so joining us as we explore various locations and landmarks connected with one of the most historic and beautiful cities in the world. the coliseum is one of the main symbols of the roman empire it stands proud in the city after almost two thousand years actually called the fluffy ampitheater it was given the name of the 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 room is so popular especially with modern day muscovites. i live in moscow and i think that rome in moscow have many things in common and are really great cities each street. full of history coming to. it's really an internal city i enjoyed 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 the. country in the world quite small. share many similarities as they both made a huge impact on the global and culture seen the last few centuries especially on a mutual appreciation of this cultural importance and today both countries created worlds flourish because each of those influenced showcasing classical music literature and art. moving on and to the onion shaped domes of the church of st 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. no 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 what's by tell you a machine must is from the inside you'd 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 mobile designs and bright interior is a striking say the least as a new place of worship and run hundreds of russians from the nearby areas come to various religious services here in the building also acts as

a social outlet for the community. the outdoor space above the chapel offers a nephew to see of the city. 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.

everything. having enjoyed. a hotel in the elegant. tradition despite some one hundred twenty two rooms. and impeccable standards of personal service. that come here in droves. situated on the sixth floor. suite 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 hotel tell me where did the name come about being. in the nineteenth century. called. because many of ash when they moved to b.c. roma were staying in bees. 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 so very much so many both russian and local with the celebrities chosen to come to the scene since since the day we opened. the very beginning when we opened in two thousand we hosted all the movie half 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. was a modest in your in the seventeenth century was a 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 do. in every possible way no one. is popular with russia. even the. outside here is you. know 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 sights of rome the san angelo consul the exhibition consists of almost fifty icons which were handpicked by italian organizers from the collection of the private moscow museums showcasing religious art on display represent an icon painting fifteen to twenty centuries.

seventy six the venue to see many celebrity. guests whose autographs. are now displayed at the café international artistically 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 inspired 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. in italian and said petersburg delight.

wondering around the city's site should be surprised what you might. bumpkin safe in the park available 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 a russian sculptor. it was presented to the villa borghese the state 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 but often it's the small influences and nuances that make up a substantial soul in boots of a 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's 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 by now. the close up team has been to new stuff birthplace to the most ambitious football club in the world. now r g goes to the far east where the timber industry attracts the legendary siberian tigers where the ancient native community loses its way in the modern world. and

where the. country's mental health starts its way across the ocean. welcome to the composite screecher russia blows up on our key. white stream cascading from mountain slopes the view is miss mirage. but this beauty brings death at a speed of more than four hundred kilometers from. stepping down along. if they shoot something inappropriate for a public they can easily be shot by hacks casualties of war ok. i wish it would never happen but it has happened. in a war a t.v. camera becomes an unnecessary what does their own safety all foreign nationals

including journalists and inspectors should leave america and the spear for thousands with such witnesses i got it on my site. for many odd checks out to. merciless shooting on our.

with american troops now out of iraq concerns are mounting over what's being left behind it's proving deadly for journalists who are being silenced and even tortured by these speaking out against the government. suicide last targeting a police bus that killed twenty five people in syria's capital as worse and tensions between the opposition and the government leaders blame the attack on terrorists testis finding it increasingly hard to claim that just peaceful demonstrators. and christmas has come from millions of orthodox christians around the globe who for the julian calendar have been sort of gracious by attending traditional midnight mass it's. sports news up next for that.

hello there thanks for watching and these are the headlines scarred take me out rightly to make a challenge to beating rivals atlanta in a seven goal thriller. plus olympic countdown russian president dmitry medvedev visits before next month's test events for the twenty four team wins again. and the top seeds charge into the semifinals in kat's hours rafael nadal i will pass russian me tell you. but we'll start with some other i so can use because russia have failed to retain their world junior crown the under twenty squad losing in the final to sweden by a single goal in overtime in calgary forward mika's abang is getting a vital go in the extra period that both sides filed to find the net in normal time

this only the second time sweden has been crying junior world champions although on a bright a no for russia forward give his net self was named the tones most valuable player hosts canada the finland four nil in the bronze medal game. well in russia. have taken that right lead at the top of the k h l standings she has men edged out his former side at stand on the road for three it was a back and forth game just outside moscow with the sides trading quick goals throughout finnish defenseman yani iscar made. lampard less than seven minutes to go the scars swedish top score attorney mortensen grabbed the winner just a minute later it was his fourteenth goal of the campaign and gives three point lead over crack in the title last and have not lost on the trot after that beat them in the previous guy. we played last time because

we know we played really well at home you know on looked like they were a little tired but today they came. on the boys and it was a lot harder to do the show now. now there are just over two years to go before russia's first ever winter olympics in sochi and president dmitri medvedev has urged constructors to make sure new venues are ready in time for a major test event due to start next month medvedev inspected the sites on thursday including the krasnaya polyana ski resort it is set to host a world cup leg on the alpine skiing in just over a month's time with snowboarding and freestyle eventually a month later russia's second bobsled track is also set to be unveiled in late february around seventy percent of all construction work for the games has been completed according to officials. now in tennis there have been a few surprises that the season opening event with rafael nadal spearheading the top seed charge into the semifinals of the cats are open the spanish world number

two overcame a battling mico usually in straight sets however the seventh seed russian put up a fight after losing the first set six four and having a poor start in the second he did break nadal and then had a couple of chances to mount a comeback but by old to exploit them into reform especially at the net and he won the second set six four for the match. in the semi's hilmi number four seed feast the often flamboyant frenchman came at an easy win against an error prone viktor troicki this hit the net and saved the first set before sending the poor far and wide to match point just down sixty six three the final school to many seeds. and defending champion roger federer shrugged off the pre-match back pains to labor past andrea seppi of italy the swiss master did still win two or three lovely right away and six three but crumbled in the second to first trail five one and then

loses seven five however federer pulled his game back together in the decider to stun stephanie with a forehand winner into the coup. to take the final say sixty four federer not you know this twenty win in a row to keep alive his hopes of a fourth title and just like last year federal pay joe will free to some given the semi's the third seed frenchmen steamrolling spaniard al bad and lost in just over an hour to tsonga hitting back with flair everything he's lesser known to offer and won it six two six one. while in brisbane is a similar success story for the big names there so far top seed andy murray beattie cypriot and his doubles partner marcus dart a sixty sixty even showed off a bit in the final set of murray's strike the neutral meeting the last four logical simone will face alexander dulko pull off in the other semi.

with. points to go for what. i needed to. promote the opportunity through. a point. in football match the city will be without play ziyang kolo toure a for sunday's f.a. cup clash with manchester united the pair have been told they must report to the ivory coast's training camp this weekend ahead of the africa cup of nations ivory coast coach france was a week deciding to follow fee for rules which allow call ups two weeks prior to the tournament it means arsenal will also lose striker genius man city coach ability man cheney says yaar tories absence on sunday could be an issue for his team. in that that we can have a problem in general we can have a problem because he is an important player for us. we call is the friend because we have

a defenders and if we had lack he would have enjoyed them. i don't feel that we can have a big problem with any friends with misty that we have been robbed of for some parts and then we have only two games and nigel. well also expected to join the ivory case training camp is a band strike alison a troll right he's been a sensation since joining the russian prime a league side at the start of the season so it is a good chance then to look back at his twenty eleven and the time he gave us a chat and sunny crass and. he still appears strong and he's from ivory coast didier drogba no but it could well be his there me twenty year old last seen it already this season the two metre three centimeter tall forward became cobain's most expensive ever blair following manager down but that is cool with whom he spent two years at couche in romania. keep bony as

a team that wants to develop and make a significant breakthrough in this transfer took place because of but trust him i know and respect a lot on my transfer was his idea to help me grow and develop my career. and it seems like that risk became dissatisfied with the results of the team so far as could one see eight and have one eye on the europa league while trialware has become one of the most dangerous players among the burns who are storing six balls and making three assists nowhere says he is already used to living in exotic russia and is enjoying his time i wish you know i mean by the office when i go to my national team my teammates ask me a lot about football in russia but the first questions are about the coal. werther and racism about them but i tell them don't worry these both aspects are fine it's even harder when present of an african they fully russian for will because of me

and sisters say you do do me up playing here so they are all very interested in the russian premier league. with the growing ambitions of the cross in their side the dullest player in the league doesn't want to stop progressing as his long term dream of helping direct and plainly english premier league is still beyond his reach but producing good performances in russia could become the stepping stone of his career and i did want to say russia's top flight is of a good standard and can help you get to the top european leagues primarily the morning england which are popular throughout the world and to ensure players aspire to my favorite point is drug and i enjoy watching the english premier league meanwhile again to get rid of their reputation as a yoyo team and with the try asking the dug out and they're already on the field the yellow and green could become one of the surprise packages of the russian premier league this season. in time but that both parties. in other football news barcelona midfielder says he hopes manager pep guardiola will remain

at the club for many years to come he and his teammates took part in an open training session for fans on thursday before visiting a local hospital but they also had time to speak to the press and respond to reading this it could be guardiola last season at the new camp. they said well i guess we should all it would still not just season after season able to last longer not only for the well but you know if the team but also for the well being of everyone concerned in the club where i wish he would become with sir alex ferguson he's a mensch to united but it's clear that pep will be won militarily decision. on the new gulf for the new golf season on the euro painted all has got under way it's like a favorite thomas aiken he leads the twenty twelve africa open at the. moment the honor of hitting the first ball though of the new year felt a south african retief goosen here and he finished the day in second along with compared to jacko both carded a sixty five

a shot behind first ran leader thomas aiken here he grabbed five birdies and two eagles to go nine and overall to the right lane. finally rain and snow in the end these have forced organizers to cancel friday's stage of the dhaka rally while it is as you were at the top of the standings after thursday's shortened stage in argentina the day belonged to poland cliff stop all of it he was fastest in the g.'s to claim his maiden stage victory moving him into second overall behind defending champion steph. the frenchman was third fastest behind american robby gordon while another french minister bray dominate the motorbikes category he is now nine minutes ahead of defending champion mark o'mara in the overall standings when gerrard to rue leads the way in the trucks division where russian. live has been disqualified for breaking race regulations and walls.

so that is all a sports a bit lighter. in

. brighton if you. move from found stupid.

stunts on t.v. don't come. silenced for siding with protesters journalists in iraq report. speaking out against the government raising the alarm over what's been left behind after america's withdrawal also. not being. aggressive that would be against. the syrian people. suicide blast targeting a police bus kills twenty five people in the syrian capital but the opposition finding it harder to claim they're just peaceful protesters. it's christmas joy for millions of orthodox christians around the globe for the julian calendar celebrate the birth of jesus. and we look at how russia helps feed asia's hungry

economies heading to one of the country's finest export gateways. news and comments you're watching r.t. welcome to the program. since the last american troops left iraq countries and to manage its own affairs the consequences are proving fatal for some decades of conflict was meant to herald a move to democracy but journalists the same to mediation and brutality against them is rife espoused in might discover it. this spring iraqis inspired by neighboring arab countries began protesting against the government in a square in baghdad one which shares its name with the better known counterpart in cairo time here. but iraqi journalists trying to cover these protests are all but silenced by.