huell by his successes in libya david cameron reveals plans for involvement in the oil rich somalia now describing the country is a threat to british security. live from moscow this is r.t. it's nine pm moscow time my name's kevin zero in our top story for you thousands gathered in central moscow to protest against this month's parliamentary election results the mass rally was organized by opposition groups who claim the vote was rigged artesian this now it was at the scene of the demonstration. it's certainly fair to say that the head count of this saturday's rally beats that we saw two weeks ago at but last night as square official figures we're hearing from the interior ministry is that thirty thousand opposition is saying some hundred thousands but certainly tens of thousands of people came onto the streets of moscow today to call for free and fair elections you have lots of different political

groups here people that just came out and say they're not part of any political group that in fact they don't want this to be politicized they want to just come out and have their demands made and what they're demanding is a rerun of december as part of the mentary vote we saw several different faces of the opposition but also some celebrities it's fair to say we will procure of who of course is a relatively new politician who's running for president in march showed up he didn't speak to the crowd like was expected but he did go around and really talk to people it looked a little bit from afar like some kind of campaigning really and what he did say was that if he becomes president he would dissolve this this state duma and call for new elections we also saw former finance minister alexis accouterments speak to the crowd he spoke officially on stage and he called for people who were involved in the so-called of vote rigging to be brought to justice and called for a snap elections in terms of the parliament well as soon as we saw protests which happened in almost immediately after the vote some of them sanctions others

unsanctioned we heard reaction from both president medvedev and prime minister putin saying that protests are encouraged in terms of people coming out and voicing their demands and that's important for russia's political development and important that people are politically active as long as it stays within the law but we also just two days before this rally heard from president makes very good a proposal about some mass reforms to russia's political system disease centralized power from moscow but also to create more of a representative proportional system in the russian parliament there are a lot of different political parties and organizations that have been coming out. these protesters not really leaders there are faces of the opposition some of the more well known than others one of the most well known is bertie's numb solve ai he is supported by washington's national endowment for democracy and he spoke to the crowd today he wasn't as well received as two weeks ago of course that might have something to do with the recent phone recording scandal in which conversations he

had on his phone were leaked to life news and there you could blatantly hear him rudely speaking about other opposition leaders in fact he was booed a bit by some of the people standing in the crowds perhaps because he called some of the protesters hamster's probably the biggest speaker of the day was next in the bar and he's really the rising star of the opposition he's an anti-corruption activist well known for his russian blogging very well known here in russia and becoming more and more well known in the west you certainly become a star of the media i think it's fair to say he was detained at one of the earlier protests after the elections and stayed in detention for fifteen days so this was the first time he spoke publicly after being released and he was very well received well you don't hear a lot about never know is his nationalist trends if you ever go and read his wife you can read about some of his movements and his words what he's calling for is for more and more people to come out to these next protests that are being planned today he called for a million people to come out onto the streets and certainly there is

a feeling that crowds will continue to come out until their demands are met. but isn't this an hour they were closely following the developments in the russian capital online to log on to you tube channel see full video footage from the site of the rallies calling for these new transparent elections you girls go to background as well about moscow's protests on our website for the cover there reality dot com. more news today violence has once again flared up. these are the images the world seeing from the streets of canada. giant corporations rule the day. you watching our t.v. coming up behind the scenes of the big news. after the interview was finished they

all came up to us and said get us on camera we want to see what we feel. there was one of the few foreign correspondents allowed to report from syria she looks back at the anger and the fear she countered that. but before that staying with syria the country mourns the victims of friday's terror attacks forty four were killed and more than one hundred fifty wounded in twin suicide bombings in damascus syria's muslim brotherhood claimed responsibility while the arab league works to put a peace plan into action r.t. sarah firth reports. chaos and confusion in damascus as the capital which until now has remained largely spared from violence starts to feel the effects of an escalating conflicts. on. the first day of the league's war it was a bloody tragic day the people of syria will never forget these terrorists this kind of here the capsule is usually brightly lit is christiane's here comes the ten

percent of the population get ready to celebrate christmas but these scenes of devastation are a harsh contrast and a stark reminder of just how much the country has changed in the past nine months. last year at christmas we used to wish health and pray for people in other countries that were going through hard times with war we never thought that this year it would be us. this year is totally different because of the situation in our country. the priests here planning their own mark of respect for the coast. of syria our people to. avoid the external. but to go. there when really feels like celebrating anyway when the country's hospitals are full of casualties the government claims it's fighting arms militant

groups sponsored from abroad meanwhile the opposition originally marked by its insistence on peaceful protests it's now been joined by growing numbers of army defectors and has become increasingly arms are the months of quite downs by the government and this violence spreads its prevailing extremely hard to know exactly who is responsible for what. you have for instance. from somebody who is not. the government cleans it is it your position. and do you oppose and clean as a zoo government. taxing killings have been met repeatedly with claim counter-claim an accusation. you have to use two different views to use the. we don't turn means to see who is more. to the truth one of the arab league team

will be attempting to cut through the rhetoric and discover his version of events is most accurate they many remain skeptical about how much they'll be able to achieve but there's one thing that everyone here is hoping for and that's for the violence to be stopped the christmas celebration. down this religious services will be happening people. are going to be with their country there are the. the permanent members of the u.n. security council are still a dogs over how to act on syria russia wants a balanced resolution calling on all sides to lay down arms but the u.s. and its allies seem committed to putting the blame on president assad's regime political analyst thinks the west has a very specific agenda for syria's future. the reason they would want to provoke regime change is to put in place

a government that would be friendly to us and its allies interests and of course to enable those interests to control strategic resources in syria and throughout the region which is the same case that we saw in libya i mean the whole justification of protecting the population was really just a front to be able to overthrow and assassinate really a moammar gadhafi and put in place a government that would be friendly to the u.s. we have to remember that right after the obama administration which drew troops from iraq to some of those were relocated to the border of syria from jordan and in preparation of arming this conflict and possibly engaging in it as well and i think that these terrorist attacks are part of that or part of maybe a justification to say hey there needs to be a stronger military presence from abroad in order to prevent further military conflict internally in the country that could result in the deaths of so called innocent civilians the unrest in syria's dominated world headlines since march

that's one of the top indeed showed nearly a whole year of news to you as well. as by the lot of time reporting from syria some of her thoughts about the crisis. well when we went to syria it was sometime in october and the situation was getting very tense there so our flight arrived at the around three in the morning so you can imagine the surprise and the shock of security forces when three foreign journalists arrive at a time when there was a media bad international journalists there but we're here in the center of the assyrian capital you can see behind me traffic is just about starting to flow again going into the city damascus was rather peaceful it was quiet although very tense still because everybody knows what was going on in the country. and what's

interesting i think most before for us is that we saw the kind of. diverse opinions on what was going on there was no clear two sides even there were more than two sides it was not i want the regime or i don't want the regime. and there was one time you were interviewing a young man and he was rather critical of the government so he gave his point of view and what you didn't see on the camera is that there was a group of men around him and us listening to what he was saying. and afterwards after the interview was finished they all came up to us and said get us on camera we want to see what we feel. and then we also spoke to those people who were protesting specifically those who were on the streets in how to stop that's about twenty minutes outside of damascus one of the guys that we interviewed he actually

disappeared for two days and he said he was held by security forces he was beaten up after forty eight hours of detention and torture they took all of my money and belongings and threw me out into the. st. we also spoke with soldiers' families those who have been killed and you can't wholesale feel that they are angry at the protesters because their sons have been lost fathers have been lost husbands have been lost and you can't understand the point of view that they're coming from you from how console jer's killed their soldiers this is impossible whatever media says this is plainly lawyer. speaking about fear look out tell you one incident we were supposed to interview one of the leaders of the national coordination council the local opposition. the interview was set and he when we called him he said i might have to cancel because we there were security forces we think who were

at the office and they wrote some threats on the wall. we had our fixer who translated what it meant. it said you're working for israel the u.s. we're going to kill you. and so they were there wrecked threats at the members of the f.c.c. particularly leader. that was a scary time because we they were just outside we didn't know whether they would come in and we asked there are interview are you scared he said you only die once. so the syrians are very i felt hospitable people but when it comes to political talk when it comes to expressing a political view in a crowd it can really get heated they would. jostle at the rally that we went to it got pretty rough. our camera. and so forth.

everywhere you know but that is your job you go in there he try to get you try to do what you can to try to film as much as you can try to put it in as much context and we had to tell sometimes. to tell people please calm down otherwise we can't get anything on film heard here on the steps of the syrian capital where the balance of gathered show their support for the government it was a far cry from the images we've been seeing in other cities of a country where there have been reporting a lot of the great force i don't see the government protesters however what they get. nowhere and this country whenever they would be to use about syria we're never going to be everything you suppose syria i would really pay attention and bother everybody here and say i think that's correct i don't think that's or got stopped as precise as i think it was so i'd like to think that because of my trip there and my experience there. that when i see something about syria i

don't take it at face value i remember everything that i had gathered and would look through with through that perspective rather than just what i see. a colleague now every day right up to the new year we bring you more personal reflections of the correspondents who cover the biggest stories of the year you can also see them on our website as well r.t. dot com these stories also waiting on line for you if you want to mimic know your rights the city of los angeles is pushing people detained in the occupy l.a. protests to take classes now about the first amendment to learn the proper way to exercise free speech also live pictures live events this is the latest coming through now from bethlehem continue the biggest catholic event to celebrate christmas in palestine we've also got the latest pictures as well there was streaming again online still tenuously dot com if you want to check out more of what's happening.

spurred on by the apparent success of his intervention campaign in libya britain is now turning to another oil african rich state somalia is seen as a training ground for terrorists with the potential to incite extremism one british muslims in this faith's going to be decided at the summit in london in february and correspondent laura that reports. in the words of prime minister david cameron somalia is a failed state that directly threatens british interests his solution options ranging from humanitarian aid right through it's a military intervention report suggested in the new year following the perceived six acts of the libyan campaign in government circles somalia could be the next

target for u.k. forces newspapers is saying that the royal air force could be sent to help african union troops to support the weak u.s. banks transitional government's equipment and money other. nations despite a tough economic situation. there are around a hundred thousand somalis living in the u.k. making up one of the largest muslim groups according to m i five somalia is the native terrorist training ground where british residents from a variety of backgrounds pakistan baghdad dash yemen go to study jihad the risk is that they then come back to the u.k. and carry out terrorist attacks there's also the threats of piracy and the kidnapping of aid workers and tourists but crucially somalia also has boston gas reserves and other natural resources including uranium which the u.s. and other countries have had their eye on for years many points also to somalia's

strategic position presiding over a large part of oil transport routes through the gulf of aden you usually find when the military strategists are planning long term intervention somewhere. i'm looking at political second. gas one of the biggest because a huge somali community around here that i represent most of whom are from the south. and they're not saying to me. they're saying can we please have support to get a functioning system of government and peace in somalia some see this as a direct result of the perceived success by the government of the campaign in libya operation me to oust gadhafi successful next stop somalia. coming up a controversial good boy u.s. troops from iraq takes a look at the legacy that's. left behind. wrapping up more world news before that

from around the globe first to nigeria there at least sixty one people have been killed in days of unrest in the northeastern part of the country members of the radical muslim group boko haram clashed with a. kuti forces in a fierce gun battle people living near the city's central mosque are also asked to leave before armed soldiers move tanks into the neighborhood the recent string of clashes began on thursday with boko haram campaigning to implement strict sharia law across the country staying in africa a governor's been shaken by an restive security forces fire on master plan killing ten injuring dozens of us is used guns tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators in the capital sanaa they are demanding that former president alley a dollar celeb be tried for his long and violent crackdowns on anti-government protesters are you still in power so those thirty three year rule ended last month when he handed over power to his vice president in exchange for completed military from prosecution. iraqi vice president has said the government was behind

thursday's series of bombings that killed dozens of people in baghdad. meek claimed such a large scale attack was impossible without some kind of help from the authorities he fled to iraq's kurdish region after an arrest warrant was issued against him for terror charges at least sixty eight sure the baghdad on thursday by multiple roadside. and the violence comes just days after u.s. troops said goodbye to iraq of course nine years after the invasion began over one hundred thousand iraqi civilians and thousands of american soldiers lost their lives in the war that cost america a trillion dollars now many iraqis say the war was a mistake and they're sending that message very clearly to u.s. leaders our correspondent sean thomas reports. packing up to head home it may be easy to overlook the total costs of war at least one hundred fourteen thousand iraqi civilians killed as well as four and

a half thousand american soldiers millions displaced from their homes not to mention a one trillion dollars financial burden still the former occupiers leave behind some words of encouragement i can say it with confidence that in the next twenty or fifty years iraq will be a leader here in the in the gulf region that rivals any country inside of the gulf region i think that iraq now is a safe and secure environment it's not a safe and secure is as it should be or it will be but it's it's progressing very well the american occupation of iraq saw the fall of the baddest regime the capture and execution of deposed leader saddam hussein and the implementation of a democratic government but now nearly nine years later these are the country better off well it is i that they below and also the u.s. troop invasion of iraq in two thousand and three and their grief mistake he committed made the situation here worse there are so many mistakes committed by the

u.s. military leadership especially in managing civilian aspects here this had a negative effect because i said that in fact many here say it was the american mismanagement of iraq and that led to the rise of sectarian violence in the country people if you us who brings the threat of us to iraq. he said usa. damage to the infrastructure of iraq he said. so i think. we on american must cooperate in order to. put up this. culture that hate. between two peoples the timeline for u.s. troop withdrawal was set in two thousand and eight and while the obama administration initially tried to extend the deadline the official transfer of power came sixteen days ahead of schedule on december sixteenth two thousand and eleven right now the u.s. and iraqi governments are working on a new type of diplomatic relations building

a new type of trust if you will but now the next step is in the hands of the iraqi government to move the country forward as america's influence waned political infighting and sectarian divisions in the iraqi parliament have diminished as well giving iraqis hope for a strong future but as iraq prepares to move past this dark chapter they have a message for their former occupiers to our friends america that the police don't another amnesty. because you are a mystic is a great mistake and it affects you. but is teach and also your future relations and friends are few right now in a region in which america's reputation lies and friends in the eyes of many in iraq sean thomas r.t. . so twenty twelve is almost here with us said it's set to be the year of the presidential election as the u.s. russia france and south korea all go to the polls with millions yet to make that

choice the big question is what makes a good modern day leader new york resident or half of his gauged opinion all about that on the streets of the big apple. important elections will be held in many countries in two thousand and twelve what's it going to take to be a good leader in today's world this week let's talk about that what do you think is the most important quality for a world leader to have right now just empathy for what's going on right now just the inability to be able to be flexible just with the american people the people the world and a lot of patience and i equate intelligence with humor. i mean say oh yeah a quick mind so you think that i sense of humor would be appealing in a world leader think it's an international way of speaking you know everybody gets it and everybody likes it that circumstances are controlled all the countries right

now so somebody step up and take the reins you know would you follow someone that was strong like that even if you didn't necessarily believe yes yes they're true leader no we're honest with people absolutely is having the ability to lead people more important than having the intelligence or the right kind of policies. yeah i would say it is because you have to have a whole team of people that are actually implementing your the work so you have to be able to provide that process for them well is it important for them to have money so that they understand how it works or is it important for them to not have so much money so they're in touch with people who is probably important for them to have come up having no money i mean look at great leaders nelson mandela i mean you look america came from malaria ended up. i mean he understood what it was what it was like to have nothing that's probably what made him such a good leader of course for me it was a new a positive. kennedy was was of one the leader of my mind really man.

my vision was and what he was a man who really wants to lead the nations to the future do you think it's possible in today's world or is it too different a time now than it was in the path of sort of this totally different because of global war it is a. very complex and not easy to manage met us including by. it's totally change of mind over how to leave the people no matter what qualities we'd like to see in the new world leaders of two thousand and twelve let's just hope we aren't too disappointed in who they turn out to be. all the way very soon all financial expose of the u.s. and u.k. looking for ways to continue to cut the debt levels. of the day's news headlines here from moscow thanks for being with us.

wealthy british style. time right time.

markets why not come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to kaiser report on our. year in bygone days dogsleds were vital to get around. but today they're more leisure than life line. one drives people to quit their modern lives and settle in remote woods. one finds them up to survive in the freezing cold. a new beginning in russia's north discover the arctic circle on r.t. . for. the russian military soon

which brightened a few nibbles song from finest impressions. whose friends don't totty dot com. says out here moscow our top story tonight thousands of turned out to rally in the russian capital in a second mass protest the largest yet against last month's parliamentary poll result the opposition claiming the vote was rigged and they want to rerun while the government's promised political reform according to police no one was detained during the moscow protests. in syria or people for christmas the new year is pace and there's no festive mood in the air as the latest round of violence leaves dozens dead amid the escalation.