i am. was that have was. was have. have have. happened.

was. at hand. how it had . happened. was which. was. what. happened was.

amazing russian.

officials have organized. the singing. russian. that's right the weather of course the news only warm as well we've been out here for a couple of our thought i don't know if we can say the same but usually it's much colder freezing actually this time of year now the temperature temperature is just hovering around zero which is. likely that means there will be minimum frostbite as people celebrate out on the streets and. of course we don't want to celebrate under the stars. they're all open all night in the majority i'm lucky right now. it's very not included in the early

days off then that holidays they also cover orthodox christmas without the graded on the seventh of january so plenty of time then to get some well their breath for another year of work wasn't as incredible fireworks so here's to twenty twelve without his very best wishes to everyone from moscow to say can't make every know it and this scenario the whole team in the background here as well on the riverside beside the moscow river where the kremlin lit up behind us the fireworks still going off hopefully we can bring you a better shot of those fireworks not just around the corner from us where no we've got a camera trained on them but look absolutely stunning what a super backdrop on the river here as well we see the pleasure boats going up and down people are reveling into the night as we usher in another new year twenty twelve. ok well through december first snowflakes of just filled with protesters on the

streets of moscow thousands were angry at the results of russia's parliamentary election results they made up the biggest opposition demonstration in russia's recent history all through it still through the devons although they demonstrations passed off peacefully though but despite some ominous predictions let's discuss that now with our correspondent at the products like karen teller hi there kyra and i know you're only is three so central moscow tonight. these were the biggest protests in the russian modern history take us through the rallies it. was a very happy new year to everybody were here in red square it's very loud very noisy fireworks going off of course this year seeing some of the biggest protests in russia in the past two decades the past united russia winning two hundred thirty eight seats out of the four hundred fifty in the parliament those results of the summer foreign elections bringing out some many. well onto the streets december

tenth on both the square you had protests there results showing about twenty five thousand people showing of course the opposition claiming that there are about fifty thousand people over again on december twenty fourth another result of the protest about fifty thousand thirty thousand people excuse me showing up their opposition claiming one hundred twenty thousand people calling for fair and free elections a mate's claims of ballot box stuffing and fraud so definitely a lot of people coming out onto the streets but for the moment right now everyone celebrating new year's having a great time and it's very noisy here as you can see. it is over before you disappear under enjoy your soda but it also just want to use a bring your soap today with thoughts about how the government don't where they go to the kremlin reargue. well the kremlin actually their reaction was very positive on the government apparatus president mediates even prime minister putin to insist

that it is the right of the people to come out and voice their opinion they do stand behind the people's right to speak right to voice their vote so to speak so that in that regard it has been a very positive reaction not to mention president medvedev and did address the situation and he sort of proposes many reforms mostly having to do with the parties in the way that they're elected at the moment you have something of ten thousand votes needed he wants to drop down that number to five hundred the way the president's run for election at the moment in order to run for the presidency an independent candidate needs something around two million votes a two million signatures and he would like that number dropped as well to something of three hundred thousand not to mention you have governors in russia at the moment be on the elected by the president also have been put forth so that governors are elected by the people the way it was back in the ninety's and. they did

a little way with that back in the two thousand so now we have yet to see how those proposals will play out twenty twelve but definitely a good reaction so far from the government and the president. but what about the opposition we spoke about this with one of our guests just before midnight who is leading it now and is it going greater influence with some thoughts about. well there are many different faces to the opposition you do have at the moment brokered of who actually put it is big for presidency and he is one of russia's billionaires the owner of the american basketball team the new jersey nets he hopes to completely our reelect the parliament at the moment if he is elected president you also how not just many many names eduardo hold up well actually today earlier today did have a protest like two hundred people showed up he was arrested and he was released

on paying a fine of people to not to mention mahdi snippets of a very popular opposition figure supported actually a very well known sunni supported by washington's national endowment for democracy and alex a money who is calling for a million man marches actually on his blog he is well known for the anti corruption activists and not so well known for his nationalistic line of the russia is for russians who are sort of anti-government movement so a lot of different races and the opposition. forces story whole rejoinder to cover and we will be covering it thoroughly you throughout this coming here for now colored chief thank you. will be both have been gathering in syntagma square throughout the evening in the greek capital which will both come twenty probably just two hours time under.

through hours time now the software has been this point of the mouse protests throughout the year and actually something a lot more like it sounds in moscow with these far worse lots of protests monson tear gas but that running country has seen its fair share of violence like i said gas and destruction let's talk to sara for a few days enough and has been covering the greek protests throughout the year and thanks for being with us this new year's there must be a different feeling on things that must wear now that compared to the rest of the year people are coming to celebrate i assume. that's not you know first of all a very happy new year if you will in most cases i must increase but here in greece still think in fairness to celebrate treat me isn't as cheap a latent as in pastas because of course it's been an extremely tough year for the people who. like debts like bad lousy at bias thirty matches that have really affected just say many people here in the country in real terms and many people that's meant job losses and he cheats numbers it's meant tax hikes is meant cost to

social services he's seen a new way the same listeners spring up in the country in the impacts of what has happened in the last year again to be felt a sense of the internet too for low long time to come here in the country and throughout the year he said it's made everyone very very nervous about what the year ahead holds as we've been finding out from some of the people here today on the streets a great. i'm not optimistic you know here in greece everything is sort of the bog sword of in any plan sort of for being but the history expect an uprising here in greece. because people won't stand any more those cuts very difficult very difficult here look one thing for christmas. that covering the event terry that the last you know what's really been months by is the huge motivation of the p. . people taking to the streets to have their say and to really try and bring about

real change in the country because of course as the euro crisis has continued we see in the us i need this continued inability really to stand the own going situation and the people here have certainly made their voices heard in many ways this year it was greece that one of the smallest members of the euro you say that really made everyone sit up and take note of what was going on with this year quite this and of course we've seen that spread to so many other countries in the usa as well getting food into the next instantly people here are going to want to be saying much more decisive action. but they're what kind of changes i mean actual changes can we expect over the next coming of lungs from this new green government in two thousand and twelve. where the next year is going to pretty crucial for greece but especially the next few months the decisions that are getting to be made against me was very very closely because greece's future was in the euro is indeed

the future of the euro is a in itself has never been more uncertain in fact we were also put that a lot would be happening in twenty twelve well even taking a real gamble with your money because one thing the euro crisis has been monks by is uncertainty and certainly there are no guarantees now moving full what's going to happen any years' time this might not be worth the paper it's printed on you know what that it's night is new year the people here are going to want to celebrate and have a temporary reprieve from what's been an incredibly tough year instantly there's going to be hard times ahead. all right our sara perth reporting live from athens where people are celebrating the upcoming new year's and to reach out in just under two hours of course after a very difficult two thousand and eleven banks are and happy new year's to you enough. to support the situation in greece so they did the rest of the eurozone which has been going through its toughest economic test yet. talk to professor of

the u. competition lord of the technical university of berlin one of our experts as we talk to assert a lot of last year dr marcus padley joining us on the line from paris thank you for being with us tonight has appreciated it's been a tough year. for the whole eurozone with the fate of the single currency hanging by a thread still what do you think twenty twelve is likely to bring. about two thousand and twelve is going to be the decisive year for the euro. we have to be breaking decisions. which means that we could even take into consideration whether or not to split up the u.s. all the euro will not survive anyway. rescue practices as we have see this form one of the have used by no will not be able to continue because it is only curing the syndromes treating the symptoms without trying to put an end to the fundamental

mismatch within the eurozone but there is a lack of competitiveness for some countries so that we have a sub optimal currency area this is the fundamental problem either we are going to solve it all the asking to be. even a unilateral split up of the eurozone. leaders or course during the very level best they say to try and solve the set to meet again at the end of january to discuss the new interim government treaty to ensure those tough budget controls are not deeper fiscal union everyone's been talking about will it be enough though is a big question of course. it is not enough and it is to italy unsuitable to bring an end to the and listen to your crisis because it doesn't cure the fundamental mismatch which we have in the us and we will not solve this by tightening fiscal control or even going further to fiscal union going further to fiscal union to having tighter controls mean that the. nation states give up

a fundamental part of democratic policy that is a fiscal policy taxes but they no longer decide about major param it is of their national sovereignty i think that would be great with systems and apart from that but it will not solve the compared to last compared to just a problem of lee's portugal spain and perhaps italy so we have to find a totally new method a new approach to the problems of the u. currency area otherwise. we will have and lot of meetings in brussels which will be outdated with decisions being mixed with misunderstandings which are behind the markets the markets are expecting tough decisions for structural reform of the eurozone in order to melt this down to something which is homogeneous of to survive all of those things will not bring us a cure of the problems. ok thank you for your thoughts of the program it is much

appreciated professor of you competition or the technical university of berlin that dr marc is curve on the line from paris thank you. all twenty twelve is yet to reach the united states of course where the east coast is nine hours behind us here in moscow but what he does arrive it promises to be a busy year and he called for it occupy protests will go on the economy needs some work and there is the small matter of a presidential election barack obama is running for a second term but against who is still to be decided let's cross to the big apple now and get some more insights marty's report a very happy new year to you well for us at least good to see you again obama's approval rating a slump since he was elected one of the reasons for this and whatever happened to yes we can. well it seems as though that yes we can our slogan was a lot easier to chant at stadiums campaign. then turn into action when assuming office

because for the past three years u.s. president barack obama has faced an increasing amount of disappointment among his volunteers full of volunteers former voters and when he came into office those that supported him in the health temp break records when it came to campaign contributions that he received did see obama come into office under the umbrella of the promise of change and then followed an extended what many perceive to be bush era policies such as doubling down on the patriot act and extending tax cuts for the rich also increasing drone attacks in this at the same time corporate profits have increased here in the united states over the past three years while more americans are suffering in the wake of the financial crisis so while many americans put their beliefs and their hopes into candidate obama three

years ago many have been publicly speaking out over their disappointment with regards to the actions that he has taken i spoke with one person recently that said when they voted for him they really thought that they were voting for someone that was going to stand up on behalf of the american people and defend all the you know with hard working americans and now they feel that barack obama ultimately is part of the so-called one percent the that the occupy wall street movement has a point. still so. obama's competition shaping up with this ploy is really would be worried. well it looks as though according to polls that u.s. has a bronco obama will possibly most likely secure a second term and there are two. candidates that he should be obviously paying much

attention to and i would say that would be mitt romney and ron paul because those are the two republican candidates that are leading the polls in iowa where the first us caucus will take place on january third so there is competition for us president barack obama it's not a landslide by any means. but he does at least almost half of the country's approval rating so going into a second term a possible second term that doesn't look so bad but it will be a fierce election one we will be reporting on and paying attention to you in the meantime happy new year's to the both of you guys there in moscow. do as well of course you'll be seated in a couple of. live from new york which as i said to ring in the new year which comes in just under nine zero zero that's right. ok well thing with us now we can cross to boston present inside and pinion from one rock obama's political line both

part. is the executive director of the libertarian party and not a party you hear a lot about how your party is the burn largest and fastest growing political worth in america what makes you different to the republicans and democrats and how come we are so little about the libertarians in the us media. the republicans in the democrats are basically big government they raise taxes increase government wage wars and get all all over the backs of businesses which hurts our job market the libertarian party fields candidates who are much who are for much smaller government for downsizing big government for staying out of foreign entanglements for lower taxes less regulation much less government. other republicans and democrats all going thread months arguing over laws someone's not even. years how different are the two parties in reality in terms of domestic

and foreign policy if we focus in on. the democrat republican politicians are virtually the same ones wearing a blue jersey ones wearing a red jersey they're like a football team both playing the same game their rhetoric tries to draw distinction tries to make one look for peace and one for war one for welfare and one against one for higher taxes lower taxes but the reality is if you look at their voting records they are both voting for higher government spending higher taxes they're sending our troops to war all over the world and they are encroaching on the economy and hurting the job market they are virtually indistinguishable the libertarian party in contrast is the opposite we're for shrinking government were for getting government off of people's backs both in their private lives and in the economy and they're in our businesses so that we create jobs so that we restore american prosperity. but how much political leverage do parties like yours actually

in terms of influencing the political system in america. our potential for influencing the reelect in the elections is huge which is why they keep trying to keep us out of the limelight and trying to block our campaigns in a number of ways but the despite their efforts the libertarian party is growing we now have a republican and the day ron paul running for president who is actually winning in the polls in iowa stands a chance to actually become the president of the united states who is running on a libertarian agenda we also have libertarian candidates vying for the libertarian nomination for president as well as libertarians up and down the ticket at local office state office and federal office all of these candidates pose a potential for winning or for changing the outcome of the election or to minimum changing the conversation of the election so voters start to realize that they do have a choice for much. moller government. call it it's kind of

a here for you for most go it would have a chip if i could president obama's though baking is paid for reelection other only really little tentative to him at the moment do you think. most certainly the most notable right now is republican ron paul who i mentioned is is a lifetime member of the libertarian party and running on a libertarian agenda he has proposed shrinking the federal budget by one trillion dollars by bringing our troops home by ending the federal reserve which controls our money in the united states there is most certainly an alternative to president obama. in that candidate and the libertarian party is expected to field candidates as well former governor gary johnson of the state of new mexico recently announced his bid for the libertarian nomination we had lee wright and a host of other candidates also vying for the nomination for the libertarian party will present a stark alternative to president obama's big government policy is. going

to last question what are your predictions for the next twelve months of american politics. well you know i don't like to go too far on this question because alternately we need to give voters a choice and let them be the ones who decide and polls are often wrong and predictions are often wrong but that said i think it's fair to say that something very different is happening in america this year the poor economy is getting people more and more frustrated the endless entanglements and foreign wars that never panned out to be what they are they claim to be. and the fact that democrats and republicans have reached repeatedly failed to do anything to write the economy or to stop the encroachment on our personal liberties high taxes and big government so there is a rise with the tea party movement with a libertarian movement with strong libertarian. candidates in this country like we

have never seen in my lifetime we stand a real chance this year and in coming years to turn american politics around and start to truly downsize the government and restore freedom. libertarian party of the u.s. joining us live from boston the thanks ever so much as you said earlier on for a happy new year to you. well can north africa now where the arab spring uprisings were arguably the most significant events of the last twelve months protests are still raging across the region even after regimes were toppled let's go now to our correspondent reena glues good she's in the egyptian capital for us karl rove it was one of the center of the arab spring uprising in egypt of course where you are this new year's eve an uprising in february saw president mubarak forced out it was the second country hit by the so-called arab spring revolutions

after tunisia share your experience of covering the events as. well of course as you mentioned the first it was to media where the uprising started which essentially gave birth to the entire phenomenon all of this so-called arab spring that on words spreading throughout the entire northern african region we saw been a lead toppled in tunisia then we saw hosni mubarak go down in egypt and of course finally it was down to lead with the ousting of more of marco duffy and his subsequent death of course poverty unemployment corruption the lack of freedom of speech all of these things were what people in all of these countries were asking for of course whether or not they actually got them as a whole entire question it was a very very trying year for all of these countries in some cases like in tunisia after the ousting of ben ali and some of the things that they have asked for they have not gotten the unemployment has got not poverty has actually increased some of the regions are still to me a still remaining on attendance for. if clashes continue of course then in libya

the national transitional council still is suffering from the internal strife unable to decide who exactly will lead the country's so where is the situation that was very streamlined complicated all of these places with bloodshed violence and demonstrations of course all of this is now behind in the year of two thousand and eleven we have yet to see what the year two thousand and twelve will bring. what exactly re doha is covered here where you talk to the three revolutions there that brought change to the arab world the one of the other countries seeing protests which have not resulted in a change of power what future for them. well of course the we how far reign we have to get in and we have syria all of these countries are also going through an extremely difficult situation right now. in fact russian foreign minister sergei lavrov said there is an all out civil war going on in yemen there were clashes between the protesters and police today in bahrain and we always get the same reports from syria with the rumored thousands of people supposedly killed in

clashes with the government's hopefully the situation those countries will soon unravel in a different way with less bloodshed with less violence and hopefully the year two thousand and twelve will be happy one for them as well as for the entire region. exactly artie's the ridiculous could live from the egyptian capital the thank you ever so much color of course set to ring in the new year just want to two hours off to moscow. to go. but we have some news just in for you in fact with new year's eve u.s. president barack obama has signed into law the latest round of tough sanctions against iran this is something we've been talking about the past couple of days just coming up to new year's is expected to ratchet up the pressure on the islamic nations with relations between the two countries already an all time low well he also brought into force the legal light of the u.s. .