wins if you tell me to let your group of the future agree i would international. every green the rules are told. for more oil tycoon mikhail khodorkovsky found guilty of embezzling oil and cash at his second trial. russia's former richest man faces yet another sentence behind bars and capturing those are the outside the courthouse with the details in just a few moments. though job no joy for millions of americans this festive season while the bankers rake in benefits and splash out on lavish parties. and why tourists are the latest weapons being engaged by israel in lebanon as the bitter rivals launch a competing war zone theme parks to get their points across and.

it's three pm in moscow i met treasury good to be with you here on r t our top story bringing you up to date on the second trial of former tycoon mikhail khodorkovsky who's been found guilty of stealing oil a lot during the proceeds the former head of oil giant yukos is already in president in prison for tax evasion and fraud artie's catarina as are about has the latest from outside the court. so far the court has decided one thing that would help with that he is definitely guilty of these latest charges so far we know that the judge who is announcing the verdict as we speak still has read about eighty pages of the first part of the verdict so it is safe to say that today is definitely not the last day of this verdict but so far we do know that nichols

without a close game and his former colleague glottal neighbors if you have been found guilty of stealing over twenty billions of dollars worth of oil we know that their lawyers have already said they will appeal this verdict and from what we've managed from the lawyers that we managed to speak to we gathered that basically they believe the verdict to be almost word for word with the prosecutor's closing statement which they believe to be an ironic fact they said that if necessary they will take this outside the country and to the european court if the appeal in russia fails to all bring them justice as they believe it but of course prosecutors say that everything has been done by the book that every document and every piece of evidence that was presented to the judge was done in accordance with procedure and so therefore the appeal that the process the the defense is planning doesn't really have a chance now we don't yet know exactly how long the health of that ghost and his

former colleague blood will navys if he will be staying in prison for what is their new prison term going to be like and that question doesn't look like it's going to be made available to the public anytime soon because of course fourteen files three hundred page long files each of them and that's going to take the judge a long time to read of course the previous verdict in the previous trial when you fail to do. is it took two weeks so this verdict could well be announced only in the new year and this have. force is the latest chapter of the controversial trial and tribulations of the cells that are costly russia's once richest man and former c.e.o. of russian oil giant new quest my colleague dr pushkov looked closer at the man his wife and his work 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 a bit if vegetated to their first conviction for that of course you supporters say he didn't break any laws. or was not to blame because he had a whole team of very experienced lawyers who are used to tell him got. everything he did was within the law it was the blame of the laws that had with those loopholes and them the former tycoon rose to great wealth thanks to one of the world's largest non-state oil companies ucas and 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 path to success had a dark side too of khodorkovsky associates were later found guilty of a number of murders the most high profile death being that of the mayor of new of two guns and oil town in the year olds in one thousand nine hundred ninety eight he had insisted that you could pay local taxes in food and was killed. the thieves 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 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 ignoring his past many in the west believe it's a political case and her of course he is a victim who suffering for funding opposition parties and pursuing his own energy policies the russian authorities say you can is purely a victim to the economic crimes of its management if the prosecution has its way because of course he will not be free on till twenty seventeen darry push r.t. moscow that is the latest chapter in the very controversial saga of the u. bus trial and we have course we'll be keeping you updated with the latest information as and when they get it but out of our skins case is attracting much publicity at home and abroad viktor linnik editor in chief of the slovo newspaper in russia says those politicizing the legal process are trying to tarnish the country's image around the world. there is no question that. our cause and the rest

of the crowd who participated in a she aided and was very active in the criminal privatisation of the ninety's are guilty of the crimes they're accused of i think very few people would fatha khodorkovsky is persecuted for nothing there's a very strong case i think against him efforts of those who would try to politicize or both inside russia and side of the country are moderated basically to create discord within the society and to tarnish russia's image abroad and certainly this is that raud that russia is expected to be beaten up with abroad the russian public think things pretty much along the lines of. what prime minister putin had to say in his recent interviews with the russian public thieves belongs to jail so

belongs in the jail rather so in that sense i think there be very little condescension on the part of the russian public as to what should be done to two figures like water color and and many many others i should say. not other news we're covering here on our team for millions of americans christmas joy is a little hard to come by this week that's because behind the turkey and the tense soul there is a struggle to land a job as artie's lauren lyster reports even though welfare has been extended the clock still ticking. in the u.s. tis the season for holiday cheer charity and this year for some of the millions of jobless americans despair now why did i work all of those christmas is 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 this used to be her busy season. it

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 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 any more benefits expire 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 up wall street thanks for what 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 are in 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 is 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 have starved and that's no different and they're fighting in that society to have holidays that count as anything resembling happy is a sense of joy that's supposed to be here and it's not here lauren lyster r.t. new york. in

a few minutes we ask whether the failing drug fight has another purpose u.s. anti-narcotics agency in the region is struggling to stem the opium trade with claims that it's just a cover for other activities. and taking a trip on a troika why there is still plenty of horse power in one of russia's most love traditional suborders. first though powers return to one of moscow's main airports after a twelve hour blackout more than one hundred flights to and from domodedovo were canceled while some were diverted after freezing rain ruptured electrical cables some sixteen flights were also canceled and dozens delayed at moscow's sheremetyevo airport as the runways froze over flights are scheduled back on those are getting back on schedule but there are still many delays more than four hundred thousand people in the moscow region were also left without electricity for hours some five hundred villagers are still without power although temperatures are just below freezing it's unusually warm for this time of year and that's because the rain.

contact with power lines bringing them down drivers are having a tough time too as sheets of ice on the roads made it tough for assault to be spread making to make them safer leading to more accidents and traffic. but a rivalry between israel and lebanon has taken a twist this time competing theme parks inches showcasing their side of the propaganda battle hoping to win over tourists and get their message across but as are his policy or 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 his bill a stronghold deep inside lebanon. we decided to create and develop jihad to reason in order to thwart attempts to distort and falsify history. dubbed pallywood hizbullah land well hamas would these theme parks off with all of their own their appeal the danger here is all too real. 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 this site a bunch of criminals they don't they don't they did they want not to go there one of them over there. and so the battle to win the hearts and minds and pockets of visitors is 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. the mind and to convince them wasn't to

be convinced about this group of tourists is visiting the jewish state through a specially designed package titled the ultimate mission to israel in the course of one week bro them to meet with. some intelligence throw them to the defense ministry to the border so. they live in is the forward business and the highlights include a visit to unit that carries out targeted killings at two of the lebanese frontline and listening in on army trials of hamas suspects i'm looking forward to seeing. and getting a better picture ranking. i studied this is. one of the general's books as long as it's based on fact. based on deception and. presentation it is more than ok when the problem turns to hit home with photographs

and memories that fall from the usual snapshots these ideological holiday makers have a different experience to share point. by more on this and everything we cover online at our t dot com here's what's online right now. why the u.s. isn't saying no to naziism that is u.n. member support a russian resolution to clamp down on the far right ideology and washington votes the other way plus. marking the date for a doomsday one russian man preparing for an ancient prediction that the apocalypse is coming in two thousand and twelve and he refuses to be foiled by army get. massive flow of a narcotic south of afghanistan is a major world headache and efforts by america's drug enforcement administration have had little impact this year or his military contributor says that's because the agency has bigger political ambitions. the outgoing year could have been

and should have been the year you know afghanistan but instead according to the latest we can 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.-e. a heavy assumed enormous paul workers and expanded its a 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 wary of 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 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. turning now to some other stories making headlines across the globe another parcel bomb in the sky at an embassy in rome it was found at the greek diplomatic headquarters where explosives experts diffuse the package this comes only four days after the chilean and swiss diplomatic headquarters were

targeted those devices went off injuring two people an advocacy group says is behind the attacks. severe weather leading to massive disruptions across the east coast of the u.s. thousands of travelers stranded as snow is forcing more than a thousand flights canceled a state of emergency has been declared in maryland virginia and north carolina forecasters say the wintry weather is moving north and more snow and freezing temperatures are ahead. 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 three were freed without being charged it's alleged they were plotting to cause explosions and coordinated attacks on banks and government buildings around central london. london streets may be quiet for now but that could all change in the new year angry students whose massive protests disrupted the capital last month are likely to return when the government pushes through plans to

triple college fees now they've got the backing of a high profile elder statesman as our team hears in a bit. i believe it will build up a bit about because i think you two to three knew the whole nature of our society and so i would expect it would have very very profound political effect to the future there are moments in history when people say. being controlled by those who don't have to listen to us we've got to trade right because it's the right and. the right to produce to justice our human rights. we'll have more from veteran british politician tony benn in a little more than an hour here on our t.v. . well cars may be skating and sliding this year through the winter snap but there is one russian mode of transportation that's galloping ahead yet again the

traditional troika has fans young and old including czars and soviet leaders who've been big admirers through the centuries. here is how horse power is making a comeback. it's not very often that the top of holes courage becomes the symbol of an unthought a nation and the a that's exactly what's happened with the troika a true symbol of russia come join me for a ride in all this possibly the world's most exciting full of transport. but. probably the reason the troika is so famous is because it looks like it shouldn't work but it does troika me three in russian and so this guy's 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 things 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 yes i will tell you no no

you don't think that 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 dutcher i had all the party officials in the back of my carriage in britain 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 harsh so what we needed was some horses that could travel long distances without losing the 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 aristocracy but became a sort of symbol for the country itself for 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 part of the soviet union it was given to foreign dignitaries much like you know eight times 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 riding troikas but really you haven't experienced that until you read the troika yourself eagleburger and of see moscow. it's one way of getting around where your book over joins us next with all the latest business news stay with us here on r.t. . hello and a very warm welcome to the business program the ruble has hit a turn a half month high last december and continued to grow and lists projects further

strengthening of the currency as oil prices remain high with market watchers confident in the global stock exchanges but in a portion of our force. the russian ruble strength in two point eight percent against the us dollar and nine point four percent against the euro between january and event but twenty turn december has dragged yet more games rising oil prices and returning confidence in russia after the crisis fueling the rally of the forecast 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. 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 as 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 the chief economist from deutsche bank thinks the ruble has chances to strengthen in twenty eleven do not foresee a complete. free float for the ball 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 ball the volatility of all those movements will certainly increase in the coming year but when it gets down to it the ruble is still have a depended on commodity prices to diversify the economy and slow in bearing fruit that many analysts expect commodity price inflation in twenty eleven particularly as u.s. authorities print more dollars and that bodes well for the ruble my dinner which no business r.t. . let's check on the stock markets and here are the german dax is trading in the

red losing more than a percent out of most of cent banks are among the biggest losers fault for going to shedding more than four and a half percent while down that is down three point eight percent growth has closed for a public holiday. and here in moscow the r.t.s. is trading flat to negative my sense is just down to half a percent lower most of the blue chips are trading of the bretons burbank losing almost two percent on the r.t.s. . and here in moscow most of the blue chips are trading in the red on both russian bourses leading that acquires odjick a full with the shares down around four percent after the. this losing more than three percent and federal anti monopolist service has not yet seen any evidence that still produces overcharging russia's largest automaker for steel whether after the us and m.k. still company found a compromise and signed an agreement as to prices avoiding shop metal price increases bucking the trend is into raw which shares are up more than one percent

helped by reports that the company has concluded a new contract to supply energy to finland. the price of oil has hit a fresh two year high on monday has been assistance from producing nations signaled there were no plans to boost output u.s. light sweet crude rose twenty seven cents to ninety one point seven to eight dollars in asia and london brant crude rose forty four cents to ninety four point twenty one dollars a barrel. the imprisonment of former tycoon mikhail khodorkovsky will not significantly influence the appetite of strategic investors for russia that's according to ben ira's strong business new europe magazine. this is. also been done them in the strategic investors are still coming the the largest consumer market in europe. undeniable for them it's more the peripheral them versus the people who are looking at russia haven't quite made up their mind then they see things they thought of course and i'm certain it will slow the whole process. and

that wraps up the business bulletin but you can always get more store a small website archie dot com slash business. wealthy british scientists told some.

markets. find out what's really happening to the global economy for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines to cause a report. download the official location. i pod touch from the top story. life on the go. video on demand ati's minefield comes an r.s.s. feeds now in the palm of your. question. for the full story we've got it first hand the biggest issues get a human voice face to face with the news maker.