good morning to you now where is the judge due to give the court's decision. or decision that has been much awaited both here in russia and abroad the international media as well following the case. ever since the beginning and this is certainly not the first time that this particular verdict has been awaited it was originally scheduled to be announced a few weeks back but the court has some reason or some reason decided to extend the announcement of the verdict up until now this very monday the twenty seventh of december just in the run up to new year holiday here in the russian capital and this is exactly why despite the fact that it's a very gloomy and dark monday morning already outside the courthouse where the verdict is expected to be read dozens of journalists are gathered waiting to see what exactly the judge will say no we do know that even if the judge does.

begin reading the verdict today it will take a lot more than just one day to finish the entire verdict but from what we've heard from the lawyers whether. or not will be evident hopefully from today's reading everybody's attention is of course directed onto that courthouse. and. of course maintaining their innocence in the case prosecutors however believe they have made a strong presentation that they have enough supporting evidence to make sure the judges carry out a guilty verdict of course we're here to keep up to date with the story and we'll be monitoring everything that goes in this courthouse today. this will be in the center of attention today but there is a chance however that he could be released next year isn't there. exactly that is perhaps one of the most intriguing. points of the case right now if

the verdict is innocent and if by some chance the verdict is guilty but the lawyers do manage to appeal it successfully as they do claim they will even not stopping at russian courts but taking it to the european courts if he is found innocent or if they go successfully because he could be a free man as soon as next year that is of course a fact that many international and local media are focusing upon it is somewhat of a news story of course this information but if we felt that he is found guilty he is facing up to seventeen years in prison now that is of course starting the prosecutors will begin their count from two thousand and three so should we actually be found guilty he will stay in prison up to twenty seventeen now the case in question this is of course the second trial of because he has been out probably

as much publicized as followed as the first trial. looks exactly at who the man is and what he has found he has been found guilty of doing and what he's accused of this time around. once russia's richest men he's now russia's most prominent prison after serving an eighty attempt for the biggest tax fraud in the country's history in a second case against him the prosecutors are demanding fourteen years in prison for him and his business partner. dated to their first conviction they are charged to stealing two hundred and eighteen million tons of oil for twenty seven billion u.s. dollars from a subsidiary company. supporters say he didn't break any laws. or was to blame because he had a whole team of very experienced lawyers who used to tell him.

everything he did was within the law it was the blame of the laws that had dissolved loopholes and them the former tycoon rose to great wealth thanks to one of the world's largest non-state oil companies ucas the company grew from the state selloff in the one nine hundred ninety s. when government assets were being hived off in often shady circumstances it became soon russia's fastest growing oil producer. task ucas had searched for themselves who wasn't connected to the country's economy or the nation's robe that wasn't part of their charter for the company to work or russia's benefit song would bring others who started using state property for their own good. but the path to success had a dark side to of political associates well a defendant guilty of a number of murders the most high profile death being that of the mayor of new fifty two guns and oil town in the year olds in one nine hundred ninety eight he had insisted that a local taxes in full and was killed struck

a certain. the thief's place is in prison holocaust is accused of stealing tax evasion and fraud and it's not about some trifling amount with the new charges he faces it's about stealing hundreds of billions and i'm not just talking about him his company security chief is in prison for murder they didn't like the mayor of nifty hugo sc so they killed him then there was another woman in moscow he refused to sell her little store to them and they killed her then they didn't like the hitmen they hired and he's killed as well for their cause he has always insisted he's innocent of the fraud charges which put him behind bars ever since his arrest in two thousand and three ignoring his past many in the west believe it's a political case and her of course is a victim who's suffering for funding opposition parties and pursuing his own energy policies the russian authorities say you could. is purely

a victim to the economic crimes of its management if the prosecution has its way because the medical school will not be free until twenty seventeen but if he's found not guilty he would walk free in this the new year. r t moscow. so of course the case was controversial back then it is still controversial today with many of course here and in the west arguing that is it is a political case prosecutors here of course saying that it is it has always been conducted strictly according to the law what will happen to cope with its day what new twist of fate will be announced will of course be keeping you updated with new information as soon as we get it. and you could read and thanks very much indeed for bringing us the subways this morning katrina's are over there. to other stories now here in our team for millions of americans christmas joy is a little hard to come by this week and that's because behind

a turkey and tinsel is a struggle to land a job as lauren list reports even though welfare has been extended a clock's ticking. in the u.s. to the season for holiday cheer charity and this year for some of millions of jobless americans despair now why did i work all of those christmases why did i give up that time with my family if now i have nothing and all of the work that i've done in my life for no reason for teresa cova this used to be her busy season at work but she was laid off from her job in the gas and heating business more than two years ago and has been unable to find any steady work since i look for work every single day i feel like applications u.s. lawmakers reached a deal this month to extend unemployment benefits for millions of unemployed americans who are all going to have the best holidays we can but lost in that story are millions of jobless americans like. arisa who don't even qualify for this help

anymore benefits expire at ninety nine weeks but a job doesn't magically appear by their own accounts and activists buying on their behalf these americans no longer count in this economy left out in the cold and out of the statistical surveys when for many for example their phones are cut off they are not counted and no one can say that they are but they're struggling arguably the most to get by merry christmas you're fired there are people like sixty one year old gabrielle a laid off veterinary nurse like a record one in seven americans to eat she now relies on a government program that helps pay for food known as food stamps meanwhile no work is on the horizon it's very hard i mean. the truth of matters are really nothing out there despite the tough financial situation so many are facing these will be happy holidays first of all st thanks for one of the lavish christmas decor is just the tip of the iceberg big banks like this one are expected to post their second

highest near profitability ever recorded second only to last year and still the average beggar bonus may come out higher that means the average year end bonus would exceed last year's of more than one hundred twenty four thousand dollars a person but a thanks earn this money what's so wrong with that many of the banks that are doing well are only doing well because the public bailed them out so we're seeing is a transfer of wealth from in a way the needy to the greedy is unemployment soars last quarter american companies posted their largest corporate profits ever recorded in u.s. history and while the rich may be taking those earnings to the glitz of new york's fifth avenue for holiday shopping in the shadows or those struggling to see a little light at the end of the tunnel we've been cut off and we've been practically ignored by almost everyone that's out here the people in our government and the people you know we're in the media. they're looking for any hope despite

a system they see as sympathetic to business and banks but stacked against them we're really living in a society where we don't count this is really marie antoinette. at the balls while the french people starved and that's no different and they're fighting in that society to have holidays that count as anything resembling happy there's a sense of joy that's supposed to be here and it's not here lauren lyster r.t. new york. just a few minutes we ask whether the failing afghan drugs fire has another purpose america's anti-narcotics agency in the region is struggling stand the opium trade with claims that it's simply a cover for other activities. taking a trip on the troika why there's still plenty of horse power and one of russia's most loved traditional symbols. before that power is returned to

want of moscow's main airports following a twelve hour blackout over one hundred flights to and from airport were canceled while some were diverted after freezing rain ruptured alatri city cables some sixty flights were also canceled and dozens delayed at moscow's sheremetyevo airport as runways froze over the flights are getting back on schedule over four hundred thousand people in the moscow you can also left without electricity for hours over temperatures or just below freezing it's unusual warm for this time of year it's caused the rain to freeze on contact with power lines bringing them down drivers are having a tough time to eat ice on the roads made it difficult for the soul to morey's to make them safe for leading to more accidents and traffic jams. the bitter rivalry between israel and lebanon has taken a twist with competing theme parks beaches showcasing their side of the propaganda

battle hoping to win over tourists to get their message across but as policy leader explains someone questioning the morality of displaying the spoils of war. it might not be quite the real thing but it sure brings one up close and personal dozens of tourists flocking to hizbollah strongholds deep inside lebanon at the local we decided to create and develop jihad tourism in order to treat attempts to distort and falsify history. dubbed pallywood his balance and well how mass would these theme parks offer through all of their own their appeal the danger here is all too real and how will we try to tell our visitors about real events that took place in this region many stories are about those who gave their lives for their brothers. and in the space of sixty thousand square meters all the trophies collected by hizbollah fighters are displayed captured his radio weapons and tanks alongside katyusha rockets and grad missile launchers. it's given us

a chance to see firsthand how wars are fought. but what is jihad to tourism for one tourist is nothing short of terror tourism for another here and now under other side the bunch of criminals they don't they don't they tell the world they want nothing of their one of the neighbors. and so the battle to win the hearts and minds and pockets of visitors on the mop up operation after the real war in the arena of pop culture and entertainment taking people to those places is a very powerful event for those people to shape their mind and to convince them wasn't we convinced about this group of tourists visiting the jewish state through a specially designed package titled the ultimate mission to israel in the course of one week we brought them to meet with. better officials my son and tell them brought them to the defense ministry to weigh the border in gas that soviet eleven

hours they live in is their forward positions and the highlights include a visit to an israeli unit that carries are targeted killings at. of the lebanese frontline and listening in on army trials of hamas suspects i'm looking forward to seeing the color and getting a better picture of the franking you can actually see there could you see one of the generals books as long as it's based on fact. based on deception and foresight to jason and presentation it was more than ok when the president's done terms hit home with photographs and memories but far from the usual snapshots these ideological holiday makers have a different experience to share point three our team television. the massive flow of narcotics out of ghana stan is a major world headache and efforts by america's drug enforcement administration have made little impact this year artist military contributor says that's because

the agency's got bigger political ambitions. the outgoing year could have been and should have been a year in afghanistan but instead according to the latest we kill leaks batch regarding the drug enforcement administration activity all across the globe the seer's turned out to be not a hay day. in the afghanistan but instead it turned into the may day for a indeed since two thousand and six when driven by political motivations d a heavy assumed in numerous paul workers and expanded its thirty from drug enforcement to counterterrorism activity it's hard to say who motivated obviously the hidden agenda for d a expanded authority from drugs to terrorism was mostly driven by internal turf battle and ego trip off its leadership to assume more

political clout and paul worried at the white house having failed on counter-narcotics especially since the whole counter-narcotics offense if in afghanistan have been totally occur tail and put on the back burner seems to reach of holbrooke totally hijacked with a counter-narcotics policy in afghanistan as a result the drug enforcement administration has turned itself into their voyeuristic out feet eavesdropping and watching on everybody everywhere and doing absolutely nothing when it comes to reid's true core mission fighting the drugs no accusing the war on drugs have the political undercover operating as they see a front company. and we are aligned rather pog for more news and analysis for you let's show you some of what's online right now at our two dot com. why the u.s. isn't saying no to nazis as

a member supporter of russian resolution to clamp down on the far right ideology of washington votes the other way also. marking a date for doomsday the russian man who is preparing for the ancient prediction that apocalypse is coming in two thousand and twelve and refuses to be followed by armageddon. so take a look at some other stories from around the world this hour in ivory coast opposition is calling for nationwide general strike until the incumbent president steps down the wrong balboa refuses to leave office despite international calls while west african leaders say they will remove him by force to go warns that any attempt to oust him could throw the country back into civil war the u.n. says over one hundred seventy people have been killed while fourteen thousand have fled the violence following last month's disputed elections. severe weather conditions are causing massive disruption across the eastern coast of the u.s.

thousands of travelers are stranded as snow forces hundreds of flights to be cancelled state of emergency has been declared in maryland north carolina and virginia forecasters say the wintry weather is moving north with more snow and freezing temperatures expected. a tourist bus has collided with a truck near the southern city of aswan killing eight americans and injuring over two dozen other people the vehicle was carrying thirty seven passengers and was traveling with the convoy to the ancient egyptian abu simbel temple's the bus and hit the truck which a broken down to the side of the desert road. london streets may be quiet for now but that could all change in the new year angry students was massive protests disrupted the capital. last month are likely to return while the government pushes through plans to treble college fees and they've got the backing of one high profile elder statesman as r.t.

hears later. i believe it will build up and build up because i think you need the whole nature of our society and i would expect it would have very very profound political effect in the future there are moments in history when people look around and say we are being controlled by those who don't have to listen to us we've got to trade right to be educated right and yeah and the right to justice are human rights. more from the veteran british politician tony benn in ten minutes time here on our team before that cars may be skidding and sliding their way through the wintry snap but there is one russian mode of transport that's galloping it had once again the traditional troika as fans young and old even czars and soviet leaders have big

fans through the centuries. of here's how horse power is making a comeback it's not very often the thought of the whole scourge becomes the symbol of a month or a nation and here that's exactly what's happened with the troika a true symbol of russia come join me for a ride to north is possibly the world's most exciting full of transport. well you can. probably the reason the troika is so famous it's because it looks like it shouldn't way but it does troika me three in russian and so this carriage consists of three horses reversed amazing thing about them as they using different stuff at the same time the whole of them the middle is trotting with ones around that are galloping a troy can develop speeds of up to fifty kilometers to people right here who are controlling how destructive operates and even desperately with it sometimes it's a skill that has to be trained for years and years and years old to you know you don't like my father used to ride the troika and he taught me what to do after

serving in the country's main cavalry regiment i was sent to the communist party's leaders durch or i had all the party officials in the back of my carriage british and if he left to go fast but now there's no one to take the reins from me. if you think about russia how it's different to say western europe the distances are longer the climate this harsha so what we needed was some horses that could travel long distances without losing best stamina going at high speeds and that's exactly how the troika developed first that was used for the postal service maybe sometimes the fire services after a while it became almost a symbol of decadence and luxury the troika stopped just being associated with the irish stock recy but became a sort of symbol for the country itself or russia wild untamed going somewhere really fast but where and why when the soviets came to power in nine hundred seventeen they rejected a lot of the symbols of old russia but the troika was one of the symbols that

actually kept for a while during the time of the soviet union it was given to foreign dignitaries much like you know a pound as given by the chinese government now as the soviet union was collapsing the tradition of the troika's began to decline but quite soon they made a big comeback as a sort of status symbol for the note of a reach. well i could sit here all day talking about the history and art of writing troikas but really you haven't experienced that until you read the troika also eager. to see. what a fine writer was well it brings us up to date here nineteen for more member there is our web site r t dot com right now that will take a look at what's happening in the world of business in just a few moments. hello and a very warm welcome to the business program the ruble has hit a two and a half month high last december and continue to grow analysts predict further strengthening of the currency as oil prices remain high with market watchers

confident in the global stock exchanges but in a court of reports. the russian ruble strengthened two point eight percent against the us dollar and nine point four percent against the euro between january and the vendor twenty ten december has drugget more games rising oil prices and returning confidence in russia after the crisis are fueling the rally some of the forecasts for the ruble remains flat even though it's hard to make predictions i believe the ruble will strengthen in twenty eleven and remain stable in the central bank of russia says it may relax controls on the ruble further next year i said aims to make the currency free floating. this is key in realize the the government's ambition to promote it is an international reserve currency the importance of the ruble has also recently been giving a boost by the start of trading against the chinese yuan on the my six given all

those factors you just love use of oil if the chief economist from deutsche bank thinks the rouble has chances to strengthen in twenty eleven and not foresee a complete. free float for the bull in the next several years i think given the dependency on oil prices given the volatility that we see in the markets the central bank is likely to be cautious although i have to say that the flexibility of the will both of the volatility honorables movements will certainly increase in the coming years but when it gets down to it the ruble is still have really depended on commodity prices to diversify the economy are slow in bearing fruit. many analysts expect commodity price inflation in twenty eleven particularly as us a story just print more dollars and that bodes well for the ruble. business r.t. . let's check on the stock markets the nikkei is trading in the black helped by

positive news from china which hiked interest rates to curb inflation in tokyo memory jumped four percent on reports that the company will enter talks with the taiwanese firms with an eye forming how to sell tryouts canon was up around one percent after the company said it plans to raise its full year dividend based on its earning outlook and expected capital demand for investors investments. close public holiday. and russian myself and a flat last week after closing in the red on friday down almost half of the cent ending a fortune straight week of gates the r.g.s. better finishing in the black point twenty three percent wrapping up a successful trading week trading volumes were light as investors prepared for the holidays. gazprom lost over half a percent or even after the gas giant said it would not give any discounts. and talks that were held that soft unknown preferred shares have also tumbled as

investors cashing in on strong gains from the past few days bucking the trend as the rules to michael's some point nine percent after the tycoon elected called an extraordinary general meeting yourself among the shareholders to speak. stock markets are wrapping up another winning year with waves of bullish predictions weighing investors. criticize the markets have already crossed the christmas rally finishing line. when you're. this week we will most likely not see any significant volumes of trade although there could be minor movements in certain companies overall most of them are as you purchase appears are still being christmas and preparing for a new year there might be changes in some utility companies i wouldn't rule movements in the markets on thursday or friday towards the end of the year. that's all we have time for knowledge join me for more business news and analysis time.

to. close some teams seem to the. way industries are rapidly developing. now wattie goes to the homeland of those with strength of mind and body. to the land developed by cossacks in ancient times and which became a premier destination for nineteenth century political exiles. this is the. russian

consult on oxy. fifty. five. welcome back you're watching art you live from moscow look at the top stories former oil tycoon the hotter kosky is said to start hearing the verdict in his second trial he's currently serving time for tax evasion and money laundering and faces new charges of faffing. millions of americans are struggling to find some press mystere this festive season even though jobless benefits have been extended

for a further ninety nine weeks one still proving hard to come by. tourists are the latest weapons being gave by usual in lebanon and their bitter rivalry is showcasing their own side of a propaganda battle with competing seen parts but critics question the morality of displaying the spoils of war. your streets are quiet for now become the new year the austerity cuts will start to bite and many countries in britain it's the students have been most vocal as they fight government plans to make them pay three times as much for college and political grandy tony benn's giving a violent demonstrations he's backing. today i'm talking to the right honorable tony benn one of britain's foremost socialists and the president of the stop the war coalition tony benn thank you so much for talking to r.t. now you're a big believer in democracy as the means to pos power.