the end of foreign backing for terrorism and the formation of a new government. views on how syria could finally be at. a loss to the us from the fiscal cliff. raising taxes on wealthy americans. forced into revealing it knew about a. wall street but chose. to fight a war to keep the that's the british response to president he's accused him of.

in the region. reporting the. russian passport. with. the super rich. back at the top stories the latest developments this is the weekly here. the syrian leader has outlined his first vision on how to end almost two years of continued civil conflict one of the key conditions for peace according to president bashar assad is for regional and international powers to stop supporting groups like he was just he was falling for that has certainly been rather interesting

quotes coming from the syrian president he in fact called to hold an international reconciliation conference. and the violence and the military conflict which is going on be going on for almost two years now in syria and this initiative according to assad will lead to a national wide referendum and fair election which is the only way according to the syrian president that the political landscape in this country can be changed but this initiative can only be possible according to assad if the western countries and some regional countries as he put it stop investing into terrorist groups which are fighting to overthrow. his regime has been again pretty much a defined term thing that the only way that syria will listen to the outside world is through a device not through a dictating well this speech of the syrian president comes amid very serious concerns about the safety of journalists working in syria the year has only just

started but already we have a syrian a pro governmental journalist killed this week he was wounded and then taken to the hospital where he later died also my own colleagues from r.t. arabic station he got injured among a group of other journalists who were covering the movement of a governmental convoy through the country. says that they were shot at by the rebels despite wearing special jackets with the word press on them there also has been an ongoing story of ukrainian journalist on how to question about who's been missing and nobody knows where she is and whether she's actually alive. but there are reports that he was kidnapped by the rebels and there was around some demand that relief outraged many organizations with the reports that syria has already been named as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists to work at certainly things are not looking any better at the moment president assad said that

his government is not willing to negotiate with those opposition groups which he considers to be the puppets of the west and i spoke to political analyst marcus papadopoulos who believes that the saddle have a hard job finding any the dant the assassins he's not going to talk to the opposition. to the armed opposition the so-called free syrian army and its political wing of the syrian national council which is a foreign based opposition movement and it's very important to make this clear in particular to western audiences who are unfortunately not fed the full picture when it comes to syria the free syrian army is a lethal cocktail or various groups including many islamist groups and many groups linked to al qaida and the free syrian army or the f.s.a. it's more commonly referred to has been responsible for heinous vial terrorist attacks in the last couple of years in syria so it's it's it's pretty clear why president assad will not talk to the armed opposition and its political wing and

the political wing being the syrian national coalition which of course is influenced by the e.u. and the u.s. so who is there left to talk to then much of the opposition is influenced by the west who does it talk to next then this is another important point to clarify if there is a domestic opposition. parties which want to see political change in syria but they do not extremist groups islamist groups for example which reside in the syrian national council and also in the free syrian army. almost two years of anti-government protest changed little in bahrain fresh demonstrations shatter against the wall of a police crackdown some experts say it's their brutality that is fueling the uprising warn that coming up very shortly this hour in r.t. and also. the christmas spirit is only now coming to town for all the docs believe as the world over as they celebrate the birth of christ we'll bring it more later

in the program from russia's main cathedral here in moscow. earlier this week barack obama signed a last minute deal that increases taxes on the wealthiest americans it prevented the country falling over the so-called fiscal cliff the nation was on the brink of a financial nosedive with billions of dollars in tax hikes automatically coming into effect if the law hadn't been passed in the graph from wide awake news thinks the fate of americans is never been a top priority for the u.s. government is an enemy when the cameras are off and it's time to pass a trillion dollar nearly trillion dollar defense bill they have no problem whatsoever coming to coming together and holding hands or put that kind of deal together since two thousand and one namely we've been covering this nation by proxy the world by crisis and it doesn't matter who gets hurt. by the wayside as long as a special interest is served so is long as it's always under the shadow of crisis.

but it's only when it has to do with acting in behalf of the people of this nation it seems like the people always take a backseat and artie's economics expert max kaiser thinks the deal might bring short term relief but the big problems didn't go anywhere. the fiscal cliff is just more theater. trying to distract from the underlying root. or manipulating the system. the strong economy this fiscal cliff throw more theater if it doesn't really focus on the true underlying problems that we're going to see more of this going forward in two thousand and thirteen anything. from the mob what they're pitchforks and torches coming out of these people they want to just delay that day of reckoning for as many months as they can but that day's reckoning twenty thirteen it's comic. because a report is more financial analysis in full cost for the new year available right

now with the. british prime minister david cameron says he's willing to fight to keep control of the falkland islands he comes off of the argentinian president once again called for negotiations over the disputed territory which the two nations fought a war over in one thousand nine hundred eighty two. as the details. asked this question in an interview whether britain would fight to keep the falkland islands and prime minister david cameron saying of course we would say he made his position there extremely clear if an attempt was made by argentina to retake the falkland islands that military treats would be the fly by birth and so absolutely very clear on that very strong rhetoric coming from the prime minister over that issue this comes on the back of argentina is president we making these accusations.

the analysis stolen from argentina by britain i think she called it a nineteenth century colonialism and i think some concern for people here today that you know this is something that is very much focused on in the course of the interview this is some of the strongest statements over the course that say this shattering a little bit some of the other very important issues that are happening on a national level at the moment here in the country we've got the cuts to trial venit that's coming in this week saying it's cheese day that i'll go to the house of commons so as a very important issues here at home at the moment of course a lot of people say we're talking about fighting a war again somewhere else where when actually was fighting our own battles here in the country at the moment the screen nearly thirty years as we saw the end of the focus war it definitely has a very strong resonance with people here in britain that we've seen this this ultimate kick off again as i said we've had very strong comments from the president in argentina is also of course come in much more recent argument again because

it's been discovered that there are large oil reserves of course i think that's really going to play a big part in seeing this contest over the islands the tween britain and argentina really heating up again it doesn't look like it's going away recently leaked f.b.i. documents shows the bureau knew of a plan to assassinate occupy wall street leaders but gave them warning instead it chose to keep spying on the movement which branded a domestic terrorist group as a reporter reports. well it's not clear yet why the f.b.i. would neglect to tell activists that there was a potential assassination plot surrounding them what we do know is that new documents obtained by the partnership for the civil justice fund a u.s. human human and civil rights advocacy organization have revealed that the u.s. the f.b.i. the department of homeland security the u.s. military and private corporations all cooperated together to monitor and investigate optic occupy wall street protesters as quote domestic terrorists and

quote criminals now the more shocking revelation the headline of this story is that reportedly buried deep within the government. mentions of a plan to use snipers to assassinate occupy protesters and the movements leaders in various cities throughout the country these alleged plans were supposed to be taking place in the fall of two thousand and eleven now the names of the groups or individuals involved in the alleged plot are redacted from the f.b.i. documents but what critics say is clear is that the f.b.i. never alerted anyone of the potential any of the potential victims that their lives could possibly be in danger or that there's any threat surrounding them the partnership for civil justice fund received the f.b.i. documents on december twenty second so this is fairly new information and this was after they filed a request under the freedom of information after now many civil rights attorneys previously have accused the f.b.i. of functioning as a de facto intelligence arm for u.s. corporations during the occupy wall street movement and especially as it grew

bigger however some critics say they never ever suspected that the f.b.i. would neglect to tell occupy protesters u.s. citizens about an assassination plot surrounding them where we go more about the f.b.i. documents and occupy wall street including the exact wording that's all for you don't kill. approaches schools reform police vulnerably. lashing out at government run these it's a picture that's been haunting bahrain for almost two years now with demonstrators still edging a transition to a democratically elected government ozma darwish from the european bahraini organization for human rights claims even the most innocent people are falling victim to the police crackdown security forces who are working for the ministry of interior and the hain are practicing a lot of buy in ends and a lot to buy a nation's to human rights when confronting when pro-democracy protests and behave

in the broadest areas here in although they are those radical protestors they are the minority and not the majority but they are using such methods to prevent white and security forces from entering their their their religious and attacking on our civilians and children like we witnessed and that big you had off of the four year old child being attacked by security forces with your gas canisters. the u.s. military is now allowed to hold terror suspects for as long as it wants this applies to both americans and foreigners thanks to the new national defense authorization act more on that for you shortly plus. union flag protests and all the non-interest second month with people arrested for allegedly shooting at police details on the rest of this break stay with us is altie in moscow.

download the official publication to yourself choose your language stream quality and enjoy your favorites. if you're away from your television just doesn't do so now with your mobile device so you can watch on t.v. any time anyway.

exactly past the hour here in the russian capital also docks believers all around the world are preparing themselves for one of the holiest nights of the year as they celebrate the birth of christ tom barton is outside russia make of the christ the savior in moscow tom. here at the christ the savior cathedral the main cathedral in the russian capital in churches and cathedrals both here across russia and in all for the communities across the world this is not a time in the rest of the commune in the christian world where people are back at work it isn't fact christmas eve for the church and in this russian orthodox church

it's the beginning of the very long service very beautiful service to celebrate the birth of jesus christ here at the main cathedral in moscow people are gathering and cramming the christ the savior cathedral to listen to the liturgy son to be involved in that very long service and to feel the presence of the spirit of christmas eve which is here celebrated on the sixth to the seventh of january not the twenty fifth of december because of the use of the julian calendar here or the or russian orthodox church rather than the gregorian calendar in other countries after the soviet union which is just over the end of the soviet union just over twenty years ago there was a a large gap in the number of believe after that long atheist period and even today most russians don't strictly observe the russian orthodox christmas for most

russians new year is the real celebration but there is a significant number of strict religious observance of the russian orthodox faith and for them this is an immensely special night indeed for them just as for most russians on new year's eve at large banquet is held many big dinners held and it's also a time for them to go to their church to take part in what is one of the longest services in the russian orthodox calender. but also. in the view of many believers and observers of russian orthodox faith one of the most beautiful services. tom thanks very much indeed for that that's r.t. tom barton live outside to save a cathedral in moscow. well here in the studio with me is set again chapman he's editor in chief of the journal of the moscow patriarchate to tell us more about the orthodox christmas now is probably question you're asked over and over again at

this time of year but still i'm going to ask you why does the orthodox church have a different date for christmas well in fact we have the very same date to celebrate of christ it's the twenty fifth of december the only problem so to say is that the russian orthodox church and some other churches use julian calendar which is thirteen days. difference gap with the good intel and so now we have twenty fifth of december so. it's the same in fact it's the same and so now believe is all over the world gathering for ceremonies and in fact you will be commentating live on our website on what's happening in russia so you can feel can you give us an idea of just what that service will involve because our

correspondent tom little earlier said it's it's pretty long that's right the tradition of. night services means that the evening service and the morning service connects in one that means that we have one part which is approximately two to three hours that's a great compliment and martyn's. connected with the divine liturgy so that could continue up to five six hours but usually. shortened and you have three in the hall for four hours i would say that in christ the savior cathedral the service will be approximately three and a half hours and as i'm talking to you we have some live pictures from the cathedral itself so that service has already started and that's right that's. at eleven o'clock they selected him from great compliance in martin's will be saying and then the divine liturgy will start talking now we see the this this

hames from from a great combine who will be there and he figures during this evening tonight yes we expect that some time after midnight. the middle aged will arrive for the liturgy and we expect that. the president. will be in a small church in area outside. and the president will be attending services to him will be attending services and in in the cathedral and in the other place well you will be commentating as i said a little earlier on the events tonight on our website r.t. dot com in the meantime we thank you very much indeed for joining us and merry christmas. to you have a christmas to you and i just to remind you you can find that live transmission from the ceremony and russia's crisis a vehicle feature all in moscow with commentary by sergey chapman and our own sean

thomas so you can go right now to r.t. dot com because i know that sean is there at the moment. around two thousand protesters have been wreaking havoc over the weekend in the northern irish capital belfast with reports of shots fired at police lines the city's been witnessing unrest since a decision by the local authorities in december to fly the british union flag only on designated occasions rather than year round jason walsh from the christian science monitor thinks there are deeper reasons for the unrest than a flag being taken down. this traditionally throughout its history been a predominantly protestant and unionist city and the latest census results show that's not really the case any longer it's not slightly republican. majority or we can look for the decision itself to fly the flag only on seventeen designated days we are taken on december third. reflects this change and it seems

to be what's troubling loyalists so because in fact. they simply bring it into line with all the british government and civic buildings. and natural catalysts for discord it's no easy thing getting immigration right but russia was among the four nations that according to the un a little later we report what it is that makes a country alluring to new hopefuls. the first this week president obama signed a law allowing the indefinite detention of u.s. terror suspects without charge will trial a national defense authorization act also delays the closure of the guantanamo prison for another unit veteran congressman dennis kucinich thinks the move is part of a patent undermining democracy a right now we're much more of a garrison and garrison plus. a powerful military which keeps asserting itself globally and it doesn't make america any safer and frankly doesn't make the world safer we're spending upwards of six hundred billion

dollars for an expanded pentagon presence for more war in afghanistan and for proliferation of war. in yemen and somalia and other places we have a lot of problems here at home that we're not taking care of we have massive unemployment people are losing our homes people losing their retirement security and i continue to say that we have to start emphasizing taking care of things here at home instead of developing a bigger footprint around the world as far as our military presence. the high price of x. rated diplomacy headline for that when you're an ambassador to colombia losing a job after a wild christmas orgy with prostitutes is held in the embassy even though it's reported he wasn't even there for the fun. and a mini statue of hitler erected in the former warsaw ghetto sparked outrage from locals who say it's an insult to all but not the full story at r.t. dot com. big screen superstar

celebrating in his new homeland after being handed his very own russian passport following dinner with vladimir putin the movie icon left his native france everybody called punishing tax rates pushed on the rich but the new president radio station in paris has claimed five thousand french citizens of fled the country since took office in part thanks to his tax policies and just like the one of the countries they'd be moving to is russia with my colleague spoke to our sean thomas about what the largest country on earth has to offer a new migrants let's look at the taxes and that's the question at hand right now if you look at russia at the current laws we have a flat tax rate here of thirteen percent in fact france and germany they both have complicated tax code if you look at france the forty one percent right now up to forty one percent in germany up to forty five percent as opposed to russia's thirteen percent so you can see it's

a very attractive to come to russia but if this new law comes into effect in france that mark for france goes up to seventy five percent making russia even more attractive so you know why the super rich would be wanting to move over here and step certainly there when it comes to the global meltdown that we've been seeing for years particularly twenty twelve was not a good year for the eurozone or for much of the world indeed but somehow russia managed to avoid the global economic crisis that is certainly the case in fact it is one of the brics countries which means it is one of the emerging markets in the world but if you look at what's been happening around. europe in fact in the past year we've been seeing austerity protests we've been seeing people coming to the streets who are looking for jobs and in fact the unemployment rate's if you look at greece twenty six percent if you look at the e.u. in general the average there are eleven percent if you look at the unemployment rate in russia only six point four percent so you can see there are more jobs to be had here less people looking for work less of a dire situation but it's also an emerging market it is

a diversifying market in things here relatively much more stable than in the rest of europe certainly a lot of people saying there's an awful lot of opportunity here right here in russia the biggest country on the planet interesting that the united nations is actually taking a moment to appraise russia's immigration policy is that what's what's the about well certainly if you look at the numbers the most recent numbers in fact show that russia is the second most desirable country for immigrants to come to only second to the united states in fact in fact it can be a little bit confusing because people look at the numbers about moscow being one of the most expensive cities for ex-pats to live well that's for ex-pats and it is true things here it is a big city it can be expensive but if you look at average cost of food it's cheaper than the rest of europe much cheaper to live here for gas prices as well now keep in mind moscow russia you know this is the biggest city in the countries of course things are going to be a little bit more expensive here but russian general things cheaper than in europe regardless of that it's just a fun place to be and it certainly is in fact the arts in the culture of the entertainment here in moscow is famous for its nightlife but if you look past that we have famous musicians coming from russia famous artists famous history

architecture all of that here but i'm going to say russia has always had this balance between east and west right so if you look at the orthodox culture in the western cultures i think that the real reason people come here is that you get two christmases and you get two new years. well that's it for the moment for me i'll be back with the news team with more from half an hour from now in the meantime after a short break we look at the people who thought they had a front row seat to the end of the world for the final boss of the mine. joining me on a journey to the heart of the kremlin to places him from the tourist he's going to meet some real kremlin insiders although they may not be the usual news makers you see on t.v. . if

you. believe.

the means be told language. programs and documentaries in arabic it's all here on all t.v. reporting from the world talks about seventy yard interviews for intriguing stories for use. in troy all te arabic to find out more visit arabic dot all teeth god called. it's a job but it's also a religious vocation that's pushing her to constantly find new ways of developing a business. today she visited this cave in the denver area. it's a more than three kilometer deep maze the spot is for sale and robin is thinking about buying it for the construction of more underground shelters if somebody was to light a fire someone in here what about the ventilation with the smoke or some.