in the russian capital a second mass protest took place on saturday against the parliamentary poll results . moscow's biggest rally in recent history has come and gone without incident as thousands came onto the streets of the capital to protest against what they call a revolt and they want a rerun join me now way more details in central moscow. in syria the festive holiday spirit is broken by a new round of violence in damascus that leaves dozens dead. and do dubious resolution david cameron reveals plans for involvement in the oil rich somalia calling the country a threat to british security. very

warm welcome to you thank you for joining us three o'clock here in moscow thousands gathered in central moscow to protest against this month's parliamentary election results the rally was organized by opposition groups who say the poll was raked artes and they say now was at the scene. it's certainly fair to say that the head count of this saturday's rally beats that we saw it two weeks ago at below plan 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 to goal for free and fair elections you have mobs 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's parliamentary vote we saw several different faces of the opposition but also some celebrities it's fair to say he 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 alexey gudrid speak to the crowd he spoke officially on stage and he called for people who were involved in the so-called 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 almost immediately after the vote some of them sanctions others unsanctioned we heard reaction from both president ms vader 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 medvedev

a proposal about some mass reforms to russia's political system to see 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 to these. protesters not really leaders there are faces of the opposition some of them more well known than others one of the most well known as parties themselves he is supported by washington's national endowment for democracy he wasn't as well received as two weeks ago of course that might have something to do with the recent phone reporting scandal in which a conversations you had on the 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 hamsters 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 and 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 nirvana 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 he called for a million people to come out onto the streets certainly there is a feeling that crowds will continue to come out until their demands are met. and we have more from the russian capital for you all mine log on to our you tube channel for video from the heart of saturday's rally and you can get all the background on moscow's protest by heading to our web site that's arcsin dot com.

morning news today violence is once again flared up. in these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. giant corporations are all today . syria mourns the victims of friday's twin tower attacks where forty four people were killed and more than one hundred fifty one dead syria's muslim brotherhood has claimed responsibility while the arab league works to put a peace plan into action sara furthur looks at how the tragedy has dampened the people's holiday spirit. in damascus is the capital which until now has remained largely spared from the violence starts to feel the effects of an escalating conflict. on. the first day of the league's war it was a bloody tragic day the people of syria will never forget. this time to hear the

capsule is usually brightly lit it is christians who can succumb to the population get ready to celebrate christmas with these scenes of devastation are a harsh contrast and stark reminder of just how much the country has changed in the past nine months. last year it's christmas we used to wish and pray for people in other countries that were going through hard times with war we never thought that this year it would be. this year is totally different because of the situation in our country. the priests here at the planning. they're a mark of respect for the case. of syria people to avoid the external signs of festivities but to go. there one really feels like celebrating anyway when the

country's hospitals are full of casualties the government claims it's fighting militant groups sponsored from the cruel words the while the opposition visioning mocks bites and distance of peaceful protests it's now been joined by growing numbers of army defectors and has become increasingly arms on the months of crackdowns by the government and this violence spreads it's prevailing extremely hard to know exactly who is responsible for what. you have for instance. from somebody who is not. the government's. position that. this is a government. taxing killings to be met repeatedly with claim counter-claim an accusation. you know we have two. different views.

we don't. see more. you're a big 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 shaping for and that's for the violence to be stopped the christmas celebration. down this religious service will be happening people. against the with their country their. the tense situation in syria has made world headlines for over nine months now we've been one of the few foreign media channels allowed to cover the unrest in holmes damascus and other parts of the country in fact it's one of the top ten events that shaped nearly a whole year of news on our t.v. our correspondents are sylvia was in syria for much of the crisis and these are her

firsthand recollections. 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. when three foreign journalists arrive at a time when there was a media bad international journalist there will. be a syrian you can see behind me traffic is just about started 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. for us is that we saw the kind of. diverse opinions on what was going on there

was no clear. 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 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 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 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. after forty eight hours of

detention and torture they took all of my money and belongings and threw me out into the. streets. also spoken soldiers' families those who have been killed and you can wholesale feel that they are angry at the protesters because their sons have been lost fathers have been lost husbands have been lost so you can understand the point of view that they're coming from how console gers kill other soldiers this is impossible whatever media says this is plainly lawyer. speaking about fear tell you one incident we were supposed to interview one of the leaders of the national coordination council the local opposition. the interview was sets 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 to our fixer who translated

what it meant. it said you're working for the u.s. we're going to kill you. and so they were threats at the members of the n.c.c. particularly the leader. that was a scary time because we were just outside we didn't know whether they would come in and we asked their our interview are you scared he said you only die once. so the syrians are very i felt hospitable people but when 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. and so point. ever do 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 you can't get anything on film where you are in the center of the spirit. out there to show their support for the government that is up far cry from the images we've been seeing in all those cities and the country where there have been reporting lots of great resources and government photos however what they do about it where and this country whenever they'd be use about syria in the room you could be everything you suppose syria i would really pay attention and everybody here say that that's correct i don't think that's or not 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 big look through it through perspective rather than just what i

see. and every day right up to the new year will bring a more personal reflections from the correspondent who covered the biggest stories of two thousand and eleven and still to come on the program a controversial goodbye just days after u.s. troops withdrew from iraq our two takes a look at the legacy that some say they've left behind. and so glowing from the success of its intervention in libya a britain now turns outside to another oil rich african state somalia is seen as a training ground for terrorists with the potential to incite extremism among young british muslims its fate is going to be decided at a summit in london in february here's our tease laura smith. 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 to military intervention and reports

suggest that in the new year following the perceived success of the libyan campaign in government circles somalia could be the next target for u.k. forces newspapers as saying that the royal air force could be sent to help african union troops to support the weak u.s. backs transitional government equipment and money other main nations despite a tough economic situation. there 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 latest terrorist training ground british residents from a variety of backgrounds pakistan baghdad dash yemen has studied jihads 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 eight. rests but crucially somalia has lost oil and

gas reserves and other natural resources including the iranian which the u.s. and other countries have had their eye on for years many points also to somalia's to teaching position presiding over a large pots 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. the oil gas one of the biggest. community around here. most of whom are from the north pole and then saying to me. can we please have support to get a functioning system of government can pay. so you 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.

and if you feel like catching up on more news this christmas eve r.t. dot com and what you need here's what else is waiting for you online social networking is reaching some pretty out scary places you wouldn't believe it but now the christmas tree in central kiev in ukraine has its own twitter account you'll find the answer online plus. during the holidays norad the north american aerospace defense command is on a mission to make sure all those christmas gifts reach their home for destinations by keeping santa under close surveillance. the violence comes just days after u.s. troops said goodbye to iraq nine years after the invasion began over one hundred thousand iraqi civilians and thousands of american soldiers lost their lives in a 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 a 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 with confidence in the next twenty or fifty years iraq will be all we do here in the gulf region rival's a country. i think. now is a shame. and secure environment is 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 is the country better off a ladies are that they below and also the u.s. troop invasion of iraq in two thousand and three and the grave mistake he committed made the situation here worse there are so many mistakes committed by the u.s. military leadership especially in managing a civilian us banks here this had a negative effect because it 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 all people if you ask them who brings the threat of us to iraq he said usa. who would damage to the infrastructure of iraq he said. so i think. we must cooperate in order to. this. culture. hates. 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. police another mistake. because you want to stick is a great mistake it affects you. but is teach also

the future of 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. let's now take a look at some other news making headlines around the globe first to nigeria 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 security forces and affaires gun battle people living near the city's central mosque were asked to leave before armed soldiers moved tanks into the neighborhood the recent string of clashes began on thursday with boko haram campaigning to implement strict sharia law across the country. yemen has been shaken by own rest as security forces fire on massed crowds killing ten and injuring dozens officers use guns to your gas and water cannons against demonstrators in the capital sanaa they were demanding the former president. be tried for his long and violent crackdowns on

anti-government protests one power. thirty three ended last month when he handed over power to his vice president and exchange for immunity from prosecution . also catholics and protestants all over the world are starting to celebrate christmas in the biblical town of bethlehem over one hundred twenty thousand visitors have gathered for a midnight mass at the church of the native of the place where jesus is believed to have been born festivities are already underway in the u.s. u.k. and europe but also in iran where the holidays a very important holiday to the christian minority and in taiwan thousands gathered in the capital to take part in the city's christmas eve parade with city officials in santa suits and fake snow helping to spread the holiday spirit. while we have a seasonal treat in store for you later this hour as max cancer and stacy herbert give christmas itself their own unique treatment kaiser report is coming up soon.

after a leveraged hostile raid by kohlberg kravis roberts that was white knight in the firm from warren buffett of santa claus the seven elves unfortunately were working with him had to be sold into prostitution but santa was made whole and mrs claus unfortunately as debate cookies for the rest of her life in a gulag somewhere in the fast bowl things are still happening in sin as workshop states ever did you follow all the farrelly fans was stopped in at the kaiser report in the break matt let me check it out see what you got up it was very like it was max's back opening valuable oh oh. you got to remember. this is what syracuse really. did. this was one of the last call if they walked into the office looking together money managed that's how they walked out of the office well.

twenty twelve is set to be the year of the presidential election as people in the u.s. russia france and south korea will be going to the polls and with millions yet to make their choice the question is what makes a good modern day leader laurie harshness to ask the people 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 i equate intelligence with humor. i mean

say oh yeah a quick line do you think that sense of humor would be appealing in a world leader i think it's an international way of speaking you know everybody gets it and everybody likes it circumstances are controlled all the countries 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 they're true leader no we're honest with people is having the ability to lead people more important than having the intelligence or the right kind of policy. yeah i would say it is because you have to have a whole team of people that are actually implementing your work so you have to be able to provide that process for them you know 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. i mean you look from malaria and set up.

i mean he understood what it was what it was like to have nothing of thing those probably all 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 was used as a really man who was my vision was. what he was a man who really wants to lead 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 does that alter the very complex and the management this golden boy of a so shows. it's totally change your mind overhaul to be 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.

and us christmas celebrations continue across the world to we have live footage straight from bethlehem the place where jesus christ is believed to have been born that's now hosting the biggest event and palestine latest pictures are also streaming on our website our team dot com. coming up our financial guru max keiser explores how the u.s. and the u.k. are looking for ways to continue to cut their debt levels before that an update of the day's news headlines in just three minutes time.

this was the plant that was responsible for causing the world's worst industrial disaster and now it had been abandoned in a condition where it had become a source of pollution or the most recent study that was done shows that this water pollution and spreading. more than a hundred thousand people. walking and. ten times more likely to be born with birth defects in children.

in the sea as little as five hundred dollars for lifelong. unpunished.