it's twenty four seen everywhere and the new year is enjoyed and spectacular welcome across the globe with crowds the revelers when you get in times on high times are. also president putin visits the city of volgograd mourning the victims of successive suicide bombings after a pledge to point tara until the end in his new you had press. also last year welcomes twenty fourteen under new currency but many doubt that the option of the crisis sponsored euro will turn out well. there's just over a month before the winter games start in salty we're told from the city preparing

to close the lympics and while it's getting. under very well welcome to our team to national coming to you live from moscow i'm out on a story now on the wild house of wronging the new year everywhere on the planet it's now officially twenty fourteen and here's how it was welcomed across the globe that's now have a look australians were among the flowers to welcome twenty fourteen well that traditional display of fireworks over a million people around the iconic bridge in sydney harbor which was lit up by more than seven tons of pyrotechnics festive crowds gathered in new york's times square to watch the famous crystal ball count down to midnight rio welcome twenty fourteen with the traditional posse on the iconic. copacabana beach over

a million revelers gathered there some dressed in traditional white for good luck others and gallo tow truck to wells in the media campaign drinking crowds filled the streets of the french capital while in london hundreds of thousands of the city being lit by another breath taking display and everyone here at all seems to know is wishing you a happy new year. for russia the celebrations were mobbed by tragic events in volgograd where thirty whole people were killed by two so side bombings in two days president putin changed his traditional new year's address in the wake of the tunks promising a massive crowd out on terrorists he also visited the morning city to pay tribute to the dead and visited the injured as well through hospital margaret howell reports now from local ground. president putin has arrived in volgograd and he has had a very busy morning he laid flowers at the site of the latest blast on monday an explosion

that ripped through a trolley bus during rush hour is also taking a tour of one of the hospitals here where many of the wounded are being treated me was briefed on their condition and met them personally wishing each of them a fast recovery and a happy new year the president also held a meeting with the heads of the federal security service and emergency committee on their current terror activities but the tragic events in volgograd where were on putin's mind however even before the new year as he rewrote that annual address to the nation pledging to fight terrorism still the very end and he was speaking for the first time not from him outside the kremlin but from the far east city of culture oscar where it was hit by a massive flood last year. with russia has always stood united in face of trial but i knew because here from school in a way i'm more in the rhythms of the brutal terrorist attacks. we're here and we

will continue to fight the terrorists with determination to reduce the resolve and commitment to what i'm told they are all gone with but nearly will provide support for the victims and their families we will accomplish everything we have blown and we will restore a build everything we have decided to restore our ability to cross the road well despite the new year's festivities the city is and morning until the third of january commemorating the thirty four victims of the two terror attacks. and for more on what's happening in volgograd now and to see how the locals are coming to terms with the tragedy it can go to our children. alone with the new year a lot here has welcomed in a new currency becoming the eighteenth member of the eurozone but with the euros to emerging from a severe crisis many a lot here have their doubts about adopting the single currency as ours has passed called report. you know 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 under it 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 will import goods from other 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 various again both the country it's entrepreneurs and its people will have by seeing higher ratings and lower interest rates on their on 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. about to make life easier for small businesses and the customers alike all prices on display are going to show two amounts the price in lots and the price in euros twenty pleas.

for too exposed to accept both lads and the euros. whatever currency you choose to pay we're supposed to give you change in your us so it's not going to work i don't know how 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 effect on the uniform they remain to be seen in this case the proof of the pudding really needing . r.t. riga latvia. eurozone member griese whose economy has been struggling for more than actually the most is taking over the rotating e.q. presidency for the year politicians say their role is chance to prove greece is a normal country despite all its economic woes let's now take a quick look at how that some e.u. measures have been affecting athens and some other european economies so in the

four years of your story see measures the nation's shown here have seen their debt increase by as much as forty percent for greece and spain that's despite a requirement for all eurozone countries to limit their national debt to sixty percent of g.d.p. at the same time the average personal income has fallen in all of these states except germany about so greece and husband was to fax it assuming the e.u. presidency gives athens powers to regulate policies in the blog however one greek journalist we spoke to doesn't expect much on that front. i believe that greece gives some lessons of how. time of crisis and when a country has a huge problem this is very beginning the only disaster in that sense we can beat some lessons rather european countries in the space of the countries in the european very free but there is nothing else europeans believe we expect from

greece at the moment these european président see him not really make any changes in the europe in the european union that is controlled primarily by very lean by some big financial institutions. in the poor of the european union. coming up announcing international scotland marks the start of the get of the major decision. say yes or no becoming independent from britain surrounded by fireworks and festive spirit r.c. travel to edinburgh to gauge public feeling on a breakaway. in just a few weeks russia's most anticipated event of twenty fourteen gets underway the world's winter athletes are waiting for their chance to shine at the olympic games in sochi this it is newly constructed venues are promising a warm welcome and a first class at this. say looks now but also. it's always been

a subtopic all vacation spot for russians now it's on the world's map for winter sports sochi one 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 of the caucasus the beaches and marina make the city popular in summer last skiing in the nearby mountains make it an ideal place for winter vacations. russian is of course the main language used for days in the service industry of 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 the wrong to the faces to the subtropical city to the base to get a full flexion of the end to find a shop called natural mineral spring keeping fit with the daily show is a new trend. the international olympic committee as their owner. with announcing that the twenty second olympic winter games in two thousand and fourteen are warder to the city of. b. and six in out yes to the probable flat fee has become a world cost resort lympics only now believe by being regenerating they succeed here the mix of new building rail line and we'll have to salute you for the games with a strong legacy in the caucasus for generations to come. it's obvious on the 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 game's coastal cluster it's what i see vents in the city and the mounting cost for sports like skiing and bobsled the two clusters only thirty minutes apart making these games one of the most compact have a helped. 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 i went to lympics with many first innovative technology and environmentally friendly the sochi olympics is all said she showcase russia to the world would say

such our team. so stay tuned for more reports from this year's city really big dreams from throughout the week here on alt. so it. was the twenty fourth of june olympics was this boy's life on the line is this so special as the russian resort prepares to local the world power the games should be the city's present and future ludlow sochi will bring you this is the moment they're reporting from a very cold snowy windy mountainous dulcie beyond the olympics but come on let's say. on our team.

basis with the economic up and downs in the final months day the london deal sank night and the rest of life during the making will be every week on a. fully under control market watch at the bank holiday face tiger stripe you know both. pleasure to have you with us here on our team today i'm sure.

welcome back to r.t. international and it was said goodbye to twenty or thirteen but let's now take a look at some of the vans it will be remembered full and of course it was a turbulent year for america which was rocked by the boston marathon bombings the government shutdown letted balancing on the verge of default and almost launched a war in syria and of course twenty thirteen revealed how the n.s.a. hugs the country and the rest of the world or she has eyes in washington guy and that she can sent us this report. it was a year of cliffhangers we heard the white house threat 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 twists and turns. team obama prepared to hit syria the u.n. ball while others worried that u.s. strikes could benefit extremists. the american people wouldn't bite

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 pawling 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 a few can score political points and 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 is president obama himself said he's quite happy with the way it was how the program works the boston bombings the may prove 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 wordings possibly looking at the guy you know was from chechen descent and thinking it's russia trying to solve its problems and that it has nothing to do with the you was well it turns out it's not just bush is problem it seems that washington is starting to see it more clearly. thousands of purchases in ukraine have remained comes out in central kiev for the new year's celebrations independence square has been the heart of antigovernment protests for over a month with the opposition calling for closer ties with the he. has been holding the demonstrations from the beginning for. 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 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 bremer 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 in whether its embittered sides continue to fight or unite. the one thing whichever demises the happenings at the my done right now the better is 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 flyers 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 my 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 his plan to hold the protest at least until the end of january then in fact holding a huge national wide strike on

a journey 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 and they spake a house call and welcomed a year away promises to be momentous for the scottish people that on september the eighteenth they will decide whether they want their country to go it alone after three centuries as part of britain and the new year address to the nation david cameron urged scots to say no and stay with the u.k. . investigate which way the water could go. it's going to be a major year for scotland at the end of twenty four saying 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 services campaigns set to kick into first gear to try and convince faces either way ahead of that date 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's to be a very big year 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 what's crazy is saying no i think just financially we're going to be job security but not everyone's course a new year resolution to revolution i think the bank is going to get engaged twenty four to mark and forward to the birth of my second child outweigh the most growing

whatever happens scotland's future now lies in its people's hands i think it means of us going to timecode on the road here tonight would look after themselves not sure which way it's going to go to go and sort of everything they haven't. served r.c. . i'm doubting you has lined up plenty of stories for you on our website including how it sounds and hopefuls are getting the chance to be the first settlers of the red planet. because i think so next and what criteria they should meet to become an option. to present to the russian maybe doesn't have the gift wrapping but it does have cruise missiles and sell guided till. all these. submarines are just technical way. in twenty says sane digital currency bitcoin not only moved from the dark corners

of the internet to dinner table discussions it changed the game free of government regulations it was once considered money only for the tech savvy but just over a month ago its value skyrocketed about one thousand dollars for the first time and patrick mark from the council of the big client foundation believes it has the potential to become genuinely mainstream i do think that what you're going to see with big coin is a internet reference currency a currency build for the internet that enables consumers to reap tremendous advantages there's no person behind big coin or company behind because 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's 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's sustainable through to regain the supply and demand market mechanics as the market for big going matures you see the dramatic swings that could be even a couple more years from now before we get to that level but it will likely happen . and that's now check out some other news stories in brief this hour opponents you know ambassador has been injured by an explosion of his home in the truck capital prague it's reported he was opening his safe at the time of the blast has been taken to hospital and no other casualties have been reported. and the manager of formula one driver michael schumaker says his client's condition is stable but critical the forty four year old sporting legend suffered severe head injuries when he hit a rock while skating with his teenage son fans have gathered outside the hospital where he has undergone two operations of his brain and it remains in

a medically induced coma. and up next meet a team of russian polar explorers on toxic island is ahead for you. we in the new year in this edition of crossfire we ask what is in store as we start

two thousand and fourteen and what will make this year different even better from the year that has passed who should we keep borrowing and what stories should we be following. such of the twenty fourteen olympics what's this place like why is this so special as the russian resort prepares to welcome the world power the games should be the city's present and future. so if you will bring it this is the moment they're reporting from a very cold snowy windy mountainous stuff yet beyond the olympics but . today on our team. summer is coming to an end didn't talk to the crew of the academic field of is waiting for the new research station to pick up the winter everything has to be done quickly if the wind gets any stronger the helicopter won't be able to take off

and there's no other way of getting people onto the ship from the station they need to hurry winter begins tomorrow. used to be the. station. now it only works during the summer. in the southern hemisphere in december and ends in much. so seasonal operations are over. geological samples are gathered during the summer . well water is drained from the station and. given even the slightest chance to sneak

in it will be impossible to dig it out. or was the last to be shutdown no one can survive without heat. takes just a few hours to complete. the station is ready for winter. will fly people to the fuel. are no good to say you know good to see you back here they told us you would call home.