welcome to the twenty fourteen time zone by time zone cities around the world welcoming the new year and the planet of course celebrating in style. but then you rush there's only stood united in the face of trials about a mere putin saying he'll fight terrorism to the end in his new year's message to the nation before heading to the city of volgograd where two bomb attacks killed thirty four people. as lobby enters the euro zone at the start of two thousand and fourteen we look at what this could bring for the country based on the ever increasing debts of those already in the club. and our

correspondent giving you the chance to become more acquainted with the host city of sochi. what's there to catch the eye in a report from the streets and squares of the winter games capital. eleven am in moscow great tag you with us as we ring in the new year here on r.t.i. matras are with you as we welcome twenty fourteen around the world the new year is making its way toward the u.s. west coast just arriving in denver salt lake city and edmonton up in canada we've seen a spectacular show at the crossroads of the world times square a couple of hours ago it was the center of holiday excitement with the famous crystal ball counting down to midnight and massive crowds singing old line zion and new york new york of course everywhere else to the east it's already. but before

the great wall of china in the world's tallest skyscraper in dubai if you know of the kremlin and the player of the london eye all perfect backgrounds for some spectacular fireworks the best shots for you to enjoy and maybe to choose your next to your destination from all of us here at our best wishes and a very happy new year. chorus twenty thirteen though it didn't end on the happiest of notes in russia after the bombings in volgograd president vladimir putin traveling to the southern city devastated by two explosions that killed thirty four and left many more wounded the tragic events their profit the president to rewrite his add new new year address and pledge to the nation to fight terrorism till the end it was also the first time he reached out to the nation from somewhere other than the kremlin he was in a city of how about all that was hit by massive flooding that affected the country's

far east last year marking the new year with those left homeless because of the disaster of a nice but then you rush there's always stood united in face of trials that argue that we are friends and we mourn the victims of the brutal terrorist attacks we view and we will continue to fight these terrorists with determination but i do use the resolve and commitment until they are all gone but my dear we will provide support for the victims and their families we will accomplish everything we have planned and we will restore a build everything we have decided to restore our belief that the president laid flowers at the site of the latest blast on monday an explosion that ripped through a trolley bus there during rush hour food and also took a tour of one of the hospitals where many of the wounded are being treated he wished them fast recoveries and a happy new year. meanwhile the city itself has started three days of mourning for those who fell victim to the acts of terror margaret howell reports from boulder.

it is a somber mood here of course with all that has happened over the past couple of days i want to say though a volgograd is a city of hope and i was really encouraged on our way back from dinner we saw some children and they were dressed for the new year and you know this is a city of hope but it this something this is something that does happen globally it is a global issue it's not a russian issue and cities across the world have dealt with terrorist attacks like these and unfortunately volgograd this is happens here but a sober mood yes with the three days of mourning and there is a damper here on the city we do hear a little bit of fireworks in the background but not what you would expect on new year's eve but we were able to visit with the victim's family members who had them you know other family members die as well as victims who survived these attacks and in particular one young man the security officer who died the first victim of the

terrorist attack he was able to speak with his father earlier. he had this job for about a year or so how it all happened on the video footage he was standing by the railing during the security check and then there was this man coming in and he just barely made it towards him and then there was a blast and it was over and no more footage he stopped that man who was trying to get through the security gate as he had to yes that's what the camera showed i saw him doing his job smiling he did what he had to do that it was his duty. this is a city of hope and i have faith that they will be able to overcome something this this heinous to tap into them and using this period this time to reflect and not to celebrate as much as the rest of the world all efforts to rescue a russian vessel trapped in antarctic ice have so far failed and australian ice

breaker will board its attempt through the bad weather while a chinese one got stuck as well on its way to the russian ship through our website r t v dot com to learn how the seventy four people stranded aboard marked the beginning of the new year. also long lines setting the date an agreement reportedly reached between iran and world powers on the elimination of a nuclear deal learn the details of the pact on our team dot com. right from the scene. of the first strike. and i think that you're. on our reporters. and instrumental. the in the middle of. for a lot of media there was more to celebrate at the start of two thousand and

fourteen as the new year fireworks exploded in the skies over the capital riga the country became the eighteenth member of the eurozone but as artie's paul scott reports the opinions on the adoption of the euro are not unanimous you have no you have to understand if a country wants to be independent it has to have its own independent currency a currency it prints itself and controls itself. andras and his organization are calling for a referendum he says the latvian people have had the euro forced upon them and haven't been allowed their say the claims of the vast majority of the population are opposed to the move. there's always some who will benefit at the top end but the majority will lose out latvia will import goods from other the e.u. countries that a cheaper rate which will mean we produce less and ruin the economy. recent statistics from a leading latvian pollster showed that fifty three percent of latvians are opposed to the move while only twenty two percent think it is

a good idea with legitimate concerns over the state of the eurozone the bank of latvia has launched a p.r. campaign in an attempt to convince people now is the right time for the country to switch currency whenever we have a chance we explain to people that sloppier is a small open economy with both loans and deposits very much in euro's already and is again the country its entrepreneurs and its people will have by seeing higher ratings and lower interest rates on their own their lives although there's little public support and economic instability across the continent one leading opposition figure says the government simply has no choice but the news business it's inevitable we took responsibility to join the eurozone when we entered the e.u. time will tell it doesn't matter what money is in our pockets it matters how much of it we have. now to make life easier for small businesses

customers alike all prices on display is going to show two amounts the price and lots and the pricing euros twenty. years for too exposed to accept both flats the nearest. whatever currency you choose to pay we're supposed to give you change in the us. that was not going to work i don't know i don't know how it's going to display here for me but i hope somehow it. it will work well but of course it will be confusing especially first two weeks as people like kareena learn to adapt to the new currency the long term effects on the not be an economy remains to be seen in this case the proof of the pudding really eating out. riga latvia greece though seems to be fed up with its own euro putting but despite ongoing economic woes the country with almost a quarter of its populace at risk of poverty is beginning its term as the rotating

e.u. president starting january first let's take a quick look at how the blocks policies affected athens and some other european economies in four years of austerity measures all the nations you see here have seen their debts rise in greece and spain by forty percent this despite the fact that all countries adopting the euro must not allow their national public debt to exceed sixty percent of g.d.p. at the same time the average income of those living in these countries has fallen except in germany and it fell worst of all in greece meanwhile the country's leaders are giving assistance are sure and says that athens will leave its bailout program next year without the need for a third aid package one greek journalist we talked to says the country says that what the e.u. did to his country should be seen as a cautionary tale. i believe that greece can give some lessons of how the maser see in a time of crises and when a country has a huge problem that this is the beginning leads only to disaster in that sense we can beat some lessons to other european countries in the space of the countries in

the european thirty three but there is nothing else for europeans to do expect from greece at the moment these european président see cannot really make any changes in the europe in the european union that is controlled primarily by very lean and by some big financial institutions in the core of the european union. no doubt the most anticipated moments of two thousand and fourteen for winter sport at leats will of course be their chance to shine at the olympic games in sochi huge amount of work has been done because a resort city had to be turned into an international winter sports haven pretty much from scratch here's artes to say with everything you need to know about the host city. it's always been a subtopic all vacation spot for russians now it's on the world's map for winter sports so what she wore hose that sports men and women dignitaries and spectators

come the winter olympics and paralympic games. sochi is one of the southernmost places in russia as the unofficial capital of the riviera the caucuses the beaches and marina make the city popular in some a loss skiing in the nearby mountains make it an ideal place for winter vacations. russian is of course the main language used but there is in the service industry a brushing up on the english while key information signs are also being translated your first reaction to sochi is that it's big with high rising buildings and an urban attitude this may surprise many of the wrongly faces to the subtropical city it basic beautiful collection of dns divina shops and natural mineral spring keeping fit with a daily stroll is a new trend. the international olympic committee has their own or.

right on saying that the twenty second olympic winter games in two thousand and fourteen are wardak to the city of sochi. and then the six in the hop yes in the pool of the plexi has become a world class resort lympics are renowned for reviving and regenerating host city here the makes of new building rail lines and will cost the city's relieved the games with a strong legacy in the caucasus for generations to come. it's so obvious and easy to said that what's going to happen here is that they will have a beautiful ski resorts nice hotels nice facilities nice transport and differently they have the potential to attract tourists here no doubt spread across two distinct areas the games coastal cluster is what i see then through the city and the mounting cost for sports plex skiing and bobsled the two clusters only thirty

minutes apart making these games one of the most compact ever held but have all the infrastructure changes made a difference for those who call sochi home including people with disabilities first of all there are many ramps and many places are accessible now lifts first of all the winter theater here in the square i used to visit it quite often actually my expectations were superseded by the reality i didn't expect that it would be so good a winter olympics with many firsts innovative technology and environmentally friendly the such lympics is all set to showcase russia to the world to say sochi r.t. . you can stay tuned for more reports from this year's city of a limpid golden dreams and how he might say that will be airing throughout the week here on r.t. . the so much more of the twenty fourteen olympics what's this place like

and the line is is so special as the russian resort prepares to welcome the world power the games shaping the city's present and future life so it will bring you this is the moment they're reporting from a very cold snowy windy mountain in stuff yet beyond the olympics what to say. on our team. after a quick break we'll be turning the clock back to twenty thirteen and taking a look at the stories that shape the year stay with us.

this is the media lead us so we leave that maybe. i will see bush and secure the place your party has a bill. for shoes that no one is asking with the guests that you deserve answers from it's all on politicking only on our t.v. . speak the language. programs and documentaries in arabic it's all here on. reporting from the world talks of the ip interview intriguing story for you. to find out more visit our big. seventeen minutes past the hour now let's take

a few moments to look back at some of the main events that defined two thousand and thirteen and those that will leave their mark on the year to come as americans celebrate the new year with hopes of leaving their troubles behind there's still plenty of challenges to face in two thousand and fourteen from austerity cuts to the ever looming debt ceiling and the pressure to rein in mass surveillance artie's guy has been taking a look at what's ahead for the state's. it was a year of cliffhangers we heard the white house direct military action we saw the us congress threaten default to blackmail the president it's been a roller coaster but very few enjoyed it and here's a quick look back at some of the quests and turns. team obama prepared to hit syria the u.n. ball while others worry that u.s. strikes could benefit extremists. the american people wouldn't buy it either so president obama finally took up the russian proposal to cut a deal and we will work together in consultation with russia and china to put

forward a resolution at the u.n. security council requiring assad to give up his chemical weapons and to ultimately destroy them under international control desist for war in syria live many americans wondering why their representatives weren't as robust in helping them so paul and to me that in this circumstance in these times we spent two or three or more weeks deciding whether we should conduct what is laughingly referred to as a humanitarian war in congress the republicans used the debt limit to blackmail president obama and starve funds for a medical insurance scheme for millions of americans which is struggling to get off the ground anyway the government close for over two weeks and us that default fears put the world back on economic alert with suspiciously dramatic time in congress eventually you'll do it but its reputation was sealed it will leave millions dangling on the brink of a catastrophe so if you can score political points you had many politicians calling

for reforms in the wake of for snowden's revelations and at the same time calling him a traitor the obama administration of course had to do some damage control after all the revelations showed that the government had lied to the people about this program but it seems it's going to be damage control more in words than in actual change of policy we hear words transparency and oversight more often. but the reality is this president obama himself said he's quite happy with the way with how the program works the boston bombings the may probe which killed three people and injured two hundred sixty four in fact and it actually said something about how this surveillance program works the two perpetrators somehow flew under the radar although the f.b.i. and the cia had received warnings from russia about one of them a year before it happened but the u.s. law enforcement didn't act on those warnings possibly looking at the guy who was from chechen descent and thinking it's russia trying to solve its problems and that it has nothing to do with the turns out it's not just for this problem but it seems

that washington is starting to see it more clearly. in ukraine the new year festivities however couldn't make up for the deep divide within that country protests continue in the capital as the opposition calls for closer ties with the e.u. . has been following the decision. this is a political protest this is the anger at the country's government and the president president something which has been going on for more than six weeks now it's rather turbulent six weeks for ukraine as i mentioned my report. first they wanted to be in europe was then they wanted a revolution was that was was ukraine's leaders feared that a free trade zone with the e.u. would cause industry to collapse the crowds never bought that but when the police used force against peaceful bro e.u. protesters. they stopped caring altogether.

the government building stormed the barricades built and top western politicians dropping by the german and dutch foreign ministers and a deputy u.s. secretary of state before u.s. senator john mccain weighed in taking a swipe at russia stalks while stirring up the key of crowds himself premier others with you america is where you find me but none of them dug ukraine out of its mess mosco later agreed to help with a discount on gas prices and a fifteen billion dollar loan for the now entrenched protesters the lifeline was a sellout. any treaty with russia is not worth the paper it was signed on. key of still has the crowds what's more twenty fifteen will see ukraine choose its next president a leader who needs to make a difference and whether its embittered sides continue to fight or unite. the one thing which are to my eyes is the happenings at the my gun right now better is the

christmas tree over there usually it is a christmas tree which the authorities set up in the central square for people to come here to celebrate right now is something of a protest symbol is covered with ukrainian flag as it's covered with protest banners and even. the banner of the former prime minister yulia tymoshenko who is now in jail indeed the euro might done has become something of a state within a state it lives by its own laws people are sleeping here they set up tent camps they're cooking food and it's really unlikely they're willing to disperse that anytime soon the opposition already said about its plans to hold the protesters at least until the end of january then in fact holding a huge national wide strike on a generally the twenty fourth that's how it is right now but definitely twenty fourteen will be a very turbulent year for ukrainian politics because in a little more than twelve months from now at the end of january twenty fifteen the people will take to the polls to elect

a new president and that will be some very serious political battle especially considering everything which has happened in the last two months in this country. these are pictures from scotland where people have marked the beginning of what could become a historic year on september eighteenth scots will decide whether or not they want their country to seek independence from the u.k. or to sarah ferguson more. it's going to be a major year for scotland at the end of twenty forty they're going to have that independence referendum and there is everything still to play for indeed the united kingdom this time next year could look vastly different says those campaigns set to kick in to first get to try and convince faces either way ahead of that we went up to scotland to speak to some of the scottish people to find out how they're feeling about once the tastes have been made and the glass is empty scotland will wake up to what to be a very big come september eighteenth and scottish faces will be asked the

question should scotland become an independent country in the arguments for and against what sort of swayze to say yes he's saying no i think just financially we're going to be job security but not everyone's course a new year resolution revolution i think the bank is going to getting paid twenty four. forward to my second child out be the most. whatever happens scotland's future now lies in its people's hand and i think it means all of this goes back to stamp out on the road to not look after themselves not sure which way it's going to go down so that everything everything yeah. at. twenty thirteen has been a game changer for the first digital currency bitcoin free of government regulations it was once considered only money for the tech savvy but its price went through the roof this november after the head of u.s. federal reserve so the currency may hold long term promise patrick merk from the

general counsel of the bitcoin foundation believes it has the potential to go mainstream. i do think that what you're going to see with big coin is a internet reference currency a currency built for the internet that enables consumers to reap tremendous advantages there's no person behind big coin or company behind decline and that's the whole point there's been some volatility but that's not unexpected when you think about a new system that's just come around we're just about to hit five years old right for a technology that is very very new and people are just starting to learn about it and get excited about it but i think over time what you'll see is that the price will level out it will come to a level that sustain that sustainable through use here again the supply and demand the market mechanics as the market for big oil matures you won't see the dramatic swings that could be even a couple more years from now before we get to that level set but it will likely

happen. here is a very first edition of cross talk i mean your way around the corner stay with us after this short break thank you for spending part of your new year's holiday with r.t. . on their way to antarctica the crew of the i can to make sure that face many challenges. here you have to look out for yourself crashing on to rocks trapped in pack ice in extreme conditions anything can happen and article always comes up with surprises you have to keep your eyes open because if there's always something going wrong the ship carries huge reserves of water food fuel as well as helicopters and people able to survive extreme conditions they're ready for anything even an apocalypse she's really an incredible ship calling all antarctica stations this is

academic a field of radio check please respond. so much more of the twenty fourteen olympics what's this place like and why is this so special as the russian resort prepares to welcome the world power the games shaping the city's present and future what so it will bring you this is the moment they're reporting from a very cold snowy windy mountainous stuff beyond the olympics but . today on our team.

hello and well. in the cross talk we're all things are considered i'm peter lavelle ringing in the new year in this edition of crossfire we ask what is in store as we start two thousand and fourteen and what could make this year different and even better from the year that has passed who should we keep our eye on and what story should we be following. to cross-talk what to expect in the new year i'm joined by my guests in washington keli vlahos she's a journalist and antiwar dot com we also have medea benjamin she's a code founder of code pink an author of drone warfare and we also have kayla williams she is author of the book love my rifle more than you young and female in the u.s. army and she's also a truman national security project well all right crosstalk rules in effect and happy new year to you all right kelly i'm going to give you an opportunity you probably know never get again global television it's two thousand and fourteen

we've just gotten started we did a program on two thousand and thirteen all three of you are pretty pessimistic ok there are a couple of bright spots but now we're into the new year so kelly give me your wish is crazy as it may sound for two thousand and fourteen go ahead well i don't know how crazy it is but what i wish you know right off the bat is i want to know what's going on in afghanistan you know we left two thousand and thirteen with a very uncertain. picture about whether. present or how many cars i was going to allow troops to stay in that country are u.s. troops and nato troops to stay in that country there's a number of sticking points in terms of getting it deal meanwhile we have tens of thousands of troops still there bases equipment obligations we have an entire army that afghan army that the united states has helped train we don't.