this morning in the heart of the russian capital it is still being read as we speak but already it is certain that the court ad found the evidence presented by the prosecution to be convincing enough to find me guilty of stealing over twenty billions and billions of dollars worth of oil and then bestselling a large amount of money we know that and a part of the charges put forward by the prosecution specifically charges that focused on stealing shares of daughter companies all of you guys the former russian oil giant those charges were dropped because the statute of limitations on those specific charges ran out but the main focus of this latest trial in the saga. is that of stealing billions of dollars worth of oil charged had to stop apparently and make his former colleagues. have been found guilty we also know that already the lawyers confer and the fact that they are planning to appeal they're also

planning to take matters outside the country if necessary and if no russian court will grant their appeal they well they are prepared to take the matter to the european floor and that was confirmed today by lawyers. and. the reading is of course ongoing as we speak journalists were asked to leave the premises for a while there are a rumor is that they will be allowed back in after some time and are of course waiting to see if that is the case it will be allowed to get back into the court room so far only news agencies remain inside out with t.v. journalists have been asked to leave the two men. themselves. have been very calm so far the courts allow them to say whilst listening to the verdict and they immediately began doing their own thing was reading a book and. flipping through some of his personal. papers occasionally they'll

exchange a smile and neither of them are paying much attention to the judge himself they're not looking at him as he reads the verdict so. they're both trying to demonstrate their if not contempt then understanding of what they believe to be a politicized process their lawyers or many of course both in russia and abroad also believe this to be a politicized process prosecutors of course continue to claim and maintain that everything has been done by the book and all the evidence that was presented to the court was done according to procedure so this verdict is a very a legal one. of those around the court session as you just mentioned earlier is on going but what is likely to happen next for me a higher cost. well the main focus of course right now is exactly how many years behind bars the two men will receive originally prosecutors asked for

fourteen years behind bars at that time would start when the first trial of me hope about a full skin blood on the negative began which was going to two thousand and three so if the court does grant the prosecution's wish and sentence a new trial for that full scale and all of the lives of two fourteen years behind bars they will be released in twenty seventeen of course this is so far the biggest mystery in this case how much time how much prison time will the two men receive and it is uncertain and when the judge will actually get to that part in the previous trial the entire verdict took two weeks to be announced but so it's not clear whether they're reading will be finished today whether it'll be a matter of days or whether this case has a likeliness of going all the way into january and the final verdict of being finished after the new year so this is of course what everybody is waiting for that is the latest chapter. in the saga of mikhail khodorkovsky who is the life and work

my colleague that he pushed over looked closer at. once russia's richest men he's now russia's most prominent prisoner 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 but only visit back a dated to their first conviction for that of course his supporters say he didn't break any laws. or was not to blame because he had a whole team of very experienced lawyers whole used to tell him that. everything he did was within the law it was the blame of the laws that had the those 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 for locals the task ucas had set for themselves who wasn't connected to the country's economy or the nations world that wasn't part of their charter for the company to work or russia's benefit along with bringing others who started using state property for their own good. but the fall to success had a dark side to of political associates well a to found guilty of a number of murders the most high profile death being that of the mayor of new guns an oil town in the year olds in one thousand nine hundred ninety eight he had insisted that hugo's pay local taxes in food and was killed. the fees place is imprisoned khodorkovsky 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 so they killed him then there was another woman in moscow who 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 ignore his past many in the west believe it's a political case and her that of course he is a victim who suffering for funding opposition parties and pursuing his own energy policies the russian authorities say you is purely a victim to the economic crimes of its management if the prosecution has its way because you will not be free on till twenty seventeen. r.t. moscow. so the controversy of course continues and this latest chapter of the saga of former russian oil giant you cross and it's the only thing that we are of

course here outside the courthouse keeping tabs on all the details and we'll bring you information as and when we get it. parker and thanks very much indeed for bringing us the very latest. and in a few minutes we ask whether the failing afghan drug spied has another purpose or something are caught up in seeing that region is struggling to stand the opium trade with claims that it's simply a cover for other activities. and taking a trip on the troika why there's still plenty of horse power and one of russia's most loved traditional symbols. power is returned to one of moscow's main airports following a twelve hour blackout over hundred flights to and from dubai the it all were canceled while some were diverted after freezing rain ruptured tricity cables some sixty flights were also canceled and dozens delayed at moscow's sheremetyevo

airport as runways froze over lights are getting back on schedule but there are still many delays over four hundred thousand people in moscow region also left without electricity for hours some five hundred villages are still without power although temperatures are just below freezing it's unusually warm for this time of year it's cause of rain to freeze and contact with power lines bringing them down drivers are having a tough time to a sheet of ice on the roads has made it difficult for salt to be spread to make them safer the more traffic jams. well for millions of americans christmas joy is a little hard to come by this week and that's because behind the turkey into and so is a struggle to land a job as lauren lyster reports even though welfare has been extended the 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 i had nothing and all of the work that i've done in my life for no reason for teresa this used to be her busy seat. network 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 we're all going to have the best holidays we can but lost in that story are millions of jobless americans like teresa 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 their 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 for some wall street banks for one 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 if banks earn this money what's so wrong with that many of the banks

that are doing well are only doing well because the public bail 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 america. 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 and 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 not 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 here's. the bitter rivalry between israel and lebanon a stake in a twist with competing seen parks and beaches showcasing their side of the propaganda battle hoping to win over tourists to get their message across but as polls leader explains some are 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. we decided to create and develop jihad tourism in order to thwart attempts to distort and falsify history. dubbed pallywood hizbullah and hamas would these theme parks offer through all of their own their appeal the danger here is all too

real so 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 a bunch of criminals they don't they don't they did 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 broke them to meet with. better officials will sound intelligence drove 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 of his attorneys really unit that carries out targeted killings a tour of the. binny's frontline and listening in on army trials of suspects i'm looking forward to seeing. and getting a better picture for if you. actually go to see. that you're one of the generals folks as long as it's based on flicked. on deception and. presentation it was more than ok when the problem is done truth hit home with

photographs and memories that fall from the usual snapshots these ideological holiday makers have a different experience to share point three television. and we're on line around the clock for more news and analysis and let's not take a look at what's in line or to dot com right now why the u.s. isn't saying no to nazis and as you remember supporting russian resolution to climb down far right ideology washington votes the other way also. marking a days for doomsday the russian man is preparing for the ancient prediction that apocalypse is coming in two thousand and twelve and refuses to for my army get. a massive flow of narcotics out of afghanistan is a major world headache and efforts by america's drug enforcement administration have made little impact this year are his military contributor says that's because the agency's god bigger political ambitions. the outgoing year could have been

and should have been the a year in afghanistan but instead according to the latest we can leaks batch regarding the drug enforcement administration activity all across the globe these 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 activities it's hard to say who motivated obviously the hidden agenda for d. a to 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 a fanciful afghanistan have been totally occur tail and put on the back burner seems to reach and holbrooke totally hijacked the 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. well you're watching r t live from moscow and let's now take a look at some other stories from around the world and your weather conditions are causing massive disruption across the eastern coast of the u.s. thousands of travelers are stranded as the snow is forcing over a thousand flights to be canceled

a 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. nine people are in court in britain charged with planning terrorism in the country twelve men were arrested last week following dawn raids around the u.k. but three were freed without being charged it's alleged they were plotting to cause explosions and coordinated attacks and banks and government buildings around central london. now ivory coast opposition leader is calling for a nationwide general strike until the incumbent president steps down laurent gbagbo refuses to leave office despite international calls while west african leaders say they will remove him by force from fails to go babo 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. now cars may be

skidding and sliding their way through the winter east now but there is one russian mode of transport that's galloping ahead once again the traditional troika has fans young and old even stars and soviet leaders have big admirers through the centuries parties eager of a ride in a few years 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 there that's exactly what's happened with the troika a true symbol of russia join me for a ride that was 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 work but it does troika me three in russian so this carriage consists of three horses reversed amazing thing about them as they using different stuff at the same time the whole of 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 destroyed operates and even they're struggling with it sometimes it's a skill that has to be trained for years and years and years old to you know now you know when my father used to ride the troika and he taught me what to do after serving in a country's main cavalry regiment i was sent to the communist party's leaders dutcher i've had all the party officials in the back of my carriage in britain if you have 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 dust 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

stock receipt 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 the art of writing troikas but really you haven't experienced that until you read the troika yourself either of nerve see moscow. well of reasons have to be here and if you remember that for more you can always turn to our web site r t dot com well in just a few minutes will lift the lid on domestic violence in the united states which is reaching disturbing levels before the ad that will take

a look it's happening in the world of business with yulia don't go away. hello and welcome to the business program let's first check on the stock markets europe the german dax is trading in the red losing more than a percent out of motives and banks are among the biggest losers going to show more than four and a half percent damn that is down to three point eight percent c. is closed for a public holiday. ok and here in moscow the markets are down as investors were courses of waiting for the verdict in the trial of jailed tycoon mikhail for that read out by air force court to shutting point fifteen percent of my six hundred percent lower most of the blue chips are trading in the red with burbank losing almost two percent on the r.t.s. . russia stock market has risen more than twenty percent this year however

stocks remain relatively undervalued with the government seeking to improve the country's investment climate but from all of this i'm joined by ben iris from business new york magazine ben thank you very much for joining us so how would you assess investment activity in russia this year well rest clearly i mean the sentiment everybody's been interested in the merging markets however russia has clearly trailed behind all the others it's been out of favor but towards the second half of the year is started to catch up like you said mainly because it's so undervalued and looking forward to the next year is looking much more perspective. was the decision expected of another guilty verdict form about or ski expected to and what impact do you think guilty verdicts such as this will have an investment sentiment certainly i think the market was was assuming that he was going to be convicted it was a foregone conclusion and you see the reaction in the stock market today there was virtually none. they thought there was no other. as far as sentiment in general

women had across the remains a big issue of course and this is another black eye for russia in terms of investment sentiment its image i mean the kremlin has been pushing very hard to try and remake that image to attract some more investment particular foreign direct investment if it's been going very slowly russia remains very under invested it in terms of per capita when you compare both to the bric peers and the other central european players and so this is a setback but also didn't turn them into strategic investors are still coming the feel of the largest consumer market in europe is undeniable for them it's for the peripheral versus the people who are looking at russia haven't quite made up their mind when they see things like the holocaust and uncertainty and so it will slow the whole process. that can be driven away yes. thank you very much ben ours from business new europe magazine thank you for your analysis i'm sure and that's

all we have time for now but you can always get most tourist mall website that's our t. dot com slash business for business news in less than an ass time. it can hear dr swan's policeman swines ministers what i am i just prayed that

if you didn't find me if i could slip through the night that i would get my kids out of here because i knew that what was going to happen was that he was going to kill me many victims don't understand that domestic violence includes verbal abuse psychological abuse physical abuse and sexual abuse at least four million women are affected by abuse every year those are only two options that i saw at that moment either i'm going to kill him i'm in jail or he's going to kill it it seems. closer to going to the region where industries are rapidly developing. valois t. goes to the homeland of those with strength of mind and body. to the land developed

by cossacks in ancient times. which became the premier destination for nineteenth century political exiles. this is the. bush a closeup on oxy. wealthy british stock. market why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy with max keiser for a no holds barred look global financial headlines tune into a report. download the official placation phone on pod touch from the. life on the go.

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