russian parliament the duma passed a sweeping amnesty bill for thousands of prisoners including small thursday aged and disabled merkel outlines the government's policy on europe. what led me into the euro cents. that price is the statement of political correspondent. the surprise in the world of tennis boris becker is going to be head coach for novak djokovic terribly world number two the russia's best known prisoners including the two gl corps iraq members and some sturdy greenpeace activists could be freed after the country's parliament passed a wide ranging amnesty to allow pregnant women mothers veterans and the elderly and those with disabilities are also set to be released from prison in all thousands of people will be freed to mark the twentieth anniversary of russia's post soviet constitution. are we talking for more on this a russian journalist first is this report it didn't take long for the duma to rubber stamp the kremlin backed amnesty law. thousands may now walk out of jail including prominent coaching critics but the two christian right activists not doctrine compote p

the dumas was against the formation of a mideast envoy another country to protest mr i did get it done to them gting stuck on you and. we had the ace and a huge dump the sentence yet they are. then he mean by my bh doubting that the convening the obvious. i understood him. i use mine that they should be destroyed a cool link has gripped the country the facts that off him audience noise and acting most of north india taken up. and they just give good thing or the beginning much of the beach in august teacher caught it can be just as low as minus seventy feet in my nightly. provincial capital ship dock which the new picture of chris the cross into his football it's up to fake snow falling on sunday block and features don't know what you dig the use of a dove. but inevitably you the top. eye it's pot luck and china also saw a guy in a number of distance taking off to the united states to be the snow. the climate problem the above beyond thoughts about to open. abby thinks is so hot beach a bia but still the man is some hope. and if anybody can someone pass me the divine not done either by

charles dumas, the chairman of lombard street is staying with us. this is how we're shaping up across european markets this morning. a bit of a mix between the red and the green, but on balance, the gainers have it. we're up about 0.3% on the stoxx europe 600. the german market has been one of the better performers this morning. still a gap to close as we close out the month of november. but nonetheless, the move has been a push higher on the top performance has been the likes of infineon. as we move on to some of the other markets, zurich, we've got some selling in shividon. nestle is under pressure. across the board on balance, you can see on these indices, the xetra dax 0.5%. across the periphery, there's an underperformance by the italian stock market down 0.25%. the big ticket item today is the nonfarm payroll number. employers are expected to add 180,000 jobs, down from 204,000 earlier. the jobless rate, while it is expected to drop to 7.2%, we've been asking our guests about their expectations. >> expectation is something close to the market

and prevent punitive tax regimes on oil and gas going through the duma in the end those punitive tax regimes a lot of foreign companies and domestic companies did go through you do have very high taxation on oil exports in russia that money has been used largely of course over its disappeared this is the real world this is a nascent capitalist society but the bulk of that money has been used to build up the third biggest foreign exchange reserves in the world pay off all the debt in net build a war chest of macroeconomic stability of course russia isn't immune to image problems from overseas but the reality is that putin was the west's. favorite guy in the early two thousand it was only when he started to impose heavy oil and oil and gas taxation that the west in all major got really upset and he went from being a guy who george bush could look into his soul to being public enemy number one let's talk about the deal with iran does this have to do with peak oil wiki leaks diplomatic cables show that the u.s. believes that saudi oil reserves maybe forty percent overstated is saudi arab

during us to discuss his charles dumas. on theo have you program. thank you so much.here is so much buoyancy in the markets, so much expectation, so much hope. is there a danger that it will all crash down? >> there are risks. there are always risks. i suppose politics is the main risk. have got a kind of competitive day valuation potential in china and japan. the germans have a permanent evaluation structure in the euro whereby other people's expectations keep them competitive. china and japan are up against one another. if that flares up in any military sense, then that would be a risk. problem, u.s.e looks to grow by three percent to four percent this coming year. the stock market is likely to carry on rising. presumablyoks weak, not back into depression but week. with debt problems and the deficit emerging markets are weak. >> said taper talk and all of that. >> the measures they have already taken more than anything else are slowing them down. the exporters depend on u.s. imports. the dollar is bury cheap. >> that is going to be -- is 2014 going to be the year of

. >> talking about leaders let's talk a little bit about jacob duma.hen he walked into the stadium, people booed. >> that's right. >> let's listen to the response. i mean, quite extraordinary that they felt that that was the moment to express it. but it really shows how frustrated so many south africans are. >> and while the master of ceremonies, the program director, even december mo desmu called for more respect, it is indicative of the frustration that what many south africans feel is a betrayal of madiba's legacy. no proper sanitation, the education that children receive is of a poorer quality that other south africans receive. although we have made strides in health care recently. many south africans are feeling very, very frustrated that the dream of freedom has not been realized in a practical sense in their day-to-day lives. >> now the first great man in south african history lying in straight. thank you. >>> upheld a law which i shall tell you about which criminals gay sex, that a law that decriminalizes homosexuality was unconstitutional, del

the state duma said you're the president just. we'd like you to come up with the draft law on the amnesty. and. the united russia party was set up by me and i used to be the head of the the leader of the year united russia is still the main force in the parliaments. so i acted on its behalf. and well i signed the laws actually so it's part of corporation between our branches so we need to make beyond the same page we need to see eye to eye on the issues so i think this is a very good indicator. so our colleagues from georgia now please. to modernise the beads from rue started to to be channel mr minister for yesterday said that russia's nor ready to introduce a. visa free regime with georgia. while georgia as it has done a lot to change the relations with russia they said we've done everything to ease the tension unfortunately. the russian actions or near the occupy line. are very frustrating but we want to normalize our relations with neighbor there right now i've just quoted the statement by the new prime minister of cores that

economically and to the suspicion the politically under the leadership of love for jacob's duma key is seen very critical and the rest of africa. seeing the people over you wales that to stop that because facing tough times now back to this memorial weasel the us in the cuban president shaking hands looking like that dinner wasn't that to medieval magic moment. i mean besides the doctor called and they obviously the dishes and maybe that is his legacy on it is possible that communists and to form our tribal state and the times i mean to the success more mobile than to send the constitution commission because santa all it is this a moto moto for the photo that would mean we have that on liberia in kenya and other countries even include tomato and confiscate it. so i think this is a little bit of monday thus the vacancy will be seen as a coaster. mom can come together and to shake hands of god ahead of d that is africa department best insights. well we turn our attention now to ukraine where there is still no let up in anti government protests of thousands of demonstrators facing off wit

coffee would remain to tying about this may not be enough to satisfy the rebel forces the dumas that boldly eleven politicians be released as a condition for negotiations and to give me very nice vista in south sudan where joined by not postponed until a customer in chief is on the fun from juba. welcome to come from what can you tell us the first group of the un reinforcements have a reliant we mentioned that earlier what's that what's next for these peacekeeping peacekeepers. he did at the top third of people to keep it alive. yes i'm tired and lifted it up but that we stop him from office opened the full court by. i've found of that on the non white president. and if they knew to be learned. it didn't mean that the fifty five and if you can open yet. look at the local health and on but he will face. it doesn't prevent wouldn't want to be awakened for the death each of the few but not quite yet as to phase out to the two fall out over the front of multiple people could go to the people that got him into the city of winter can be up to people. and really pumping up the bookshelf and

became politically active all the usual vows and three and in a very strange way he simply bought state duma deputies he bought cominius he bought yardwork a member and he thought that he would be able to become the president of the country because he was the richest man in the country he miscalculated and he miscalculated when he thought that he would not be put in jail so what we see in his version is certainly a strong man someone who is a great risks involved he is not an angel he is not a human rights activist and he is not a hero of the russian people ok thank you very much for that insight dimitri that political analyst immediately babiche thank you. for telling more about these first comments to the press after his release and to get opinions on his case and surprise pardon to head to our web page at r.t. dot com. has twenty thirteen rapidly draws to a close all this week we are looking back at the most significant events of the year. for the people of iraq that she has become the deadliest since two thousand and eight marred by deepening sectarian divide and more innocent lives bein

documents to the state duma deputies and he might be approved as early as today by the end of this year now the main question is of course who will abandon if it out of this amnesty among those people who might be pardoned by those convicted of hooliganism and paving are the members of the cohen group pussy riot currently serving their two year prison sentence as well as the thirty greenpeace activists from the greenpeace vassal arctic sunrise who have just recently been released on bail and are currently awaiting trial ensign petersburg and number of fancy kremlin activists who have been charged with the inciting riots and rest and what about russia's highest profile prisoner we called. what about him could he be set free. while it is already doubtful whether. could fall into this category as the amnesty does not impact those people convicted for various serious crimes and one so russia's a reaches man has been convicted of stealing billions from the state on this indeed fools into the category of a serious crime so it is a very doubtful remedy in effect very much indeed for that updat

actually has been a call from some of the officials some of their party members within this state duma parliament to actually declare a nationwide state of mourning however that is for the president to decide. they're going to live from central moscow thank you very much indeed. there's been plenty of reaction to the tragic events of the last two days from senior international officials the president of the european council herman van rompuy said i condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack involve the ground this morning i send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and my solidarity to the government and people of russia meanwhile nato secretary general anders fogh rasmussen they can be no just if occasion for such attacks nato and russia stand together in the fight against terrorism including by working together on technology to prevent attacks on public transport systems and here's what the president of israel had to say my heart is with the victims of the latest horrific acts and also the previous ones that were as painful for russia terrorism is the ca

one hopes he was afraid to fourteen funding opposition parties in advance of the duma elections. in october of two thousand and three he was arrested. in two thousand five hundred hopes kyi was sentenced to nine years in prison for fraud the government froze shares in its ucla's oil company leading to its collapse. that allowed the state to regain control of russia's oil business. while still in prison. khodorkovsky was charged with stealing the company's oil instilling in a brawl. he was found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering. observers said the charges were trumped up and he was being killed for political purposes put a post these lawyers to his case to the european court of human rights in strasburg they asked for him to be recognized as a political prisoner. that request was turned down. he remained in the eye. despite being behind bars. he wrote books and used his wealth to set a successful pr machine. we managed to create a niche for itself as a crusader against the putin regime. diplomats including host the supporters have long called for his release. former ger

russian parliament the duma passed a sweeping amnesty bill for thousands of prisoners including small thursday aged and disabled merkel outlines the government's policy on europe. what led me into the euro cents. that price is the statement of political correspondent. the surprise in the world

it clear he's ready to defend traditional values in the wake of his state of the nation address the duma put it also said the country does not aspire to be a superpower or to lecture others on how to conduct their affairs but is ready to defend itself whenever necessary you go pers going off scot the story it's traditionally become the place to be to find out the president's vision of the present and his plans for the future every year russia stop politicians businessmen economists and elites gather at the kremlin to listen to his annual address first head of just returned from there as well and here are some of the key points why the world had to make russia isn't looking at dominating the rule but that doesn't mean it has to stop protecting its sovereignty and traditional values. because we know that there are even more people around the globe who support our position in terms of ensuring traditional values these are the values of traditional family and the value of human life including religious life that is not only material life but also spiritual of course this is a conservative po

following that amnesty and it was reported to the document has already been submitted to the state duma deputies and is expected to be approved as early as a by the end of this year now the amnesty has been prepared by the russian president vladimir putin and it marks the anniversary of the doctrine of the passaggio russia's constitution of one thousand nine hundred ninety three now the main question is of course who will benefit. coming out now among xhosa people who are likely to be a part of following out those documents are those who are charged. and of course we're talking about some of the. group members. now there have been serving our current two year prison sentence as well as the greenpeace activists from the greenpeace vessel arctic sunrise. just. now they also fall under the. it was. a serious crime. dana thank you very much indeed for that no doubt we'll be hearing more. from you a little later throughout the day international been of course never thank you very much. well now we return to our top story ukraine's security forces have started to clear barricades from the cap

days after the punk band was granted amnesty under a law approved by the russian parliament the state duma another band. is expected to be released soon too they'd been serving time for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred following a stand in moscow's main cathedral bring you more information as we get it now for the people of iraq this year has become the deadliest since two thousand and eight marred by deepening sectarian divide more innocent lives being lost as a result more than nine thousand people have been killed this year sectarian violence has claimed up to one hundred. five years in the decade since the u.s. led invasion while seeking to undermine the shia government sunni insurgents have attacked civilian targets in different parts of the country bringing the total number of suicide bombings to four fires and the northern city of cool is often caught in the crossfire lying close to al qaeda strongholds and being claimed by both the iraqi government and the autonomy this could stand artie's lucy caffein all found out how people back with the daily violence. the iraq war is

my documents that said the skas is dropped due to the amnesty that was recently passed through the duma. so this finally means it's over. it's over. it's done. >> amnesty was used by many to tamp down human rights olympics before the olympics in soc hi, russia, next year. 500,000 people have been left in the dark this christmas and without presents. power outages from michigan to main into canada, all results of an ice storm that began last weekend. customers in some areas may be without electricity for another couple of days. the extreme wet has also caused shipping problems for ups and fed fedex. we heard about the problems. the two companies say that storm combined with jo loaded systems are delaying the dlirry of some gifts. at least 24 deaths have been linked to that ice storm. anywhere you turn, weather is the bilg story. >> we're seeing 70s here in the bay area. 80s in the central coast. highs in the mid 80s. not too bad, not too cold outside. and the view around the peninsula. hazy skies set up again tonight. this is the issue, high pressure, warm temperatures by day. kind of a

and she's just been treelsed today, part of a much bigger amness that that president putin and his dumaast week. she qualifies and the other band member who was jailed also qualifies because they were both mothers. i caught up with her just as she was about to go and talk to her grandmother for the first time. she told me she felt similar to mikhail khodorkovsky in terms of wanting to use her freedom to try and promote the plight of those who are still inside and i asked her a few questions. let's take a listen. >> can you imagine joining forces with khodorkovsky? is that something you might do? >> translator: no doubt i'd be happy to do that. it would be a very productive relationship. >> and what about a boycott of the olympics, of the sochi olympics? is this something you think people should do on ethical reasons? . >> translator: the situation in russia is really sad. the political regime in russia is leading the country to a collapse. so of course, if western countries wants to show a strong ethical position, then they need to boycott the games. >> nadia feels, michael, that the ol

the dumas large just does not extend to all political prisoners certainly not the kremlin critic and former oil tycoon the high o'connor off ski with his salazar wins here is the story. celeste between russia and its inmates will make is in moscow a visit to an amnesty bill that country thousands of prison and sending them into sentences nana's could have important consequences for hauling freight from prison as of date in keeping the team winning fantasy riots still behind cars. but today's he's been campaigning for their freedom becomes a student old today. and to contest the girls basically have two months left and tail of the two leaders also getting a small sort of discount at the end of your term doesn't make much difference to so this honesty doesn't really helpful while this also affected the fancy greenpeace activists he was detained team on sunday. today tried to scan the russian offshore oil platform in the arctic. i said that puma has granted us and was to have him. this is tempered by the fact that i rested for a crime he didn't commit. he was detained there were going f

months used french so there is a kind of dependency the ukrainian people and get it on to lose and even duma what you think. yanukovich can too. i mean the pa from results of thought into heavy handed tactics. what else could he do to to try and spot so often million people use or if it's a brave the snow in and take to the streets i think i tend to think she is waiting for the day that the protests to be nowhere. there's no spatial illegal or legal our institutional issues to the scraps its act because the what the nazis and the sweet is that. the and that that the economy and to amend the deal positions as much or eat at the bottom that they cannot dismiss the government and they want the government to dismiss salam. action is very difficult to predict what had happened. you'll be sucked into the model not a situation thank you very much that the professor makes all negotiable. thank you. will the world new the french forces are now taking up positions in flashpoint areas of the central african republic. it's meant to help put an end to several days of sectarian violence. an estimated four

it is not my decision but the decision of the state duma. >> woodruff: all of this as putin is tryingtamp down criticism of russia's record on human rights and political freedoms. the russian president also tried today to ease strained ties with washington. he denied russian intelligence has pumped edward snowden for information since the national security agency leaker was given asylum in august. >> ( translated ): we do not work with him and have never worked with him. and we don't bug him with all those questions as to what was being done in relation to russia or how it was being done at the agency he worked for. >> woodruff: putin also said he believes u.s. surveillance efforts are needed to fight terrorism if there are clear ground rules. but on iran's nuclear program, he warned that new american sanctions against 19 iranian companies could hinder progress toward a comprehensive agreement. >> ( translated ): as for sanctions, i'm certain that this is a counterproductive decision. it will not lead to anything good in terms of final agreements on solving this issue. >> woodruff: at