hello welcome to sophie and co i'm syfy shevardnadze so they went around limping games have finally come to sochi the city is flooded with guests and athletes and the enormous amount of work that went into holding this extraordinary event will now be put to test and as everyone gets ready for the medal race well wait caught up with possibly the busiest man in town and that's the mayor of such as the home of. years of preparation for this day. the two thousand and fourteen winter olympics in sochi. there were voices saying the city isn't ready for the stadiums and roads finished and there's simply not enough snow in the subdural the resort so what's the mood in sochi itself is the

city ready to welcome the crowds the media campaign break the olympic spirit the mayor so she has all the answers. and our guest today is not going to the home of mayor of sochi of the olympic capital live from sochi this i think i hope this is the home of winter sports fans from all over the world are tuning again he shouted well why they should just drop everything to hop on the next flight to sochi. because sochi is in amazing and beautiful resort you know many people who are skeptical about having winter olympics in a subtropical city but i believe that they're wrong and that our games are going to be just wonderful we worked really hard and sought you change to really call you over the last five years people say miracles don't happen but this is a real miracle as we manage to do everything as planned the city became a. very beautiful and comfortable place but

a. lot of long standing problems with infrastructure in a logistics we build new roads bridges and tunnels is there are enough snow on the ground for right now what is it all melts or the rain washed away after all so she's an assessor tropics and you have pound trees all over where will you get the snow from. it's not what it was. the great thing about saatchi is that it's so unique city here we are at the seashore here it's always really warm but in krasnaya polyana which is just forty six kilometers from here there's plenty of fresh powder. so this is very convenient but there is plenty of snow and everybody's comfortable athletes or comfortable fans are comfortable. that's what makes you so unique.

that's why it's a perfect place for winter olympics but i mean we're else do you have this you know what when you know what to sochi airport i mean it's quite small how is it keeping up with all the crowds are flying in. the airport is actually quite a bit. we upgraded the mortar not made it quite nice and convenient. but we are prepared for all kinds of scenarios and now the police is running smoothly through our volunteers have been very helpful by the way our guests are delighted very happy with their hospitality. what are your estimates how many guests have already arrived has the number toppled a million yet. but you know it hasn't been over a million. but quite a lot already. i just think that there will be

a million visitors over the entire course of the olympics because our hotels can only come a day three hundred thousand people at a time. you know actually a bit more than that. but which makes a huge number of people are really interested in these games and they all will be able to come over and enjoy them. that what about it is or should know absolutely nothing about the city are there any tourist information centers to help them out or like tour guide it's. all visitors will be able to get comprehensive information about saatchi were installed special machines providing automated information in different languages about the areas places in the city and ways to get to them and also the volunteers are available to help tourists find their way around the place. but from what i've learned i know in tears on the

russian are you also have foreign volunteers. you have foreign volunteers as well for instance i just saw volunteers from germany today people from other countries come to volunteer to i think our guests really appreciate all the help they can get at the stations and transport hubs for them there is a lot to see and saw. there's a lot of interesting places and i guess it will also be interesting to see how the city looks after the make over which. must be exciting to see beautiful home trees in the middle of winter we have a lot of nice places to visit in addition to the olympic venue use. it's a pretty i'm sure but you know what the newspapers are saying that the locals. i have problems with english and very few signs have been translated and the translations are really bad is that so is something mean done about that. well

frankly. i think so at your residence you have been preparing for this may have been studying english diligently and now they can communicate pretty well i would say. volunteers all speak english. meaning of the locals speak english and also there is information available in different languages so. i don't think. guests will have any difficulties. because. you know some say that our taxi drivers don't speak english you know our taxi and bus drivers have had special training and they know how but basic knowledge of english enough to make our guests feel comfortable so we can say with certainty that everything will be ok such a residents are really worked on their egoless they want to be hospitable and i

think everything will be all right some countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens for example the us department of state urges americans to be aware of peak pockets and petty thieves at the games what do you say to that are he doing enough or anything to catch them. which of course. this will not happen we guarantee that because we have unprecedented security measures in place. when developing our procedures we prepared for everything. but we are getting mugged just can't happen. there is no reason to be concerned it's absolutely safe here in criminals want to have a chance i can guarantee you that we have applied advanced technologies there is a total of six thousand seat. cameras installed around the city. fourteen hundred of them serving city streets and parks and police officers are constantly on patrol

. again i want to name all the security measures that are in place there are around one hundred thousand people in place to make sure the games are safe that's four times more than for london in the two thousand and twelve they say the security forces include missiles to own submarines i mean when the visitors feel like they're in a war zone is there not their risk of ruining the festive spirit. no no of course not. our guests should know that we too can precedented measures to ensure their safety but this will not get in the way of their comfort. but i can say for sure that they will be a soul that they will feel welcome. to such a residence are very hospitable people so she is excited to have all these olympic visitors here your concerns have no foundation whatsoever our guests will be happy and they will feel safe. yes i think about the mix it up with

a got to say here is another question from our viewers the americans point out that health care is hard to come by and so there are just eleven hospitals many of them quite remote is that true lately if anything serious happened this is the city ready for that. it's enough quite good at the new so it shouldn't leave you this is absolutely not true. as far as medical services go we are one hundred percent ready that. we have built new hospitals in class new pullen a for example. in these a modern facilities with state of the arctic with meant m.r.i. c.t. scans all kinds of labs top doctors some of them local some came from moscow and we also have similar facilities in the immediate in ski valley. there is also

a hospital you know i've learned that has surgery and trauma surgery wings who can provide any kind of medical assistance. we have also built a trauma surgery center with the twelve operating rooms in saatchi. doctors from moscow and krasnodar came over to help local staff. so i can assure you that everything is top notch and everything is under control in this area. and there are also warnings that most businesses in sochi don't take credit cards is that something that tourists should be worried about. but you put all the pole but this is not your motive there are so many m's around the city that would like it any olympics use the all fishel partner. i haven't heard over the single incident were somebody's had problems with their

cards that would there be no complaints whatsoever and i'm sure they won't be any. worse than you go but you'll push with. i will do that without going back home of mayor of sochi on base opening day of their winter olympics statement. it was a. very hard to take a. long long. life that you never had sex with that make

their number. one. of the. at the tender age of facebook has by any estimation truly changed the world facebook also has demonstrated it can be used as a weapon for political change and the social network today showed itself to be a smart investment on the downside of the transparency issues and whether it can

survive another decade. with creating the sustainable operation focused on making. what you are advocating in the nighttime self-interest and so that is what you're talking about which is has always been the case and have. businesses for hundreds of years without using the label. but i think what we're going to capitalism do redo was this notion that economists brought to it which was the idea of profit maximizing.

and we're back with the mayor of a live picture capital so she had the thought you brought home of this much about what is about all of you know some that are so scared by the reports in the western media that they're now saying they want to go out anywhere. except for the competitions. it would you say to them how would you cause their fierce little. as the mayor of saatchi i can assure you you can be calm and. you get nothing to worry about. i can't understand how anyone could spread these rumors this is simply not true or that we want our guests and athletes to enjoy the scenery we worked hard to make our city bright and beautiful the. winner at time everywhere and we've got one a fool greenplum treason horrocks and saw it she was so with you you're most

welcome to visit the city and enjoy the hospitality of our residents on all ports we'll do our best to you what the bit that was in the breaks are saying that there might be trouble for people of color inside she will race really be a problem which you. know of course it's not true and as you know we have a winner in twenty fourth and this it is living here in peace and harmony. is unique in that sense we are very friendly and nice and respectful to each other. but also such is being facing power outages will this go on could for example the u.s. team find itself without electricity or say the french been left without hot water we only had blackouts while preparing for the games when we had to replace old power lines with new ones and it's only natural when you prepare the city for

a large number of visitors. but now preparations are over there are no blackouts and there will be none. so please rest assured that the city's ready for an influx of guests. but everyone will feel comfortable it will be warm and there will be enough power for everyone but only city residents are allowed to drive into so she during the games while those who are supplying produce to the city need special permits well could that cause any trouble with if that supplies come on be honest if there and enough bread for everybody like. our rico accreditation rules are solely intended to regulate city traffic and certainly to ensure security which. we have carefully estimated the number of

vehicles and studied every related factor. we have a literally counted for everything so the city won't have any shortages of our businesses are doing a good job today so this isn't even an issue. also demonstrations have been allowed cheering good games are there any areas designated for protests in a city. yes we have selected a special location for street protests. that has been inspected by a human rights commissioner and by local n.g.o.s and everyone has approved all that. he's going to be placed. next to a railway station. and so for we have received no requests for demonstrations but in case anyone should come up with a new will provide

a place. that i stand with the story was pretty hit areas and controlled areas what are those and what happens if somebody accidentally straw listen to a prohibited area. in supervised theories are the olympic event they use people will need accreditation or tickets to enter into such an area and naturally there will be checkpoints at the entrance to ensure security for. those procedures are similar to those they had in two thousand and ten and then. and in london in two thousand and twelve that there will be nothing excessive war in a property to both them. see that as a way also the media has published guidelines for sports fans so firecrackers and weapons are prohibited right that's understandable what's the deal with the ban on bicycles. well why would someone write a bicycle in a stadium during

a sporting event but i think our reasons are obvious ensuring it convenient environment for athletes and spectators so what about the people who want to ride their bikes around. the city has a lot of bike lanes such he has undergone a great deal of transformation it has all kinds of facilities there are unique cycling routes on the embankment near the olympic orac that are available for public use so all those willing to enjoy a ride along the shore are welcome to do that but that's the way it put it there have been many podesta created in tsotsi and all of them have bike lanes so i believe sought she has never been more comfortable for bicycle lovers. and there's also a ban on street performers in street music what's that all about i mean because in a straight music always create

a festive spirit it's for me it's not that they're completely banned it's just that there will be certain rules for performers they can still perform in there's a canadian areas there are a number of them and a lot of such a residence as well as the city guests come there. so i think that you will be delighted to see you there but so they won't be so sorry but those who missed out on tickets to the games what are they to do where they are to get vailable tickets . you can buy the tickets at ticket offices. what about those who don't have tickets and can't get tickets to the competition they want to do they have an opportunity to watch and for their team somewhere. sure. like i said there are five live sites and saw that will provide live broadcasts so well that competitions and medal ceremonies there are very convenient so when you look at the program we're going to feature some cultural events. so all those who

can't make it to sports venues will have plenty of opportunities to watch live broadcasts of the competitions at those live sites. they will see everything live. better in russia central banks just so she should be turned into a gambling city after the games would you want sochi to become russia's last vegas . yes. well you know primarily i want saatchi to do the very good job hostin in the olympics. and this far is the gambling areas concerned. i would say he sought she is more focused on sports and healthy lifestyle than gambling. but be that as it may at this point it would be premature to talk about what may happen afterwards but we can think about it later

i understand but still there are a lot of questions of what's going to happen afterwards i mean is there a risk that so she will have the same future as set a yellow in athens where olympic venues are hardly used by anyone and they're actually a burden on the city budget. is that. you know what it's. all the venues have been designed is small type purpose once that. for instance the saatchi media center where your colleagues now work will be converted into a shopping mall. and the nearby skating center will become an exhibition hall later this year but. i guess hotels are wondering whether there are going to have been of guests after the games but i would see of course there will be a lot of guests but it. is. saatchi we have a tourism development program. so they will be fine with with the show we

are currently making plans for twenty fifteen where we are planning events that would attract tourists to tsotsi you you know we want to attract as many people as possible because to austin saatchi tourists are our primary source of revenue but it could. and i want to add something to regarding the gay question what a couple to put it we have no problems with gay people here. it's very peaceful. i always see our people are very tolerant of such a residence and guests don't care about other people's private lives as long as they don't impose their lifestyle on others we're very tolerant and hospitable.

everybody will feel comfortable. but everybody will feel comfortable. and that was outgoing back home of layer of so it should thank you very much for the spelling our fears and doubts the message is clear come to such a enjoy the games congratulations on this big day mr mayor and we'll see you in the next edition of.

the military be used you don't know if you don't have a car the are no response to really. knows everyone in my life that i cared about their goal much and then that i came to skate well. i was a national champion in track and field and also was able to go in qualify for the olympic games. you know nine hundred eighty eight i started to experiment with that the drugs i had lost all the financial means that i. was really on the street. black market kids. great. street kids.

the real stories behind the u.k. headlines with afshin rattansi on going down to ground zero to hero. the problem begins at the level of bad legislation that's created a like a an environment where dragnet spying becomes the official policy of the government the three letter agencies bad laws created the situation it's only better laws are

going to remove that pressure that's going to that's going to affect the way say a policy level we don't think dragnet spying i.e. collecting a massive haystack and trying to find little needles in is the way to go. so one of the things that you find out when he talked a lot to young people as i do is that they they simply don't trust that stuff they put up now that it's supposed to be for just ex-wives and close friends won't wake up one day now everyone saying it right you know they they they don't they want to if they want a service right that center where i lived earlier wherever i go to there you see it as i want to be shaking hands with want to go but i gotta tell you something about is going to go ahead asking you i jump in blogger so i want to know why i want to remind everyone that facebook being a private company doesn't mean that they have necessarily have the public interest in good i mean there was a quote from mark zuckerberg that came out several years ago where he said that his users worse quote f. ing idiots for giving them all their data.

wealthy british sign on sign. it's no time to explain the free. market why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike's concert for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to conjure reports on our.

it's only a matter of hours now before the official start of the twenty fourteen when certain games anticipation is growing with the entry surrounding the opening ceremony adding to the excitement plus he says the competition is just about ice and snow not all the athletes have gathered here in sochi will be giving out the function gongs at the winter olympics from the weird and wonderful costumes to the overly bright and just downright bizarre. and embarrass us diplomats try to laugh off an apparently packed explicit phone chat about how they could sailor the next ukrainian government's.