as frustrated crowds demanded and the government's austerity measures that corruption and call for the president to go. have business bulletin this hour russian stocks closed in the black for the fourth day as oil the country's main export verna climbs the rigors we'll bring you the figures in our business bulletin let's. see a live from moscow word seven pm ominous now with our top story the u.k. has finally admitted to spying on russians after years of denying it the chief of staff to then prime minister tony blair has confirmed they were caught red handed when the f.s.b. discovered their surveillance equipment in two thousand and six it was hidden inside a fake rock in a moscow park ivor bennett has more from london but in the murky world of spies

spooks and cold war stereotypes it's very hard to discern fact from fiction and so question marks always remained over this story but these comments now from jonathan powell i think it pretty conclusive evidence is what he had to say. despite iraq was embarrassing they had us bang to rights clearly they had known about it for some time and had been saving it up for a political purpose. these revelations will be hugely embarrassing for m i six and the british government firstly because they were they were spying in two thousand and six for an aging one agreement but the u.k. made with russia the end of the cold war not to spy on each other and secondly that the fact they were caught doing so by russian television the report actually showed two videos one of one man walking along a path in a moscow park slowing down looking at this rock and slowing down again almost to a halt before walking off and it's believed that he was using a handheld device to actually been date to a computer inside the rock then another video showing

a different man walking on the same path looking at the rock actually bending down and picking it up and checking on it and as obvious as it seems from that so long as the british government stayed silent and and denied these allegations then they would have remained top secret and that this sort of thing doesn't come to light for another thirty years or so after it happens but the fact that this is actually come from someone within the establishment here and saying no these were this didn't fact happen this story is indeed true not only is it hugely embarrassing for m i six and the british government but also potentially very damaging to. coming up shortly in the program back from the block why a twenty four hour protest we could be made eight u.s. congressmen back tracked on their more controversial anti-piracy laws. at least eighteen people have reportedly been killed by security forces across syria thursday all as the arab league observers reached the end of their one month

mission but put together a report over the weekend and the continuing death rate in syria is pushing the e.u. to prepare even more sanctions on damascus have already introduced penalties on ten separate occasions including an arms embargo and a ban on crude oil imports the u.n. security council continues to mull over what course of action it could take russia introduced its latest draft resolution this week and to hold an all sides of the syrian conflict to account our earth is there for r t. how do you stop the fractured country from falling apart a country where some cities now resemble the walls a where the economy's on its knees and which children being shot dead on the streets. it's a question everybody's desperately trying to find an answer to you right now nobody knows what's going to happen some are calling for military intervention is

a calling fit dialogue this city in case is not isolated you have to keep. mention that mention of the west and i mentioned the russian dimension. everybody has on interests but russian foreign minister sergei lavrov refund that most would not authorize a u.n. resolution involving military intervention it struck a resident cooled with the main opposition in the country. we refuse on principle any type of military foreign intervention because it threatens the freedom of all countries for the model damascus has promised to push through the fullness. parliamentary elections later this year to some here that's simply not enough. this could have been done in the past but the killing in the violence pushed the population and the opposition and the people not to believe anymore in the promises of the regime. protestors had started by calling for reforms and now more than ten

months into the unrest and they simply want president assad gone. you are thank god that many in syria right now simply want peace in their country they hope reforms might be a way to achieve that. the president announced we will have an expanded government and independent opposition if all the parts were included this would be better for a saw having different opinions is much better than having a one sided discussion for a few. moments you can see the opposition want to take part then of course why not we are all syrians after all we all care about our country. as a country descends deeper into quite everyone's desperate to find a resolution it's fake that the government reforms will go some way to building a bridge between the two sides but these were the forms have been a long time coming but with so many lives already lost they're going to have come at a very high price so. the best guess. the u.s.

and its allies have been calling on the syrian president to step down at once but a former british ambassador to damascus says there is no replacement for us with opposition leaders to tast from the protesters. syria is sliding into a probably largely sectarian civil war. there is no government in waiting there is this syrian national council which is based outside syria which has a temporary president. but it does not command universal support for amongst the dissidents and its links to those who are actually on the streets whether armed or unarmed in syria seems somewhat tenuous at times. from divided syria to a brand new libya why this same one armed power that brought down the country's

regime are now scrambling to cash in on the potential for reconstruction. growing anger in romania where protesters are the latest in a global trend to demand their leaders step down immediately. well there's a new twist in the assassination of russian journalist. five years ago another forensic examination of the murder weapon has found female d.n.a. on the gun the main suspect chechen born. was arrested and twenty eleven after several years on the run he is the one believed to have pulled the trigger but his d.n.a. was never found on the gun the expert who carried out the initial forensic tests five years ago is facing accusations of leaving the whole case a blind alley on the political scale was shot dead at her apartment building in two thousand and six and what became one of the most high profile murders in russia's

modern history. if you want to find out more details on this story are two dot com has it covered and while you're there you can also check out the latest developments in the gulf to iraq is accusing washington of wanting economic suicide for europe by forcing it to impose an embargo on you rein in oil imports. also online the phobos riddled russian space scientists are narrowing down but possible reasons the probe to mars fails to reach the red planet. the world's biggest or most popular online encyclopedia is back online after a twenty four hour show. down would be to you deliberately blacked out its english

language website in protest that proposed anti-piracy legislation in the us affecting over one hundred fifty million people the action by we could p.d.f. thousands of other websites sought eight senators withdraw their backing for the bills the laws designed to prevent illegal sharing of copyright material face criticism of endangering internet freedom connor kennedy from the progressive change campaign committee says the bill could dramatically change the web as we knew it. no one's opposed to bills that fight piracy but at the same time we need to be aware that large corporations are going to be able to use these laws to drag their fair competitors into court instead of competing with them in the marketplace for small innovators that don't have access to money for legal fees yet that just spells the end of the internet as we know it what's going to happen to innocent people innocent innovators who are brought into court and forced to shut down their web site even if they haven't violated the law spells the end of

the american dream it's really important that we have freedom in the ability for kids in college dorms and working in garages across the country to have access to capital and to be able to change the world from a college dorm room this could threaten that and that's why we in addition to three hundred forty of our members have decided to join the blackout solidarity movement against these bills small innovators are saying look out pay attention to these bills because they do threaten to kill the internet. well still to come this hour taking the plunge. so you. are to join the russian orthodox pretty celebrate that are not art. first to libya where entrepreneurs and western companies are lining up for their

chance to strike it rich in the war torn country opportunities are plenty for those hoping to cash in on the rebuilding process post gadaffi as oksana boyko reports the same powers that helped destroy the regime are now the ones eager to make a profit. they may have how to bring down the house. but they were very careful not to burn bridges as libya rises from the ashes of civil war become trees the poor the oil into the fire and now lining to gas sheen undoing the damage the believe that russia benefited more than all others from trading with get out his regime is very widespread here in tripoli and it's simply not true in two thousand and ten most call was number seventeen on the least of libya's main trading partners accounting for just zero point four percent of its international trade the countries that had the largest trading volumes of get out is a place size me the one that spearheaded the campaign against him the european union

the united states and turkey and they're all on their jostling for contracts to rebuild believe some of them helped to destroy your. everything you're right they did a good. american business is still a bit of an oddity here but it's already catching up construction firm owner richard peters arrived in tripoli just before their prizing to seal a multi-million dollar contract with get off his government the war and peter subsequent incarceration threw him off track but now he hopes to make up for it i don't condemn anybody even the people that work for him you don't have a choice here if you don't work for it what do you do die. to reach your company's also involved in rebuilding iraq and afghanistan after the u.s. led invasion and libya is familiar turf he even says the country's business potential make champ. all over all their post conflict areas there's nothing they

don't need here you know if you compare to like the united states everything they need everything we have you know everything there infrastructure has to be totally redone all the all the facilities you know and some of the things we are involved you know is executive centers with golf courses theme parks these people haven't really had any entertainment all these years so now you can imagine getting you know a theme park or a little disneyland americans are no the only ones just looking for food called turkish airlines was the first to resume commercial flights to tripoli and they're now packed with businessman scouting for opportunities. even during get out his time turkey was pretty comfortable doing business in libya and was triple his fourth largest trade partner lost here but many now hold even better deals following its early recognition of the rebel authorities differently if you have a stronger political relations we can see it somewhat but that's

to facilitate and this is an instrument for the business. vision of the book that's the only ones who are so far slow wonder it claiming their business interests in libya or russia and china both countries for vocal in their opposition to the use of force in libya a stance that has already backfired most russian companies who did business in libya prior to the war are still has it into personal bag x. parts of war and that they waiting game may not be the best strategy yet. we're going to lose libya like we lost iraq syria and yemen will follow they see they can drive russian others out of the market and then take advantage we have to work there we will take measures we're going to enter those markets they are waiting for us if interim government see we don't take catch and they will say a few words about russian business is being driven out then just step aside. but the ones losing the most of the libyans themselves in two thousand and ten day

economy grew by about ten percent reaching abbey seem like that growth now seems as heavy load as building the country from scratch on a boycott ship. well just three months after the death of moammar gadhafi the daughter of the former libyan leader is seeking justice hard to talk to her lawyer who says an investigation into the killing of her father is long overdue that's coming up next our. father was murdered in the brutal fashion. the whole world saw with. prosecutors international criminal court has an obligation to investigate all aspects of the conflict which was referred to him by the united nations security council. and that would include also the local law on the gadhafi especially since the prosecutor himself has stated that there are grounds to believe that this is a woman in the present instance we do good to be with her teeth as they stand at present and the have the will the capacity to carry out such

a distribution and that's why we're calling for the investigation to be conducted immediately we shouldn't be sitting here today talking about why is investigation taking place it should have started a few days after the murder itself. given this on the very same day. it's more of news in brief for you this hour first to afghanistan where at least seven have been killed and eight others injured in a suicide attack in the city of kandahar the bomber detonated his explosives near the entrance of an airbase used by u.s. forces the taliban claimed responsibility saying they were targeting a nato convoy this comes as one day after twin blasts killed twelve people in the restive helmand province. pakistan's prime minister has appeared before the country's supreme court on charges of contempt for failing to reopen a corruption investigation against the president the case against. dates back to

the one nine hundred ninety s. but he insists the president has complete immunity from being questioned if found guilty johnny could face a prison term and be disqualified from holding public office. rescue efforts have resumed for twenty one people still missing on a cruise ship which capsized off the italian coast last week the search was suspended tuesday after the vessel shifted slightly eleven bodies have been recovered from the wreckage so far the only one has been identified a salvage crew is prepared to pump more than two thousand tons of fuel from the ship to prevent a possible oil leak. free government is continuing talks with investors to try to beat a deadline and secure vital functions flush its debt athens needs the next tranche of belle out funds to meet a debt repayment deadline in two months thousands of workers hit the streets to voice their anger at destructive austerity cuts all as the i.m.f.

says it needs to raise up to five hundred billion dollars to buffer the world against any further europeans. romania is gripped by the worst protests in a decade as demonstrators show their frustration with government austerity cuts and corruption there in the capital some sixty people were injured in clashes with riot police who responded to stone throwing and fire bombs with tear gas. reports now from bucharest. night and day they come to scream their defiance biting austerity and a feeling the government isn't listening have spilled over into anger even violence . i've come here for the pain of their mean people the pain of the entire country for twenty two years all they have done is destroyed the entire country our youth has no future they have no jobs. motor water is sixty she's worked all

her life in a textile factory in book arrest but now she is forced to pay for her social security out of her small pension. whether you're young or you're a pensioner you need a pension when you get old they need to give us a fair pension and not tell us they're borrowing the money because they don't have it. or is not just here for herself her son left romania but italy to try and find work young rumanians feel trapped and directing most of their anger at the president try and assess could protesters accuse him of trampling over democracy and presiding over a political elite riddled with corruption. we want to take down down with the sask who has become parents left us with a heritage and we are leaving our children with just debt the problem it's the younger ones. who need to to have a. good life you know mania. and we are not allowed to have peace because

of the stupidity of the high levels of government and parliament. and international monetary fund loan in two thousand and nine came with tough conditions unlike in greece the remaining in government has tried to force its financial house into water budget benefit cuts slashed pay pension freezes falling living standards but some say it's the people who are now. being forced to pay for the mistakes of the few who steered the country to economic disaster. this was done at the expense of there are many in state and now those who hadn't been guilty for their situation there and even profited from it to pay for those who had profited the government blames international economic conditions however for the country's woes doings let's not forget that we're in the eye of the storm of an economic european storm all around us unfortunately is

a mighty tempest with economic consequences that inevitably affect us too it's not good enough say the opposition to argue of course that they could do better than what is every day discourage inefficient government stays in power as a dane last for rumania or judy is to shorten the period as much as we can fast as we can by fair elections with many of them accepting there is no escape economically politics for them offers the only hope of change and that leads straight back out onto the streets here these. days and build on. them there was terror to much of. the president about to be here and you. want to tear it all down and start again. now maybe the middle of

a freezing winter here and that's not stopping the determent from taking at them that's right a midnight immersion in water on january the nineteenth is the traditional way to celebrate the orthodox holiday a person it was artie's to bang with a grave enough to test the waters. the ninety. day the russian or. the end of christmas time as well as if we need to could we need is said to be the day when jesus was baptized and russians believe that by diving into subzero would sound great to be light during the ceremony the. blessing the lord so much then turns into a whole you would man plan to be good and bad they saying god when you were the romans do. finding a way to dart. myself like you do would not and never.

look back at all. oh. yes but. most of the time. but. then subzero wasn't they had a little bit is it that i'm done and. there

are supper menus block you're in our to yeah i'll be back with a recap of our top stories after the business with kareena. i was twenty four past seventy pm here in moscow welcome to business despite her. close the two thousand and eleven most experts see no threat of ruble devaluation for the past three days the ruble has been appreciating against the dollar with money market rates rising the most in a month that says russian companies convert overseas earnings into local currency to pay taxes reuben virginia from a dialogue says russia is in a very good position right now. much stronger renewable. than you would be in many bells will toll big economy. man internally with the river structure. quite stable over which. we can position or still better if we can extend it to the people in other part of the world was going to russia

really contribute to the. russian banks reported record high profits for two thousand and eleven despite the economic uncertainty the central bank says the toll profits reached twenty seven billion dollars helped by a strong growth in lending the central bank expects a profit this year around twenty two billion dollars. let's now look at the markets could all futures trading higher we could be in the previous sessions losses oil is higher for the third day over concerns that tensions with iran could spark disruptions in exports from the middle east and u.s. stocks opened higher boosted by well received results from bank of america and morgan stanley and a drop in weekly jobless claims shares of morgan stanley will six percent the banks want to fourth quarter loss of two hundred twenty seven million dollars or fifteen cents a share as revenue fell twenty six percent. in europe stocks are largely highwood banks leading the gains investors are closely watching the ongoing debt talks in

greece with largely smoothed out options for france and spain media reports indicated that the two parties could reach a debt deal in the coming days ahead here in russia stocks advanced for the fourth day on thursday as boyle climbed in new york the r.t.s. and it nearly a percent in the black why six point six percent higher and now let's look at the biggest movers on the rise x. financials on the rise with russia's biggest lenders burbank gaining over one percent every energy majors advances world shares of trying to gain one point seven almost one point eight percent of the congress and daily reported that the company is interested in the. pipelines and croatia and electricity producing. its power company is merging its energy assets with gazprom. from. today. in the markets open to both up and then we saw some profit taking mostly from

russian accounts and starting from. i don't know maybe. there's a very good bars in the market actually locals and international studies so the market is definitely closing high to be there is a number of good news actually on the back of yesterday goldman sachs good numbers today morgan stanley and bank of america reported a good fourth quarter results they're supporting market definitely oil prices higher level and in general i have a feeling that the market is changing the mood of the market is changing it beats to positive. so for the sell back with more. coming right after this. you're.

there with r t a why from moscow our top stories london admits an electronic spy rock found by the f.s.b. in moscow six years ago belonged to her majesty's secret service the u.k. had vehemently denied involvement in the scandal until now. more time for you sanctions against the syrian regime are in the pipeline as the arab league observers mission prepares its final report into how to stop the daily deadly violence over the weekend the regional body.