. I know absolutely nothing [25:14.320 --> 25:19.200] about Libya, honestly. What about New Mexico? Is that a state or a country? Uh-oh, what is that? [25:20.240 --> 25:24.080] Are you telling me you don't think we're going to be so dumb? It's my personal now. [25:24.080 --> 25:35.280] Um, it's the old man under Bush. Wow, I actually... Come on, it was not that long ago. [25:35.280 --> 25:43.120] Oh, oh, Cheney. Who is the vice president of the U.S.? You know, I have no idea. I know it's Barack Obama, [25:43.120 --> 25:50.480] but... The vice president? Cheney? So who is the secretary of state? Kind of a lie to rise still? No. [25:50.480 --> 25:56.560] We would be fools and knees to ignore their purpose in their plan. Some countries are at the top [25:56.560 --> 26:02.240] of politicians list to attack verbally and literally, but how much do people really know about those [26:02.240 --> 26:08.560] faraway places? What's happening on your mind? Give it to me. Yeah, it's here on. Yeah. Who's the president? [26:08.560 --> 26:13.280] Um, was your dad? Who? Um, was your dad? Do you know the president of Iranis? No. [26:13.280 --> 26:18.880] The capital? Capital of Iran? No. Do you know the capital city of Iran? [26:18.880 --> 26:25.360] Um, negative. Do you guys know what Iran is? Oh, yes, yes. What's the capital of Iran? [26:25.360 --> 26:35.520] Who cares? Who's the president? Who's president? Who's president? You just died. What about the [26:35.520 --> 26:42.320] capital of Iran? The capital? Yes, I do. What is it? You're asking me? I can't tell you that either. [26:42.320 --> 26:49.120] Top secret. Come on. I don't know why it's bothering me. It's not Libya. It's, uh, Pakistan. Anything? [26:49.120 --> 26:56.880] You guess his? No. You're like a ensemble. Is the president of Iraq? You're on Iran, right? [26:56.880 --> 27:02.240] All right. Do you know his name? Medegetajaf or something? When it comes to picking a future for the [27:02.240 --> 27:07.520] U.S. choosing what comes next may be tough without the knowledge of what has gone on in the past [27:07.520 --> 27:13.440] and even the very president, is that they're churcina or tea in New York? I like they can't tell [27:13.440 --> 27:18.080] your top secret response. Uh, sport live from Moscow a little bit later this year. Unions [27:18.080 --> 27:23.200] got news of why English football team Manchester City's new celebrations are extra special today, [27:23.200 --> 27:40.800] but it's headlines next in just under two minutes in fact, you're on R.T. with me Kevin Ali. [29:23.840 --> 29:31.360] Hello again, the headline from our team Moscow at 10 o'clock 30pm New Year's Day. [29:31.360 --> 29:36.240] President Obama signed a bill which imposes new tough sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear [29:36.240 --> 29:41.200] program, most despite Iran's threats to shut off a key oil supplierhood in the Gulf, [29:41.200 --> 29:47.040] as tension between the two countries continues to build. The Syrian regime's crackdown on [29:47.040 --> 29:52.320] demonstrate his carries on unabated forcing Arab league observers to warn Damascus to rain in the [29:52.320 --> 29:57.600] violence. The monitors were overseeing the implementation of a peace plan that President Assad agreed to. [29:57.600 --> 30:19.560] And the wolves.