the official. from the.

video. and. the palm of your. question. is one of three ships imprisoned to safety four hundred people aboard the trapped vessels have been stranded for a week. as the start of a difficult rescue operation will bring you all the details of it in just a moment. christmas surprise for all dogs believes that thousands gathered to celebrate the birth of jesus at the country's main cathedral all the details coming up in our team in just a few minutes. also this hour

a city where the streets. palestinians in a place. they regard as heroes. just because we're in a financial recession issue and we know we're in a moral recession new york succumbs to rubbish residents rage at the high rise. in the city of skyscrapers. with news from russia and around the world this is all in moscow and happy christmas to all the books christian. watching around the world. an ice breaker off the far eastern coast of russia is turning one of three ships stuck in freezing waters to safety through extreme weather a second vessel is trying to follow while the third remain stranded four hundred people are aboard the ships which have been frozen in for a week now tom barton is following the developments. it seems that things are

beginning to move maybe just slowly the ice breaker that's managed to to smash a path towards the ship stranded in the ice is now towing one of those ships out of its having been freed out of this zone and they're going to try and hook up a second ship to that our team managed to contact or the captain of one of those toads ships he said that currently everything is going ok but off of the icebreaker is telling us towards clear waters right now the situation is normal we are getting out of the ice one of the other ships trying to free us but was unsuccessful we are very happy we will be home soon we hope everything will be all right we're hoping to reach clear waters by friday night the third ship which is slightly larger has about three hundred people on board and they think that at the moment they're not going to be able to pull it out with the existing icebreaker we're going to have to wait probably three more days referred by sprecher to arrive all of this has been

monitored from moscow and from all four it is locally and we spoke earlier to one of the people at the federal fisheries off forty who has been monitoring the situation. with enormous effort and icebreaker reach the three vessels break in a canal through the ice it's towing one of the ships and they have started to leave the icy blockade they have been followed by another three stranded vessels one of the two ships arrive in a safe zone the icebreaker will return to the biggest of the three vessels the soldiers are this ship is actually bigger in size than any ice breaker so additional help will be needed to pull it out next to icebreaker is expected to reach the ship by january the ninth so as we can hear it's been a long process getting to these ships is going to be a difficult process getting them out but it is now underway this region the sea of our hearts just off the far east of russia is known to be a difficult place for ships in the winter but that has been much aggravated by the weather conditions this year. ferocious gales and also very low

temperatures about minus seventeen at the moment in this region have led to a lot of ice forming up to eight meters thick in some places and that has simply trunk ships and in case the other ships have also run into trouble and the first ice breaker that was sent there wasn't strong enough requiring this extra help that was sent on the ships themselves the crew that we've spoken to reports that we've heard say that things are occurring all right there's no media danger to the crew there's enough food and supplies for the moment but they just want to get out of this situation now and get on with their jobs so everyone has their fingers crossed is really looking to try and get these ships towed out. reporting their russian orthodox christians are marking christmas day in accordance with the judean canon there which they follow celebrations were led by the midnight vigil which has been taking place at russia's main church the crisis a vacancy in the very heart of moscow. over is brought to. you now feeling the

christmas spirit where you are. well indeed it was seems that christmas is over more of those christians across the world the holy days yet to come for russian orthodox christians it feels like the holy days finally in the air for russians and those who believe in god it's of course one of the most magical nights of the day the night which celebrates the birth of jesus thousands of people have been flocking to the country's main cathedral christ the savior cathedral behind me since afternoon today to see the patrick of mosque and all of russia to listen to his inspiring speech after the end of the service and also to see the president of the russian federation was attending the service together with his family but he and the prime minister of russia vladimir putin regularly attend and at christmas the chills and today prime minister was also celebrating. christmas in his

residence in the region outside moscow those who've been gathering outside the cathedral been saying that for them it's first of all a very cozy woman's family holiday in the first place and they can't wait to get home to sit at a table with their family members exchange presents and start celebrating well perhaps one of the most. vivid differences between how russians celebrate christmas and those in the west is that unlike worse ceremonies which are grown to include more commercial aspects to the holiday russian christmas remains a religious holiday a very solemn and to very family one even russian christmas carols have family spirit we asked people what this whole the demand for them and they said that's what they were celebrating of course had a very soul the most sophisticated below trickle sense but on this very night they

couldn't help but feel like children previously in russia christmas was also celebrating on december twenty five in pretty much the same way as elsewhere across the world for catholic christians but then this tradition was stopped after the revolution and nine hundred seventeen the holy day was banned so people were of course celebrating but not publicly and only after the collapse of the soviet union in nine hundred ninety one the holy day began be here became public and but unlike before the revolution it was now celebrated according to our following the julian calendar named. well father you are going interview to r.t. early explain where this difference in dates stems from. some already is celebrating christmas on twenty fifth calling to gregorian calendar i think only three or four out of fifteen for the extra. abridging it's on the seventh of

january according to julian calendar. remembering history in the russia in one hundred seventeen there already there was already a tempt to celebrate it on twenty feet of december along with all the western tradition but it didn't find really supports within the believe it was so that it's. only for like. ideas and then they switched off again and probably i'm not sure when but probably some time will celebrating christmas on twenty fifth along with western tradition but still to tell the truth we celebrating on twenty fifth of december but according to julie. well for q real nice christmas was the second as the patrick. all of russia and just like last year after the end of the service he held

a very inspiring christmas speech to the floor. katrina what do people usually do off to the service or what's the tradition of the russian. oh indeed it seems like it's just the start of two weeks of long holidays here in russia it all starts today on january the seventh the first official all the day after new year on the state after the first star appears in the night sky people sit at a table and there is a feast which ans officially ends a forty day fast a very strict one. and they have this dinner after a day of worship and. these to really just be jewels the churches they exchange presents and it is also the beginning of the two week so hold a christian tie it is between the christmas and epiphany on january nineteenth it

is also known in russia is to be out to get this is traditionally a pagan holiday was disapproved of by the church but it has remained very popular among russians even nowadays it's believed that ghosts and spirits are among the leaving during these two weeks and you can ask them any questions considering your future so it's quite controversial holy day still with many religious people but they stick to the tradition and they have these afternoon dances open air fire staking plays games and carnival sold this very beautiful of course but it's all they had tonight is christmas night tomorrow is january the seventh officially christmas for russian orthodox believers thousands have been taking part in feed. jewels across the country eight and thousand want to streets and churches have held these christmas and christmas ceremonies and not only in russia in ukraine in serbia. and montenegro as well. thanks very much indeed for that

outside crisis say because people there in central moscow while millions of russians begin to celebrate christmas we've very different kind of spiritual and if you head. balancing ancient mysticism with modern technology i'm sure on thomasson coming up on r t we explore the world of the siberian sharman. that's still to come for you but first in a city of skyscrapers it's now poles of garbage that tower over the streets of new york residents are outraged the glamour city is beginning to look more like a junkyard auntie's in the stars or chicken to dive headfirst into the big apple's reality. if you're standing next to a pile of garbage taller than yourself how does that make you feel it's a pretty impressive world the world marks the new year one thing marking new york are melton's of garbage. striking

a huge blow to the city's traditionally glamorous image you can't even cause the street with a baby carriage to hold the people cannot even want to sit discreet. anthony is a mailman his job takes twice the time these days sadly he notes his salary has not doubled that makes my work very very hard because the blood really box. to do the work in one instance however the mounds of garbage prevented a tragedy as one new yorker suicide attempt proved unsuccessful this weekend when it jumped out of the window did not turn fatal due to an unexpected software gets into piles of refuse one of thousands filling many of the almost six thousand miles of new york city streets the average american is said to produce fifty tons of garbage in a lifetime new york city has reportedly accumulated as much as fifty thousand tons of garbage in just one week just because we're in

a financial recession is that we're in a moral recession but it will world recession is exactly what the trash invasion has turned the big apple into and while some officials have graded themselves and a plus for handling the situation new yorkers are outraged very upset about it it's gross it's ridiculous good enough for taxes that we are paying for it as an economic crisis leads to budget cuts that lead to boycotts in the sanitation department that lead to all this garbage out on the street it may be time to ask how soon before the big juicy apple turns rotten and. new york. well read more about how the holidays are far from over for russian worshippers that don't com here's what else we got lined up for you on our website at the moment a study attempts to seize russian territory on a coin find out more about the controversy surrounding estonia's new euro currency on the website and also that russian scientists a list

a trip of tiny astronauts to eight humanity's quest for more distant front is its space mites that are paving the way for a mission to make. a decision by authorities in the west bank city of ramallah to name their streets off to prominent palestinians is proving controversial as policy reports some streets have been named after people who israeli cusins of planning suicide bombings but he palestinians regard as martyrs and heroes. in palestinian ramallah they're naming their streets to celebrate the city's one hundredth birthday this is and right for this isn't the norm where they are imagine never gating your way around here with no street signs to help well until two years ago that was the case in the one law there were north numbers for houses and lives for the sticks but now yasser arafat gets a street as does a neighborhood that used to exist in arab jeff in the one nine hundred thirty s.

the neighborhoods long since disappeared and the streets a call for palestinian refugees to return to israel the criteria are simple palestinian heroes places and ideas supported by the people read on this issue here with real public or there or from as if anything the opposite members of both groups are glorified which might surprise those who think palestine is most modern city would shy away from praising her master warts like this main thoroughfare named after chief a mass bomb maker yahia yash dubbed the engineer for three years he was the most wanted man by israel for his part in suicide bombings that killed ninety israelis until he himself was eliminated. and this martyr was killed by the israeli internal security service after they tricked her friend of his into giving him

a cell phone that was booby trapped fourteen years on his family is as proud as ever and. i'm very pleased even in drugs in streets after my son is in my heart and i miss him his the hero of those time. but not all street names are palestinian rachel corrie was an american activist who was killed by an israeli bulldozer during a demonstration in gaza in two thousand and three the decision to name this business . st in ramallah after her was unanimous rachel was part of the international solidarity movement a group has released charge of aids her mass and other palestinian extremist groups . in the. for the with the way that they have been doing the past fifteen years. eager to throw something polls show her mask growing in popularity in the west bank as talks between rival palestinian faction fatter and israel did luck come as a changing trying to speak with. the.

stance and as the new street signs go up in ramallah it's becoming more and more clear a mass is also speaking in the language of palestinians here understand policy r t ramallah. shermans of the mystical messengers between humans and spirits that have been called upon for healing and spiritual guidance for centuries and it's an ancient tradition still alive in some parts of russia despite modernization causing a fall in the number of practicing sherman's well to sean thomas travelled to meet . from the ceremonial rhythm of the drama. to ancient rituals and traditions. the belief in the power of the shaman is very much a part of the cuttin way of life to put it there so that there are answers does always had a very powerful shermans around the law to protected them gave them blessings and ensured security and safety in all circumstances and every day life at the high end

on a journey and that. a shaman is someone who acts as an intermediary between the spiritual and earthly worlds relying heavily on nature to get his message across when russian orthodox christianity moved eastward and then later with the soviet union shamanism was banned those that practiced the faith were persecuted now there are only three recognized shaman living in all of the. wealth i help people find faith in the fact that their wishes will be fulfilled their family relations in conflicts at work will be fixed when a person has this faith he can do anything i live in a time of crisis and my mission is to help people in this troublesome time every sharman has his own mission. to help certain posts with the ancient symbols of the sharman adorning them standing right next to power lines from the modern world there's a contrast between the modern technology and age and mysticism is a problem for the sherman they're full of real shamans live far away from big

cities and small villages because contemporary cities with computers cars cell phones and the constant rush distract from true unity with nature and the spirits i myself am from a remote northern region. trying to make the best of it all life is a delicate balancing act for the cuttin people. we are an interesting people when we are in trouble we do three different things at the same time we turn to sherman we pray in a church and then make you small. mattson a unique way of keeping a tradition that has been part of your couture for centuries sixteen years maybe some protect what it created this spiral in the middle is a symbol of fire may the warmth of the fire in your name protect you and may your three spirits be united the spirits of the womb the spirits of air and the spirits of the earth in your good year sean thomas r t well time to update you on some

other international stories this hour police are investigating the bombings at two separate government buildings in the u.s. state of maryland the first device was addressed to a governor in downtown annapolis well the second was sent to the department of transportation forty kilometers away fishel sale apostles didn't explode because a flash of light and smoke leaving the staff and open them with minor burns both buildings were evacuated. and white house report says bad management leading to failed safety procedures called last year's oil spill in the gulf of mexico it was the industry to change the way it operates to prevent it happening again blast to the b.p. oil rig in a police millions of gallons of oil into the sea before finally being kept in july first occasion found several other firms other than b.p. also. chinatown twenty four children have been taken to hospital with lead poisoning caused by patrick factories chinese media suggest at least two hundred children have high lead levels in their blood is the plants in the eastern province

of and we are the cause of the poisoning too in the area have been shot. so once again a very merry christmas to all orthodox believers watching around the world i'll be back with a look at headlines in just a few moments but first i regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time leo tolstoy has made a significant imprint on literally history one hundred years on from the russian novel his death his award winning hand wilson says tolstoy's message is just as valid now that's in our interview next.

as a biographer what attracted you to tolstoy he's a giant he was the great giant of the novelistic form great even the. great dr so that's what attracted me to him and the fact that ever since i had really become a serious researcher in my teens it was his novels that i regarded as the greatest tell stories books i'm thinking specifically of war and peace consistently tops these lists of the best book ever do you agree with these kinds of ranking. you can't really compare war and peace with any other novel he himself said it wasn't a novel and it isn't really a novel it's a book about everything it focuses yes all the years you know five campaign culminating in a battle of our salutes and then the invasion of eight hundred twelve but the further it is on you realize that it's a novel about the whole of russia and also it's a novel about personal regeneration. toast i was as much if i lost the fact as of

right chad what do you think income to say is his philosophy in life if you think of that really quite early work of his has arky the cossacks there's a moment in that when only in who's been hunting. for the deer and there's all covered in that is beautifully described fantastic scene and he's all alone he doesn't quite know where he is in the caucasus covered in that very hot very sweaty and he suddenly gets down in the hole. where the itself has been lying and he has this strange feeling of life. reason. with which he's trying next to he's not sure whether the future life whether there's life after death but the significance of life itself for each one of those mosquitoes are biting him just as for him just as for the. warriors and justice of the muslims

they're supposed to fighting there's an extraordinary significance in every single life and he has all his thoughts about being an heiress to trapped being a member of society in wall street they mean nothing to him what matters is this feeling of the sacredness almost the holiness of life and the importance of trying to live for other people now that's a very very early story and then when you get to the end of tolstoy's life and career the thousands of people who were following his coffin when he died they weren't following him because he was a great novelist they were following him because he had taught not only russia but the world how it ought to live how we should be less selfish how we shouldn't be wrecking the planet we shouldn't be fighting wars. so this early story in which only anyone has a sense of of the goodness of life the significance of life and how we should live more simply and more response to nature and to our conscience that really runs

through the whole of his life and he essentially underwent this transformation didn't he from high society author to spiritual and i k storm well what i was trying to say by mentioning because archy is that it's always there from the beginning actually this feeling that we are called to a deeper truer life away from the absurdity of society and so forth the tolstoy family were very grand i mean some of them were advisers to the emperor the family . on whom old principle construct more in pieces because his maternal grandfather was also very grand military and political figure tolstoy himself lived almost entirely in the country at his estate and yes my apology on the he never really. played a big part in the political life unlike his cousins caught in petersburg or in moscow but you're right to say there was this huge crisis in the middle of his life when he'd finished and i train you know which was

a fantastic success as was war and peace and i made him very very rich which he hadn't been before he'd been landed and he'd had peasants and he'd had the states but he wasn't very rich he then became a multimillionaire as we would say. and he had a crisis what's the point of it all there's a moment in his here where he said he couldn't even be in a room in the room with a piece of rope for fear that he would want to hang himself he then thought the way to live was to try to be like a peasant and for a few years he pretended that he'd by the way set up schools not only on his interstates but for vast acres and miles around the us and i probably on the starting education he was the great pioneer of russian education and even now they sometimes in some russian schools use his a.p.c. to teach people to read. so it wasn't just sort of pious try dreaming but having pretended to be a peasant he then went back to being the reasonable latin unmanned he was also i

was a deeply religious man but he did get into quite serious conflict with the orthodox chat well he was religious in this way that you get in the novels i think if you think of pierre or prince andrew in war and peace if you think of given in anatolian in that there's their worldly young man. soldiers or land owners and people very much like himself as to crafts with women trouble and all that and then they reach a crisis in their lives and they turn to what's it's all about a member prince andrew thinking he's dying. and then what it's all about is this great stride you can sort of. you can identify with the mystery of nature tolstoy was full of that to the end of his days where he parted company with the church was over the claim that for example the miracles were literally true all that the church had the right.