is a sign that the gangs are actively trying to destabilize the country. right from the start the demonstrations were not truly peaceful and there were many incidents of. gangs perpetrating crimes against the army against the security forces against the civilians and of course there were denying it the so-called opposition denying it for a long time but now everything has become clear these terrorist acts these shameful terrorist acts are a clear indication that there are armed gangs and there are terrorists working in syria to disrupt life in syria they are not aiming the aggression only against the regime but against the whole syrian people and against the whole syrian obviously what we are witnessing in syria is not that evolution but actually it is a very ugly conflict to dismantle not only the syrian regime but to change the whole area it has nothing to do with democracy and freedom and that there are

certain forces international forces and local forces as well which are actually trying to change the situation in the geo political reasons. respective of the costs that will actually be imposed on the syrian people and on the whole area author and middle east expert believes the opposition is responsible for the attack and they are laying the groundwork for foreign military intervention . some of the opposition are saying there the assad regime organized this loss themselves but i think it's unlikely the fact is that the national coordination committee in istanbul which is being coordinated itself to a certain extent by nato. is not in control of all the forces on the ground so i think it's quite likely that the suicide bombing was carried out by an opposition force

and western governments like france saying that even if they did it the conditions had been created for them to do it something they never say about suicide bombs in . israel all countries which they are supported so i think the indications are that the bombing was carried out by the opposition to create havoc and to create reprisals and a response we truly make foreign intervention more possible i think they had any calls for nato in under whatever disk i o. occupying syrian airspace i don't really on justified in shouldn't be supported by anyone we've seen what the six month bombing of the libya has done on the ground the figures being touted now between twenty five and thirty thousand libyan people died in both bombing raids we do not want the same thing to happen in syria

and of course we have been following the developments in syria from the very beginning of the unrest for more analysis on the situation you can cross to our web site where we've got all the details on the suicide blast in the capital you can also follow our twitter feed and artie's facebook page for the very latest.

cooperation between the. well certainly people here are concerned by the latest developments they come at a particularly sensitive time in the region as the american president barack obama has signed into law sanctions that will make it very difficult for countries to buy oil from iran and what we're hearing from the israeli military is that it will reportedly be holding its biggest military drill ever with the united states and

what's important to note is that we're not talking here of only a military exercise we're talking about the deployment of thousands of american troops into israel what we're hearing from both sides is that they will be testing various missile systems against rockets and against missiles what we're hearing though from the iranian officials is that they believe that this is the latest and most blatant sign that israel is planning to attack iran and attack at some time soon the israelis of course denying this their announcement comes just ten days after the iranians held a military exercise near the crucial strait of hormuz but the israelis say that this announcement that they'll be holding this joint exercise with the americans is unrelated to the iranian exercise tensions certainly are running high here in the region what we're hearing from tehran is that they believe that the european union is waging an economic war against it and this is in light of the e.u. constituting imposing sanctions against iranian oil export exports and indeed if

this goes ahead it could be implemented by the end of january what we're hearing from iran is a threat that they in turn will close and block the oil trade through the crucial for more strait and they've also warned the american naval presence in and around the persian gulf certainly tehran is feeling the pinch of these sanctions that the international community has imposed and looking to impose against it the currency dropped to a record low after the american president signed into law those sanctions so what we're hearing from. iran is also that it's preparing its own navel exercises but these exercises will go ahead soon they part of a series that has been dubbed the great prophet so certainly that has people both here in the region and in the international community concerned. reporting for us there from jerusalem now sticking with this story jamal dean of the national

iranian american council in washington says a joint u.s. israel strike on iran is just around the corner and a massive middle east conflict is inevitable. we're getting closer and closer to war with iran. anybody who argues that this kind of extraordinary confluence of events planned exercises by the u.s. and israel the exercises that iran was doing in the in the persian gulf we have sanctions in place with no diplomacy the only way that that is through confrontation back in september the u.s. actually provided israel with an advanced radar and for the first time actually deployed. permanently deployed u.s. troops to israel that was a small contingent of a couple hundred troops what we see now though is this much larger exercise not unprecedented but definitely something that is going to have an impact right now as we see this sort of tit for tat in confrontation between the u.s. and he were on the idea is that were there to be

a massive war in the middle east presumably with iran that we would be ready to have set up command within israel and actually have israel set up a command center in europe at the u.s. european command iranian officials have said this they're going to consider any strike by israel a strike by the united states of course if you're looking for more detail of any of the stories you found here there's plenty more for you to be found online here's a quick look. a chinese zoo gets a double polar attraction during the new year holiday that's full story online for you plus. another cash injection to boost russia's landmark bolshoi theatre that's despite a six year long renovation project which has already cost more than seven hundred million dollars.

christians are celebrating all around the world christmas central. in the orthodox christian year the celebration comes thirteen days after western christmas in accordance with the julian calendar around two hundred million people follow the eastern tradition of worship from palestine to bosnia over seventy countries celebrate the birth of christ and of the twenty forty day fast that perceives the celebrations in moscow gathered at christ the savior cathedral on the banks of the moscow river for a nighttime vigil for all of the joint. celebrating christmas and here in russia that was ushered in with a traditional service here at the christ the say because in the center of the russian capital that service presided over by the patriarch of moscow. the heads of the russian orthodox church attended by the great and the good the dignitaries old

russian society president dmitri medvedev as well as see me a pig is attending this church service around five thousand people in total crammed into the christ the savior you can see more of them in fact actually taking places around the outskirts of the cathedral to just try and get a view of the church something what was going on inside it of course to hear the bells that had been a ringing out to celebrate the birth of jesus christ now. the question it always comes up is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is jews or the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some other branches all the docs christianity views the julian calendar as opposed to the calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as some other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january as opposed to the twenty fifth of

december now. around five thousand people crammed in there to worship and to celebrate the birth of jesus remember this so. go on go on for several hours seats inside there a real testament to their beliefs how they come together and and as they celebrate this huge day in the old calendar and something that's has become a real tradition here in russia since its opening in one nine hundred ninety seven the traditional christmas. christ the savior. oliver joining in the christmas celebrations here in moscow now let's take a look at some other news making headlines around the world. eleven people have died in a hot air balloon crash near the town of carterton in new zealand according to local residents the craft hit power lines and burst into flames before falling to the ground reports say that as the balloon came down some people jumped from the

basket but none survived. and as tensions escalate between the u.s. and iran thirteen iranian fishermen held by somali pirates have been rescued by the u.s. navy they also detained fifteen suspected pirates who had been holding the iranian crew hostage for over a month tehran had earlier warned american warships to leave the arabian gulf now it's time for our close up series as we explore some of russia's most spectacular and remote places this week our team has ventured to a part of the country's far east to the. region. vers is a russia's melting pot of cultures with all sorts of customs and traditions mixed into an amazing blend but as artie's of tom barton discovered sometimes it's hard

to adapt old habits to the pace of modern daily life. the dance of the drums these are the night and native people who were here in the far east long before the first russian explorers arrived they still retain links to their pretty russian culture. to the fullest opinion and those nanay families are happy for us to teach our native culture here at the village hall there is a relatively large population of now and i and that's helped conserve some of the traditions of the central to the nano way of life has always been fishing the russians brought with the new technology and culture most of the eight hundred thousand the night sea now have other jobs but still take regular trips out onto the windswept ice. fishing is extremely important to us as part of our traditional way of life to fish drop we froid them boil them smoke them and dry them we are all

sorts of fish. which further to the east we find a much bleaker picture this village is an example of a failed meeting between an outside culture and a native people whereas the night sea have accepted a large degree of assimilation but remain productive and connected to their heritage the origin people here have lost far more than just their native ways p.-orridge were also a native fishing people now their fishing boats lie broken and unused on the shore . at that hour parents are to blame they started the drinking. children seat and start as well some children grow up too fast they start smoking at six since soviet times attempts to integrate the origin to society have had disastrous results the houses here go largely unrepaired most orit's children soon drop out of school unemployment and alcoholism are rife you thought that if we tore away their culture

and implanted ours would help them so they became dependent now the social and economic situation has changed they need to start helping themselves but they're not ready to do that oksana as house is falling apart and she hasn't stored enough food to last in the winter but her and her jobless husband want to be given a new house and free schooling. why is your husband not working does he want to walk he wants work but there's no jobs and in the nearby town he would need to go there every day but it's not far she would need to pay for the bus to help at wages but at the moment. miller's house nearby is much better kept she is the village elder and shows me pictures of her grandfather revered as the lost ground sharman amid a world still rooted in its origins but nowadays the people around her are very

different they've given up they don't want to live a normal life. there are now only a few hundred or it's left this village is perched on the edge of the sea but in a quite different sense it's now clinging to the edge of existence tom barton r.t. and i'll be back with another summary for you in about ten minutes time but up next we head to italy to see what footprint russian artists and public figures have left on the country's culture through their ages.

hello and welcome to the program. music russians have been fascinated with italian culture for centuries and today they come here in the tens of thousands in search of everything from fabulous fashion to the world of its cuisine so joining us as we explore various locations connected with one of the most historic and beautiful cities in the world. the colosseum is one of the main symbols of the roman empire it stands proud in the city after almost two thousand years actually called the floppy to be fitter it was given the name of a colossal statue of nero that was later destroyed beneath the hundreds of tourists from all over the world including many russians the glorious history architecture through style and the climate are all reasons why were mr popular especially with modern day muscovites. i live in moscow and i think that roman moscow has many things in common and are really great cities each street in rome full of history

coming to. it's really an eternal city i enjoy an impressive architecture. it is a nation with a witch and the nation history and many russians are very much into history they like to study it and that's why they like rome so much i was born and grew up in most cases and when i first came to all more than ten years ago i had culture shock i was so impressed with its magnificence and its history over. country in the. similarities as they both made a huge impact on the global and culture scene the last few centuries especially. cultural importance and today both countries created worlds flourish influenced showcasing classical music literature and.

moving on and to the i mean shaped domes of the church of saint catherine of alexandria the history of the compound goes back to the nineteenth century when the proposals put forward to building an orthodox church in the italian capital there are only a few russian orthodox cathedrals to route italy and this is the largest and most traditional looking also rocks church in rome. and russian cathedral abroad is not just a church it's a russian house in a way people come here not just for religious reasons but also to spend time together and communicate in their native language just something that you miss a lot in a foreign country. inside you can see various bits for icons and by tell you. from the inside you never realize that the building is brand new. this church opened in two thousand and nine located on

a hill not far from st pete is its designs and bright interior is a striking to say the least as a new place of worship in rome hundreds of russians from the nearby areas come to various religious services here and the building also acts as a social outlet for the community. the outdoor space above the chapel offers a magnificent view of the sake. it is also home to a large selection of bells and whenever rang the sensational sounds can be heard around the city. next location now and welcome to hotel door to see a glittering five. impressively

situated between. the pretty upscale shopping. everything. from. having enjoyed. a hotel in the elegant. tradition despite some one hundred twenty two rooms. and impeccable standards of personal service. come here in droves. situated on the sixth and top floor. of the popular.

business or pleasure. also has several conference rooms and banquet several of which such as. the roman. whose and to find out more about the russian connection with the stunning hunt let's meet this week's guest great to meet you great to meet you in this wonderful hardstyle tell me where did the name come about well being. in the nineteenth century. cold. because of many of ash and they moved to b.c. roma were staying in d.c. . so we we kept the name of the sea in.

a very very popular place. very. very much so and. growing. and i hear very popular with. celebrities and politicians and hollywood as well very much very much many both russian and the local culture with the celebrities. chosen to come to the scene since since the. very beginning when we opened in two thousand we hosted all the movie from the ocean. thanks very much for the time thank you. thank you very much. to the jury now you can see why do you suppose hollywood has.

been yours in the seventeenth century now is the celebrated meeting point for the high profile guests and. basically put in the summer months. in the bush is i wouldn't be surprised to the secret to. in every possible way no one. is popular with russia. even the. outside here is. no press. moving on and there are many russian influences and connections in rome collection of russian icons has been put on display and one of the main sites of rome the consul the exhibition consists of almost fifty icons which were hand-picked by

italian organizers from the collection of the private moscow museums showcasing religious art on display represent an icon painting fifteenth the twentieth century is. the venue to see many celebrity. guests whose autographs. are now displayed at the café international artistic often came to the venue including. it's right in the google especially like the cafe and spent a lot of time there writing his famous dead souls novel. the jerry thomas speakeasy project is a secret location in central. special russian. are created in a very italian atmosphere of the bar you can find quite surprising drinks. by russia has created a special cocktail menu called twist on

a classic number three from russia with love. with such cocktails as the kremlin flip. and said petersburg delight. wondering around the city's site should be surprised what you might. the bump in safety in the park available gazey a situated two monuments that were erected to on a russian right is the statue is of right at nikolai google the second is dedicated to alexander pushkin that was in belgium the year two thousand. created by russian sculptor you already are a cough it was presented to the villa borghese you stayed by the moscow government as a gesture highlighting cultural achievements. as one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world as a popular tourist destination it's clear why millions come here trevi fountain here for example office the state photo opportunity but it's quite often it's the small

influences and nuances that make up a substantial soul and roots of the city and with the cultural connections italy has to russia it only helps create a culture and of creativity elegance and style. was an incredible city full of fortunately that for the time we have left on this week's program i'll see you again at the same time next week and sell them for me and the rest of the crew from the magnificent trevi fountain here in rome bye bye bye now.

receive the top music in the headlines and commentary directly from moscow russia's capital this is our. headlines now. a suicide bomb attack targeting a police bus in the syrian capital damascus leaves at least twenty five dead and dozens more wounded this comes as one of the country's largest armed opposition groups calls for the overthrow of the assad regime by military force arab league observers remain in the country in an effort to implement a peace plan. and thousands of u.s. and israeli soldiers are set to take part in their largest joint defense drill ever

raise fears that the move is just a strike on iran tel aviv denies the allegations saying the exercise was planned along in advance. plus orthodox christians are celebrating christmas with churches and cathedrals across russia and around the world holding nighttime vigils here in the capital the patriarch of moscow has held a liturgy. central to be orthodox christian year this celebration from thirteen days after western christmas in accordance with the julian calendar. on our spotlight show up next talks to actor director and photographer vincent press about his multifaceted career and if it's difficult to succeed in so many disciplines that's coming up next so don't go.