and the one of the main the business advance of the past year is the launch of the nord stream pipeline or tell you all about that in the business both in later for our. news and much more twenty four hours a day this is our tale carrot top story with more than twenty people reportedly killed in fresh violence in syria fifty arab league monitors are heading to the most turbulent city of homs due to assess president assad's response to the anti-government protests but middle east experts here incidentally doubts the observers can be objective you have to kind of look at the history of the arab league which today many many critics might refer to as the american league or the british league or the french league i don't think that it's an independent we and i

don't think that anyone or many i believe many people would agree with me when i say that it's not clear whether their interests are with the interests of the of the arab people i think it's clear that there are. opposing sides in still in syria right now there is the government but the government has different layers and their opposition groups and they're not all united. well director of the beirut based center for middle east studies says he doubts the observers can tell the difference between armed insurgents and peaceful civilians no one can deny the presence of the answer vary in syria even hillary clinton did recognize this and said they are well equipped and well trained like that there are many. as they mix between civilians and children because when they talk about thousand of people killed in syria they don't mention that this is civilians and also we cannot deny that.

about two thousand soldiers. or. those observers are going to see the you see on there and was going on. the claim that extremists fighting in syria shared by some foreign journalists working on the ground hearing tells us in detail later however by some forces to turn the conflict into a full scale civil war or failing here's what's ahead next. i think that the reaction to destabilize the country. we see a lot of people killed but this is not. quite. like. using proxy. can see. the

problem because. it's three years since garza was pounded by relentless israeli bombing and invasion the last twenty two days offensive killed almost fifteen hundred palestinians many families being wiped out for many the battle has now shifted to the courts as artie's put. i judge is unusual not because he laid a claim against the israelis but one victory though is bittersweet for you in the years on a broken man the israelis say their army has no morals morals are they talking about it. it was december two thousand and eight for three weeks israeli soldiers bombed the gaza strip killing nearly one and a half thousand palestinians for all to five were civilians at the same time hundreds of rockets fell on southern israel killing three israeli civilians. but i

couldn't get to my home for sixteen days because the israeli soldiers were firing all the time soon as they left i went there and inside on the walls the soldiers had written you'll find the bodies fifty meters away i found the body of my brother buried in the sand and the body of my sister much to cover with some bricks. solide took his case to the palestinian center for human rights in a person sitting moves they secured an out of court settlement with the israeli military it took so let's see weeks to achieve the bodies of his mother and sister because of continued fighting in the area these women military says this made the case exceptional and therefore justified with the way said sally was saved just under one hundred fifty thousand dollars compensation. if someone loses his leg or his hand up or his skills or injure him to leave all the money in the world in the are now. worth fighting for here is a financial compensation that it will offer some relief when. the palestinian

center for human rights has more than two hundred cases on its books but the heavy paperwork iraq received and expenses discourages many others from coming forward this man however is a rare exception he filed a claim three years ago and is still awaiting a response today. i'm told him it was an early morning there was showing any apartment above was on fire i want to start with my hands up in here the soldiers told me to pull off my shirt and trousers i did with a suit but they find iraq well behind me my mother had been blown apart i recognized her by the ears of my two year old daughter my father my aunts my cousin my entire family was killed at that moment but convincing israeli authorities that compensation is due can be a major obstacle if it's an act of war usually with the operation thought according to the israeli caseload. if eve before. then

the state will be exempt from or near the city with a judge's case will help other palestinians is not yet clear these radio army has also said it's opened an investigation into what happened but so far no indictment against any israeli soldier has been filed police here r.t. . well still ahead for you this hour getting to know kim jong il's successor he's a man of the world knows almost nothing about but who now runs north korea not a trace is the line back to switzerland meet a man who says he shared a classroom with kim jong un. last into delusion the drugs firms in the u.s. preying on americans pill popping culture and keeping the nation know while pumping profits. party has been reflecting on this year's most significant events and it's definitely been an unusual one for russian politics the ruling united russia party lost popularity in the parliamentary poll but that didn't stop protests

against the results artes and it's in our wake of the developments from the outset and shares now her experience of how it unfolded. well i think that day it became clear that russian politics are changing lots of people say that russian modern politics are stagnant that they're predicting bold but nobody that day expected that announcement to be made yes people expected and there was speculation that putin would run for president in twenty two but no one expected it as early as september. the first ten that this congress of united russia wasn't going to be as simple as just the platform for the duma lections being announced was glazier putin and to meet the demands made to entering the hall on time exactly when it was supposed to start together and that's

when the atmosphere inside the hall kind of changed everyone thousands of people at the same time you could feel the energy going something's going to happen today. first to come up on stage was putin and he made the big announcement which no one expected but he believes that top of the list for the duma lections in december. after that everyone thought ok that's it this is the big news we felt something in the air that something was going to happen and now it's been announced to me three minutes of age of will be part of united russia he will be the list that was in it . and then of course you have to do saying that he believes that. should run for president in twenty twelve and there was just this uproar explosion of applause at least certainly in united russia people there i think were genuinely surprised like i said no one expected this to come today they thought they were

coming to hear what their plans for the dumas elections were. the elections this year. were a big deal first of all because. clearly united russia has lost popularity and the ironic thing is you have people who referred to the vote to demonstrate how much they lose popularity but then also refer to the same exact vote saying that it was falsified so how can you refer to a vote that you don't think was real to demonstrate this kind of popularity think this was an interesting to thing to me as a journalist covering the elections. so we have a lot of western publications and networks referring to this popularity fall for united russia which certainly you can feel it happened a lot of people i think went out to vote against united russia it's not a secret that the opposition in russia for twenty years hasn't really been able to get it together you have these figures like journal. who are very well known and

and they are part of that whole stagnation because they've been around for years but you don't have any real opposition and i think that's what this young generation these so-called hipsters that that are part of social networking and are on twitter and facebook and trying to be part of politics that's what they came out to vote they really came out to vote to send a message to united russia and that became very clear they lost. you know two thousand and seven it was some sixty four percent and it's just under fifty percent this time around so clearly united russia has a lot of work to do in this became very visible in these elections also of course in the protests that we're seeing straight after the elections on monday we saw people come out to choose to approve the which is not very far from the from the kremlin thousands of people opposition members were arrested the interesting part about being in moscow at this time is to see how many different networks cover it

differently you have. russian state television only covering it when it gets really big you have western media covering any little meeting that happens in the center of moscow many times exaggerating the situation. and then the saturday after the election you really had it's fair to say a historic day in russia you had tens of thousands of people who came out to my square just around the corner from the kremlin it was the same protest some fifty thousand people is the most common number we have all the figures do vary depending on who you ask peacefully protesting for fair elections and you had the riot police and officials just letting them do their thing and their symbol really i think a really strong example of this these white flowers are these white ribbons and there's pictures of actual riot police holding these flowers and it was certainly a feeling that day for me that it's such an interesting time to be in russia and i'm glad to be someone that they can they can work on all of these stories and

cover elections and cover protests and and kind of be really in the big of it here in moscow not a far telling the story about russia from outside of russia but being in the center of it all. well every day right up to new year we'll bring you more personal reflections from our international correspondents on the events that dominated the news in twenty that. if you missed any you can watch them any time at r.t. dot com. north korea's lately that came will be buried tomorrow but what the world's to wants to know is where the often unpredictable country will go next three things are known about his successor except that he's in his twenty's and studied in switzerland what is where if a nationalist spoke to one of his former classmates the shed some light on the back on the heads of the world's most secretive country. can the death

of the north korean dictator has raised questions and hopes over whether the dictatorship one of the last in the world will follow or will this extremely close to society remain isolated and it's a new leader to so little is known about the late leader is the great successor his third and youngest son name is a bit of a dark horse even his age remains a subject of speculation his thought to be twenty seven all twenty eight you know his new ascension to power increases the media hunger for information about him so his expensive education in switzerland said lead tracked it a lot more interest an entrepreneur in moscow with russian origins alexander how good she believes he could have been one of kim's classmates when news prior that kim charney may have gone to an elite school in this week's margins in late ninety's the businessman brought out his all the book to refresh his memory there

were quite a few koreans. quieter than others. with the last name came. as kim is the most common name in korea alexander remembers the koreans always different from other students they were very disciplined very disciplined as a group of students. very serious for their actual. they wouldn't always take part in. fun and games at the other students were very hard studying to be top class they didn't like to lose although some think the deceased leader's son may be a figurehead overshadowed by his recently promoted uncle who thought to wield the real power alexander says the three years china has apparently spent in europe may change the country's future forever i think. it will make him realize that he has to do something good for his people for his country and make

a change in terms of. past experience has his knowledge of foreign languages and the skills that he managed to to attain being a world the outside world used to get most of the news from behind north korea's iron curtain through the country's strictly censored state run media covering the live of the secrets of society from the inside has been an almost impossible task for international journalists but the details now emerging about the new leader is exposure to the liberal west offer a glimmer of hope that he may ease bag the rigid control over the terran regime and begin to open north korea to the world and maybe their war old to north korea. r.t. . dot com has plenty of video comments and analysis for you to explore let's take a brief look at what's being lined up for you right now

a titanic task as the hundredth anniversary of the world's most notorious maritime disaster approaches eight fearless tourists head on a discovery dive to the legendary rock. band the polar bear cub that will melt your heart meet a little further who's already got millions of fans due to this cuddly video to tell you why he's had to be hundred in denver all the details of r.t. dot com. pakistan's army is rejecting the key findings from america's investigation into how it's drones killed twenty four pakistani soldiers last month u.s. probe saying that both sides should share the blame but also do little to restore

the all but shattered relationship between the two countries artie's military contributor says america is trying to offload responsibility for its blunders the results of the investigation regarding b u s unfortunate read. across the afghan pakistani border were neither conclusive for the u.s. military on the ground nor for the pakistani army in fact that pakistani military flatly denied their results in fact that pakistan or action to the pentagon investigation was totally predictable the pentagon announcement states that the u.s. forces involved in these baleful accident acted in self defense and be the appropriate use of force after being fired upon these particular awarding is an awkward attempt to exonerate the u.s. chain of command for taking such an erroneous and baleful decision and tacitly shift the blame to the pakistani side small wonder that pakistani leadership at

large and especially their military leadership what enraged by the conclusions of the pentagon investigation. more of the world's news now and first to japan where the scale of the nuclear accident at the fukushima nuclear plant is being blamed on a lack of preparedness and response phase a new government study found the plant's operators did not properly and the impact of the massive tsunami that struck in march the facility was severely damaged of the disaster and explosions at four reactors off their cooling systems failed officials said last week that the plant was now stable but winding down take decades to complete. a teenager has been stabbed to death in london's oxford street during one of its busiest shopping days in a teen year old was attacked in a footwear store before staggering into the street crowded with thousands of post

christmas bargain hunters a second man was wounded nearby in another stabbing shortly after. that incident was related fourteen people have been arrested. the flash floods which destroyed parts of the philippines have now claimed fifteen hundred lives decomposing bodies have been seen in the sea sixty miles from the worst hit areas has been widened with emergency crews continuing for as long as bodies are being recovered mostly dead have not been identified. the united states has a passion for pills the country holds the record as the world's biggest users of psychotropic drugs consuming sixty percent of them and pharmaceutical firms are keen to keep cashing in on the multibillion dollar market even if it costs people's health is artie's report not reports. america is regarded as a country with the ravenous appetite for consumption today a widespread fondness for pharmaceuticals has turned the us into

a nation of popper's bipolar depression doesn't have to consume here's me and here's my depression you know when you feel the weight of sadness you. they feel exhausted hopeless and anxious with over fourteen billion dollars in annual sales anti-psychotics remain america's top selling therapeutic class of prescription drugs this is a medical journal dr harriet fraud believes big pharma has manufactured a climate of insanity by manipulating and even creating illness for capital gains the advertising strategy is to have a big diagnoses and then find wiggle room so that they apply to everybody prescription nexium the u.s. is the only western country that allows direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs this ad for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder warns that untreated patients will likely end up divorced friend this commercial for his old

aunt emmy award this isn't to me you have to be alone but side effects may include dry mouth insomnia sexual side effects diarrhea nausea and sleepiness the critics also say big pharma uses its financial muscle to provide doctors with gives cash kickbacks and research funding in exchange for endorsing or perscribe the latest and most lucrative drugs what you have is a whole network of doctors who are hustling these drugs if a patient comes in with a knee injury and says i'm so sad oh are you depressed hey write a prescription. they're given out like eminem's last year per scription drug abuse became the number one cause of accidental death with more than thirty thousand americans overdosing on blood sugar has been reported mr pollack saw in medicines like it and in extreme cases can lead to calm down the number of children consuming

anti-psychotic medication doubled in the past decade millions of american adolescents are taking drugs like adderall doled out by doctors to treat hyperactivity only drugs are very very similar to illicit really good drugs is a very dangerous there one is a little safer but you're just not sure pfizer america's most profitable pharmaceutical company makes anti-depressants not only for people but also for atomised in two thousand i the form a giant p two point three billion dollars to settle civil and criminal allegations over illegally marketing one of its drugs it was the largest health care fraud settlement and terminal by two ever been paid by all u.s. drug companies that being said the money reportedly amounted to less than three weeks worth of buys or drug sales the pharmaceutical industry remains the most profitable business in the u.s. more success and financial gain for the companies will always remain possible as

long as more americans are encouraged to take drugs in a fortnight archie need. but a few minutes to russia reacts as we talk to the deputy foreign minister to assess the year's ups and downs and look ahead to the country's global prospects for next year that's off the business bulletin isha. it's twenty four minutes past the hour welcome to the business program here on r t as two thousand and eleven is coming to an end of business or two looks back at the highlights of the year the stews they will focus on the north stream pipeline one of the most important international projects in the energy sector it started taking gas from russia to germany in the for the major madrid don't call reports on what it took to launch the longest subsea pipeline in the world. they said it wouldn't be possible too expensive too long too complicated

nevertheless not stream came to life it took four years of planning and eighteen months of construction and the pipeline was launched on the eighth of november twentieth levon with the valve like a wheel of fortune turned in europe's favor let's now take a look at this map over here the whole goal of building this immense one thousand two hundred twenty two kilometer undersea pipeline is to deliver gas to europe and of void having to go through countries like ukraine which at times prove themselves as not safe partners to russia the first completed line is transporting twenty seven and a half billion cubic meters of gas a year and will double once the second one is completed and that's expected in the fourth quarter of twenty twelve this will be enough for twenty six million european households and around a half of what's currently going for ukraine north stream goes through the territorial waters of five countries so it took a lot of time to conduct all necessary ecological research to make sure it's safe

there for the four years in the making and of course a lot of money to seven point four billion euros to be exact this meant many experienced partners gazprom understandably took fifty one percent a majority controlling stake in the project germany's winter's hole and the yuan rule goes to fifteen and a half percent each and the french g.d.s. whereas hold nine percent each this excess of the project made gazprom confident and in september the shareholder agreement for south stream assisted to north stream was signed but now europe is worried is becoming too dependent on russian gas which already accounts for twenty five percent of its demand but with ongoing instability in the north african region projects like nordstrom and shore diversity and therefore security. and let's now take a corporate tech nark airfoil first crude prices are trading. flat near the highest levels and in about two weeks light sweet is that below one hundred dollars a barrel while brand to is trading at more than one hundred eight dollars

a barrel. and i want to trade is pretty thin in asia tokyo than a case dropping less than half percent given up some of the previous day's gains bucking the trend is toyota it's putting on almost a quarter percent after unveiling a new hybrid car they are quite monday and hong kong the hang saying remains closed for the holidays you're seeing the closing figures from a last friday. as so one hour ahead of the opening bell here in moscow the russian market saw monday had a pretty bullish day they gain the most in four trading sessions both the r.t.s. and the why sex vanished more than one percent on the block all eyes are on the u.s. markets now they'll reopen on tuesday after a holiday weekend if you're prior from troika dialog says the growth as likely to continue but in pretty low volumes. big positions will be opened or closed till the end of this year i think everyone will really kind of done what they wanted to do in the year but i wouldn't exclude some speculative trading and maybe some would be

trashing before the end of the year usually the last week of the year it's growing week so i would expect say ten or fifteen percent growth but i would be surprised to see both five maybe six percent growth through the end of the year. and that's all the latest from the business team i'll be back here in about fifteen minutes joined me about.

thank you. whether you dive from high or to the depths. catch the power of the wind or drift in the beauty of the currents. being well prepared is a must and if you're lucky enough. you'll never forget your experience we only need some ice cream that's going to be heaven. in the white see up close and below the ice on our t.v. . is easy.

to leave. all of that you're watching r.t. the headlines now arab league observers head to syria's most attendant city of homs to assess whether the government is keeping its end of the deal to stop the months long bloodshed but some experts doubt the mission of the independent and objective . tuesday marks three years since the gaza war and the israeli air strikes followed by twenty two days of bombings on the ground invasion barely fifteen hundred palestinians were killed in the offensive now many are seeking to.