cots traded while unlike in washington the russian parliament both chambers of the russian parliament must say yes to these treaty and while the rest of the world is now guessing whether russia will say yes or no to these document russia's foreign minister sergei lavrov was more than optimistic over there what we hope the new treaty will have the support of the state duma we think all necessary prerequisites for that have been met implementing this treaty will contribute to the security of our country and huge national stability that will contribute to nuclear nonproliferation and help our relations with the united states and the rest of the world before now we have the first results coming from the state duma the lower chambre of the lower house of the russian parliament which said yes to these treaty to the court document in its first meeting in the first voting which took place today three hundred feet to vote three hundred fifty deputies said here state against fifty eight the plan to cut the arsenals up post the treaty itself well it

seems like a good start for new start in russia there will be two more sessions at the state duma and also the federation council but we expect they will take place after the new year holidays the us senate approved the education resolution a very controversial document in russia's view which they believe contradicts the preamble of big rayment and beasts resolution says particular that a new new trade a new start should not contain the u.s. anti missile programs development and of course russia will be studying the docket the document carefully with regard to the u.s. missile defense plans especially close to russia's borders at the moment the u.s. plans to deploy anti sell systems in a stern new europe should have been the biggest he returned save the relations between moscow and washington and this is why it took that long to hit the reset button but isn't it so difficult to do final dry. after resolution adopted by the

u.s. senate states that a fully fledged global missile defense system is necessary in this regard i'd like to remind you that the treaty on ambiguously states there is a link between strategic offensive and defensive weapons treaty also says that any party can pull out if an emergency situation occurs and russia definitely believes that the creation of a fully fledged global missile defenses to by the us would be such an emergency situation that the republicans main concerns regarding these treaty were that america's defensive capabilities could be a factor and president obama did everything to ensure this will not be the case he committed to a twenty five billion dollars ten year plan to make sure that there are many weapons of worth and these of course played a key role that the document was finally ready by. correspondent there are spoke to the meeting since law from the council on foreign and defense policy here in moscow he told me u.s. plans for a missile defense system in europe is still

a major issue for russia but unilateral suggestions parliament's resolution will follow the line of the preamble of the document and they will stipulate to the fact of the linkage between the offensive and defensive weapons but with nuclear weapons and missile defense system basically and second i think the russian parliament will repeat perhaps more strictly in the context of the russian unilateral statements that was published by the russian foreign ministry or on the date of signing the treaty in prague. some might pull out or might consider pulling out from the new start treaty if it considers if the development of u.s. missile defense system reaches the level that russia will interpret as the threats present value says that barack obama deserves his christmas break after his efforts in getting the start treaty ratified by the senate. short well done barack obama he managed to push the star bill through the senate and he did it in very difficult

circumstances this treaty will become the cornerstone of security in the world in the coming years when it's easy to work with obama he keeps his promises he's done a great job and he's now on holiday so i wish him a happy christmas and a good rest his little know his comments came during his annual meeting with the head of russia's main t.v. channel something of the results of twenty ten what is really going to scare was watching him. this is the third time that me to admit it has conducted such an interview session with the representatives of russia's three main channels he touched upon the subject the subject matters that concerning the foreign policy and he also focused of course largely on the internal policy but to start off with things that concern the foreign policy he basically talked about some of the main events of the year and one of those unfortunately was a quite sad event that of course was the tragic death of the polish president in the plane crash in new york continue it was also

a place where thousands of polish nationals were killed by the soviet secret police in the one nine hundred forty s. i do have the plane of the polish president to come down in that very location something that is bitterly or wrong make something that the russian president spoke about as well. who it always comes as a shock taking in news of this you feel shocked and sorry for the people who were killed and this time to add to the entire polish political elite. to which it seemed mystical and hard to believe relations with poland have gone a long way since then things were very complicated i think that our relationship is less complex now the investigation still has to be concluded it can't be politicized we have to listen to. other foreign issues which need to be dead of spoke about have dealt with japan for example he was asked the question whether or not he was worried about their relations or with the country following his visit to the coral islands which japan considers to be their territory and the russian

president said that he's not worried about that he's certain relations between moscow and tokyo will remain to be top notch because japan and japanese culture exceedingly popular in russia we have to remember that majority of the questions have dealt of course with the internal issues and one of those is the case of course in fact the verdicts in his case will be read and. just a couple of days the president being a lawyer did speak about the case but from the point of view all the president and a lawyer as well. no government official and this includes the president has the right to state their position on this or any other case until the verdict be it an acquittal or a guilty verdict has been voiced this is perfectly obvious my general position as a lawyer is that the legal practice works with what is possible and of course material it is said that it's that the public or anybody else for that matter should not see me as a second goat he says that he if if there is any proof if there's any evidence that

any other russian businessmen of any caliber has committed a similar crime that think mr medvedev is ready to see the evidence on his table and to take according measures that of course freedom of speech and democracy were also two major issues was reiterated of touched upon in his interview session he also encouraged the ruling united russia party to be more active instead of just resting on the laurels and he also spoke out to the leaders of the opposition parties encouraging them to be more active. the renowned politicians outside the state duma some might call them outstanding some might not but they are well known public figures like mr num sort of mystical. they're all public figures people might like them or not but they have their own electorate well part of public politics. and of course when it came to the freedom of speech and he did have changed the format a little bit he actually posed

a question to the three heads of the russian major t.v. channels asking them if they believed the freedom of speech existed in the country because in his opinion television has not been quite active in covering the events which were interesting to the people and that of course wrapped up the almost two hour long interview session conducted by the russian president earlier today. reporting there first but later this i will bring you some of the key points as well raised during to be chairman but his meeting with russia's main t.v. bosses if you don't see the full version of that streaming on our website at work and stuff like new the web site pointed out already. while you're there we invite if you look at a few of these rather offbeat well tonight the cadence of the road in the drive from living a free life very nice fine no one else russian harley davidson and co the new correct they discovered they have in common is on our website unlikely mix i know i can use a dot com also the silent struggle rushes death cumulate see talks to see if the

story brought you last night they talked to a similar language to explain their difficulties in getting her to have your say as well about see don't comb. let minutes past ten zero moscow time back to our main story the process of ratifying the new clear cut steel to discuss more about today's developments and join the struggle bus service truck and russia's a comma sun newspaper thanks for coming in it was a pleasure to see you know initially one of the skeptics worried didn't think that what. if you didn't think it would eventually get through but you thought it would take longer than it even has done already to get through the senate ok we're here we're now so the next question is how long is going to take to get through the russian parliament do you think well i was not the only skeptic but to be more exact my skepticism if you refer to my former interview is very dated back to wait

and see but you know the situation was developing and this was really an uphill battle for president obama and. he wouldn't be smiley saw our way on. maybe eighteen hours less than twenty four hours before if you kishen i run into a comment on fox news which will see that with every passing hour the chances of becoming more and more removed it looks like. the chances are previously but then suddenly we've seen that dramatic turnaround that was really an uphill battle for president obama bravely fought and likely one cause here to give some ground as well in the preamble to the all important thing of the moment the introduction to this treaty the treaty itself is pretty much staying as it is what it is exactly is there is what's causing the issue in russia at the moment isn't it is a really close look at what was changed in the preamble to this agreement this seems to be some misinterpretation on both sides about the legality of that how

important that is and and how it's being seen what is the problem here well the good thing of course is that it has been really frank but still there's some confusion some tension in moscow or or all of the way you interpret the treaty to be more exact if you go to preamble of the treaty there's a reference to interdependence between france of strategic weapons and and defensive. equipment's insults the russian side understands it in such a way that these leaves no room no we don't fall for the deployment of an. a.b.m. system in europe is the fans shield not henri's the felts shield or russian side believes that this really jeopardizes russian security but contrary you know president obama while just. didn't you know that there were really grueling negotiations with the republicans and he kept the pledge that. the united states

would not back track on their plans to build the fence so you can't do it both ways you see we have to just before i know actually. what what what what sort of defense she would be good but there's only one solution which we see here if russia isn't going to create it in that would be the a.b.m. system that definitely this will be. happy and that and the decision which would meet the interests of both sides but this so far this is not the case you see and this is the subject of concern and definitely what we expect that russian parliament there's no question that it will not or if i definitely will be rectified but i'm sure that they will be some summaries of you which would make another emphasis on the issue of that if if american side. well. defense shield which at some stage jeopardizes russian security that russia reserves the right just to well just. to pull out from the start treaty let's talk

it will never never take place just remind the viewers remind me the what russia is trying to get out of this whole pact the whole treaty. first of all the key point key points of there are security issues you know that under the treaty we're going just to do crap nukes and walkouts you know an unprecedented level if you just compare it with the previous three to see that a definitely more deep productions but i personally see also the importance of the treaty as as a sort of a political jewish scenes both presidents made heide states or approach in our boy relations on the reciting of the relations so i see also political aspect in that so we shall skeptics on both sides but we we can do things together

what it will play out of the next couple of weeks serious talk of commerce not newspaper pleasure in the program thank you thanks for having me. now in the boom years the united states long championed the cause of capitalism but globalization and outsourcing means experiencing some of the downsides these days but one place the americans found unlikely solution are pretty straight reports next from the town which is making money by importing chinese students. millinocket mean once a booming mill town now. almost a ghost town and the paper mill once a symbol of pride and prosperity in the region now a reminder of a time that has come and gone international trade is what basically took the people of industry of the united states down it's not just here in the in the town of millinocket it's worldwide chinese they're more clever than we are. you know and we when we do a deal with him we usually we get the sound of it. today millinocket is

a small town of five thousand the closest smaller movie theater is an hour's drive away many of the one spot selling businesses in town now stand empty and abandoned i've been very depressing for a lot of people who have had their hopes and hopes that they would something would come along that would change everything but it hasn't. dr cannot smith is the superintendent of millinocket public schools after watching his town fall apart around him he decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. mit's idea is to boost the school's population by charging chinese students twenty seven thousand dollars to attend his high school for one year they have some skills that we don't have that we'd love to instill in some of us to this desire to learn and get ahead by getting a good education it's a bold idea in a town where most few china as the reason they're mill went bankrupt but smith

argues that the competition the might have hurt the town's past can also help to reshape its future but we can't possibly compete with that labor market and if you go one point four billion people i think the competition is good for us and we have to learn the jobs with economy work right now there are two hundred students that attend this high school even though it was built for eight hundred sixty percent of the students here qualify for a state run free lunch because their parents' income is at the poverty level school administrators say that bringing in students from china will not only save the school it will save the town and bring it back to the days when the mill was booming. but not everyone in this almost exclusively white town is excited about the idea that their school might eventually have just as many chinese kids. as kids from maine some people well have an issue where they're going to be

like oh my gosh they're not from here make them go away most students in this high school have never traveled abroad what they know about china they say they've seen on t.v. i think the chinese are going to be a total shock i think of like high tech and way more advanced than us that ten times more money in like in a better society and then you look at our similarly poor in nothing and those struggling to survive in town are angry that the country they believe took their jobs from them is now the one they're looking to for help preassure either party millinocket mean to cut the world news stories in brief clashes between the taliban and security troops near the afghan border in northwest pakistan of the eleven so twenty four militants dead. were launched against five checkpoints in the tribal mom and region involving one hundred fifty taliban fighters the military launched offensives over the past few months but insurgents have continued to attack in the taliban and al qaeda stronghold there. the un's officially recognizing overy coast

opposition leader as the country's new president's had problems as west africa's central bank cut off access to funds for the incumbent. he is refusing to stand bourbon saying the election he lost last month was rigged it's thought he'll be forced to quit though if you can pay civil servants and military stuff hundred seventy three have died in the unrest which followed the ballot designed to unite the nation but which threatens to drag the country back into civil war. on a happier note as the holidays begin its time when almost everyone gets together in some sort of celebration or rather here in russia christmas is still a couple of weeks off but a cathedral in moscow is opening up its doors in the western tradition this evening in italian over converts there for the festivities. here in the immaculate conception catholic church will mosque around five thousand catholic have gathered for a traditional mass three of them are being held tonight first one in russian then another one in polish and the final one that's going to take place at midnight

moscow time will also be held in the russian christmas day mass will be held at this church at three pm moscow time to morrow so for those of you english speaking experts wanting to attend and join the celebrations the mass will be held in english so you can join the festivities here there's another catholic church in moscow that is kept the french catholic church and they will be having a mass in french as well will this is the spirit is indeed very festive and holiday spirit is in the air as it has been heavily snowing in moscow all day and see it looks absolutely gorgeous tonight it's all covered in clean white snow so indeed the christmas spirit is in the in there for those of you celebrating it's a night in moscow. well it is the season of goodwill for all but there is a bit of a chill in the air nonetheless in the baltic states and that's all because of the origins of the christmas spruce latvia proudly proclaims to be the first but its neighbors barking up the wrong tree of his exam boyko explains.

it's a white christmas in a stone and lot of fluffy snow paralyzed and mulled wine all the ingredients of the proper christmas spirit and instead of gifts there is a pile of historic arguments on that tree the two neighbors are in a bit a dispute over who was first to come up with the festive for. let's light up the tree here in riga sasha helps her daughter decorate her fourth christmas tree there and no doubt whose spirits shines the brightest and for the longest time. of course it's very pleasing to think that the first ever christmas tree appeared here in latvia and we have historic proof to back this claim everybody here knows that it was dressed with flowers and berries here in riga in fifteen ten. but head north and that theory has been cut down to size before somebody can do much to

me document that another made before i can believe but no i say. home. first christmas story. so that you get. the best of pre-conscious reach such a pitch that even santa claus is weighing in you see. if you ask the fish people will tell you they were the ones to invent a christmas tree so would the norwegians in the germans i think what's important is not who decorated it first centuries ago but that we all do it nowadays seasonal spirit assigned this symbol of contention for the two feisty neighbors shows just how much they have in common christmas comes once a year but historians and loved ones have many ongoing haggles they also disagree about who is remind them of beautiful because beer tastes better and how many bears this nation is allowed to hand in nearby woods some even say that without this

legal disagreements lie would have been too boring so in a way this latest christmas tree controversy is just another way of making christmas a bit merrier somebody's got artsy tallinn estonia sports tonight and it being the eve of christmas celebrations for a lot of the world the west tonight to the u.k. in the sporting action promised over the next few days but in the present there we go friday night business for next. hello welcome to the business news i'm sure. the credit portfolio of russian small and medium businesses has reached one hundred billion dollars this year prime minister vladimir putin says the government will continue to support banks that give loans to the sector. also with. the amount of credit that russian banks gave to small and medium enterprises in twenty ten is one trillion rubles more than the

previous year this means that the total amount is now roughly three point two five trillion rubles and we will continue to stimulate our banks to work together with small and medium enterprises and. now let's take a look at the markets that my sex ended the week flat after closing in the red on friday down almost half a percent and in a fourteen straight week of gains the r.t.s. fared better finishing up in the black up point to three percent wrapping up a successful trading week trading volumes were light as investors prepared for the holidays. and gas problem lost over thirty percent even after the gas giant said it would not give bellerose any discount for russian gas and the talks that were held this afternoon spare back preferred shares have also tumbled as investors cashed in on strong gains from the past few days bucking the trend is no else nickel after tycoon all of their possible called an extraordinary general meeting to resolve the minor shareholder disputes. and russian markets hardly moved this week as investors

were buying gifts for christmas and new year rather than the stocks maxime orlowski from wraps up that week. this week was relatively calm and that's mostly because the majority of the market players example large ones from europe and the us on christmas holidays. barely changed with trade volumes very little but. one of the interesting events of this week was the disclosure of charges from the alleged merger between. which longer dot the stocks of these companies. and today is one of the busiest shopping days of the year as people hans last minute holiday guess for family and friends reports are just sales are well up on last year medina coach never has been to one of the biggest malls in europe. were having here now the holiday spirit. of the snow. here in

the center of moscow so is the. russian shopper rushing into the stores to buy last minute presents for their family and friends for the country's biggest holiday but this time russians plan to celebrate the upcoming holiday on the biggest scale forty four percent of the population already claimed that they will spend most money for the coming new year and christmas. for well we still consequences of the global financial downturn but still in terms of the price of course it ranges from some time dollars to one thousand dollars. to one of the biggest shopping malls in europe i was told that the seller for the season gets. tops. and that's all the business news for this hour you can always find more stories on our website that's r t dot com slash business stay with us.

if. russia would be so much brighter if you knew about someone from financed impressions. who for instance on t.v. dot com. wealthy british style. is not on the front. end of the. market finance scandal find out what's really happening to the global economy for a no holds barred look at the global financial headline news to name two crimes a report on our hunger for the full story we've got it first hand the biggest issues get a human voice face to face with the news makers. it is easy to.

says r t the international news broadcaster from moscow thanks for being with us our top stories tonight russia's approval of the nuclear cuts treaty with america awaits small lawmakers spent the holidays mulling over conflicting points in the u.s. senate's resolution is our top story tonight. that appear in a study to give each other a christmas roasting with a squabble over who was first to invent the festive decorated tree. and dmitri medvedev said season's greetings across the atlantic it encourages russia's

opposition parties to show some competition as he wraps up the year being posed by movie t.v. channels. let's say more of what president abed of have to say to russia's t.v. chiefs. those of us who live with mr president the news starts if you like won't freeze and henry short story that goes and one other accidents of that year was the democratic president still being a democrat a promise differently he's done a good job he has this important document when you start through the senate. why did you have a conversation with him so late yesterday was he still drinks in the rift. if he cuts for the. other you know he's away on holiday it was quite late when we tour after eleven pm our time like any other person he's entitled to rest on his christmas holiday but i think he can rest with the realisation that he's rest is well deserved.