vladimir putin is worried about the patient himself. the oligarchs around him are worried about being sanctioned and what they are doing with the world because the sanctions have gone against him personally and that's the beauty of the sanctions is that they will target the russian people in the target individuals and it goes after the people were stealing from the russian people. when i was testifying in congress yesterday i sat next to the famous chess champ to be in his russian about my age and he was saying in the testimony in theress talking about magnitsky act that the magnitsky act is the single most precious thing oute there because it gos after the russian crooks and the guys stealing from the russian people. sport people want to follow you or get more information about your work what is the best way to do so. >> guest: i'm active on her. bill potter att the broader. i'm talking about my campaign and i'mm talking about how it affects the united states in europe and i'm carrying on and i'll be doing this a long time james, jacks

how could vladimir putin explain the amount of contacts between the 2? "this has all been invented by the people who oppose trump to delegitimize his work," president putin said. "the people who do this are dealing a blow to domestic politics in their country." he spoke, too, about syria. vladimir putin made a surprise visit there this week to congratulate russian troops on the military operation that kept a key ally, president assad, in power. his message was mission accomplished. some of the russian troops have been returning home. russia views the military campaign there as a success. but back in russia, critics accuse the kremlin of crushing opponents and preventing the emergence of any rival to vladimir putin. today he said it wasn't his fault that russia lacked a strong united opposition. "it is not up to me to form the opposition myself," president putin said, as he criticized opposition activists for making too much noise and offering no concrete ideas. this wasn't just an end-of-year news conference. this was the start of an election campaign. i

peter: we keep talking about vladimir putin's controlling role in all this. are we sure he knows and has known about the extent of the systematic doping practice by the russian federation? vladimir: i do not know anything for sure, but i can just speculate. i'm not sure that he knew everything in the last detail. align himself very closely to the sochi olympics. $50 billion were spent to build a winter venue and resource and the ioc loved him for it. nobody really wants to bid for the winter olympics anymore. putin did. bach and bok -- putin and are very close, so it's hard to imagine he had no clue this was going on. daria: he probably knew it was going on. vladimir: we can only speculate. nobody knows for sure. peter: do you know? erik: i was cited. peter: we need to move on and talk about how the scandal will impact russia's hosting of the soccer world cup next summer, especially given the amount of hope that russian president vladimir putin is investing in the world cup and the russian people indeed. let's watch a report first of all before we talk about

it was hard work for vladimir putin. now, all of a sudden there's a chance that money will be frozen in the west. host: that act was passed in 2012, led by john mccain and signed by president obama. it allows the u.s. to withhold visas and freeze financial assets of russian officials caught involved with human rights violations. savannah is joining us from maryland, near annapolis. good morning. caller: i've been astonished by what you've accomplished with the magnitsky act. i wanted to ask you, what can people like me due to further your mission here? guest: the most important thing at this point -- what happens with vladimir putin and what happens with russia is that when we get to the truth, it turns out to be much worse, 100 times worse in some cases than our speculation. recently, there was a movie called "icarus" about the doping program in russia. it wasn't but as a of the person in charge of the doping program who fled to america. when he told us about what was really going on, it was 100 times worse than what pe

this was vladimir putin the kremlin. this was vladimir putin the benevolent. thinking of the future of his country. earlier, russian saw images of put in the powerful entering his cabinet. here he told a boy of the ruling a country russia was not hard. but after 18 years of him doing just that, the kremlin is struggling to inject energy into this re—election race to ensure people come out to vote when everything is so predictable. this man is now planning to make their task even harder. navalny calls himself the only real rival to vladimir putin but this week the popular anticorruption campaigner was ruled out of the presidential race the big he has a criminal conviction he says was politically motivated. translation: it is not about me. it is about the fact that a candidate is about the fact that a candidate is needed who will finally come to the election and speak openly about everything that happens in our country now. who will describe darl‘ reality honestly. the absence of prospect, poverty. idid reality honestly. the absence of prospect, poverty. i d

our moscow correspondent and leisure and joins us now for more on this amalie vladimir putin running again for president how much of a surprise was it. well this is not a surprise at all the only thing that people here in russia have actually been discussing in the media and amongst themselves is where and when vladimir putin will announce that he will run it's already been taken as a given that he that he would run and it's interesting the occasion that he chose he was surrounded by workers in one of the provincial cities need not going to not in the capital he wants to show obviously that he's still close to the common man even after nearly two decades essentially in power and also today he was at another event with young volunteers young volunteers were being honored so he's obviously trying to show that that he is in touch with the younger generation as well and the timing is significant also the announcement comes just a day after the international olympic committee said that russian athletes would be barred from the olympics and that only clean athletes could compete under a ne

today marks the official launch of vladimir putin's presidential campaign. runs as an independent and halves until the end of january to collect 300,000 signatures to register his bid. is little doubt he will be re—elected. there are no strong arrivals are now that alexei navalny has been formally disqualified. the central electoral commission deemed him ineligible because of the corruption conviction which he says is politically motivated. translation: which he says is politically motivated. translatiosz which he says is politically motivated. translation: it is not about me, it is about the fact that about me, it is about the fact that a candidate is needed who will finally come to the election and speak openly about everything that happens in our country now, who will describe our reality honestly. absence of prospects, poverty. i did that and that is why you don't want to let me take part in the election. following the ban, alexei navalny called on his supporters to boycott the election. however polls show president vladimir putin is on course for a co

in part do you blame vladimir put putin? marina runs the center. >> how are you doing, buddy. >> she says it's a rare safe haven from rampant discrimination. >> what's your name? >> anton. >> how old are you? >> she says putin's government has damaged efforts to address this crisis. while they do promote monogamy as a fix, they've rejected proven approaches such as needle exchanges and free condoms as western practices. meanwhile, people continue to die. marina shows us the center's aids quilt. >> we don't have enough time to finish. >> the lack of education means many people here refuse to take life saving medications. marina says she's dealt with years of what she calls government harassment. >> when you call me, i thought is it dangerous for us to speak with you? >> the kremlin has gone so far as to classify her and others like her as foreign agents. in other words, spies. after ten days in russia, standing here with these families caught up in a lethal health crisis, i'm struck by the horrifying irony. in a country where

behind him is vladimir putin. how does somebody who works for the kgb in the 1980's become the russian leader in such a dominant way in his country? guest: it was kind of an accident. when boris yeltsin was the president, he was becoming old and decrepit, he was an alcoholic. the people around yeltsin, the oligarchs decided they needed to have some of the replace him who wouldn't take back their money. yelton wanted some of the who would replace him who would pardon him immediately for any crimes he had committed. they picked a guy, a prime minister to come in because potential replacement. he didn't last long. they picked another guy, a former head of the police in russia. he didn't work out very well. they picked another guy, he didn't work out very well. vladimir putin was the fourth guy they picked to become the prime and asked her to replace yeltsin. he was the fourth choice. he was in a drinker. seemed like a reliable guide. -- reliable guy. he doesn't entire kgb coup of the whole country -- he does an entir

in three months' time, russians go to the polls, and vladimir putin wants another six yea rs vladimir putin wants another six years in the kremlin. and if he wins and serves out his next term in full, that will mean he will have beenin full, that will mean he will have been in power in russia as president or as prime ministerfor 2a years. let's return to one of our main stories, the final report on child sexual abuse in australia, which will go to the governor—general on friday. we can speak to leonie sheedy, co—founder of the survivor advocacy organisation care leavers australasia network , who has travelled to canberra to see the report being handed over to the governor—general. ican i can see that you and some of the supporters who are with you, you travel to canberra to see this report being handed over to the governor—general. what does today mean for you? it is a very momentous day. you know, the country now knows that children in australia's orphanages, children's homes, missions and foster care were sexually used either churches, charities and the state governments, an

but who is vladimir putin cheering for? i would think is cheering for taking down united states president, personally. that is all theoretical. i did d not know vladimir putin i've never met him. frankly i've never been to russia. all of these allegations that somehow people are aiding and abetting russians, is frankly, pretty insulting. i was privileged to be in germany when the wall came down in 1989 to see the fruit of that. what i saw was people that had been trapped behind it were liberated. they realized that they had scarcity. i met three east germans and they could not believe that what they were seeing. i am a kid from western ohio. when i asked is it like this everywhere? they would talk about how big berlin is. but they would like no, stores open at night and there's fresh milk and stuff on the shelves. and they said can anyone just go in? because that is not what they experience in their system. to say republicans are somehow advocating something that advances russia, i think is entirely partisan. what you -- if

not, that is not what vladimir putin would do. why do you defend him in this way? i'm not defending him. i'm just telling the truth, even if it's politically not suitable. i really think putin didn't sent anyone to kill nemtsov. i know it's beyond what he would decide. nemtsov was not an enemy. how do you know that? i'm just totally sure of the principles on which i stand. he would never do it like this. at the beginning of this interview, you told me you've had raids, that you've been intimidated, that you have to be brave to be a politician in russia today. but to kill someone near the kremlin is something to do against not only their position, but also against putin, because, you know, this situation would be a really harsh situation for putin himself. look, someone in the opposition is killed on the streets right near the kremlin. and nemtsov — i respect him very much, and consider him to be my friend. but he was not a political figure with a lot of weight at that moment, and this is also true. so there was no sense of killi

vladimir putin didn't mince his words. he said the doping scandal and the fact the russian team has been disqualified from the next winter olympics to be held in south korea next year is and itely political happened because the presidentialal elections are abt to happen in march. he says it's s no coincidence. the suggestion is that this really is some kind of conspiracy. he said the man who has been -- whose evidence is being used to support strong allegations of athletesainst russian that he's unreliable and under fbi protection. he even said it could be either the fbi is mananipulating him or giving him drugs. we've also had some words about how the american president donald trump -- he suggests that he's unreliable and under fbi protection. he even said it could that trump is trying to improve lations but is unable toto do so bebecause of the blockcking acts of the oppositioioor presumamaby he means the democrats. he says it is still very important that relations impmpre and he hopes that trump still intends to improve

president vladimir putin is campaigning as an independent polls show him on course to win a fourth term. allowing him to stay in office another six years. staying with russia the country's defense minister says the country has begun establishing a permanent presence at its two military bases in syria russia's house of parliament approved an agreement between russia and syria on expanding the naval facility in the port city of tire to use making it a fully fledged naval base that means that russia's vessels including its nuclear powered cruises will be allowed to enter syria's waters and. during a visit to russia's other syrian military base the who my name base two weeks ago president vladimir putin said russia will keep that have bases well. now for some of the other stories making the news around the world at the moment syrian rebel groups have rejected russian sponsored peace talks planned for january saying moscow is trying to bypass the united nations sponsored peace process the rebels have all too accused russia of committing war crimes in syria and failing to put pressure on the

how could vladimir putin explain the amount of contact between the two? this has all been invented by the people who oppose trump, to delegitimise his work, president putin said. the people who do this are dealing a blow to domestic politics in their country. he spoke also about syria. vladimir putin had made a surprise visit there earlier this week to congratulate russian troops on their military operation, that has kept their key ally president assad in power. his message was, "mission accomplished." some of the russian troops have been returning home. moscow views the military campaign there as a success. but, back in russia, critics accused the kremlin of crushing opponents, and preventing the emergence of any rival to vladimir putin. today, he said it wasn't his fault that russia lacked a strong, united opposition. it's not up to me to form the opposition myself, president putin said, and he criticised opposition activists for making too much noise and offering no concrete ideas. this wasn'tjust an end—of—year news conference. this was the start

hello i'm terry martin good to have you with us russia's president vladimir putin declares victory in syria and announces a partial withdrawal of russian troops during a surprise visit to syria putin said the task of fighting what he called armed bandits was now mostly complete he said many russian troops could now return home. russian soldiers in seti are welcoming their commander in chief at the him in military base and on his first visit to the country vladimir putin announced that the bulk of troops stationed here can no go home. last week the russian military declared victory in syria over quote terrorist groups including the so-called islamic state and al qaeda for president putin it's now mission accomplished there where all of that unity with the terrorist threat in the whole world is still very high. however the task of fighting bandits here in syria a task that was essential to solve with the extensive use of force has for the most part been solved and it's been solved spectacularly. when. russia entered the syrian conflict in september twenty fifth it was moscow's biggest i

what has vladimir putin been saying? we have this from the kremlin. no official transcript or briefing on this from the americans so far, just an acknowledgement that this telephone conversation did take place. vladimir putin basically thanking the american president for the cia's tip—off that led to the russian security service falling what was planned suicide bomb attack on the popular iconic cathedral in st petersburg, very popular among tourists, and other sites in that historic city. they were able to make arrests as a result of the tip—off and to seize weapons and ammunition apparently. vladimir putin asking donald trump to convey his thanks to the cia leadership to the officers of the cia who ferreted out that information that prevented the attack. we know traditionally sometimes troubled relationships between russia and the united states but why now this warm thanks, assuming as i am that some of these tip—off is happening regularly, but there is a security relationship that exists. you are right. it is not surprising two nations like th

tu rkey‘s against vladimir putin next year. turkey's government sack thousands more public employees linked to last you's failed coup and announces plans to hire more to replace them. and pope francis is conducting the traditional midnight mass at saint peter's basilica. hello and welcome to. it was past midnight in northern iraq where mosul is celebrating its first christmas at the city was taken by islamic militants in 2014. is persecuted and drove out christians, whilst many who stayed were brutally repressed. more than 10,000 civilians are thought to have been killed in the battle to retake mosul according to a recent investigation by the associated press. they gathered in mosul‘s cathedral, marking a christmas they will never forget, the first christmas after the war. under the rule of the islamic state militants this would have been impossible. there could be no christian worship in public. the community was persecuted and many fled. this was a coming together, not just of christians, muslims helped prepare the church f

president vladimir putin is campaigning as an independent polls show him on course to win a fourth term. allowing him to stay in office another six years. ok time now for some of the other stories making the news around the world the british defense ministry says one of its frigates a schoolteacher a russian warship through the north sea on christmas day. is one of several russian vessels tracked in recent days the royal navy says there's been an upsurge russian warships passing through british water is. liberians are voting today in a runoff poll to choose a new president for international football but george waya faces vice president. with analysts expecting a tight outcome the winner will succeed president ellen johnson sirleaf who's stepping down after twelve years as africa's first elected female leader. in yemen the saudi backed strikes on the outskirts of the capital and fresh fighting elsewhere have left over one hundred people dead over the past three days pro-government forces are pushing forward in an offensive against two thieves rebels in a bid to breach the country's secon

russian president vladimir putin says he will seek reelection in the country's march elections he's been in power for eighteen years i'll ask our moscow correspondent if he's as popular as ever. and california's raging wildfire spread to los angeles that's as firefighters battle blazes across the south of the state with thousands flee their homes. great to have you along u.s. president donald trump is widely expected to formally recognized jerusalem as israel's capital this fight warnings that could end the mideast peace. process and fuel anti israeli and american extremism while trump is scheduled to address the issue about two hours from now palestinians in the gaza strip and the west bank have already begun protesting this potential moons while the issue has unified palestinian groups across the political spectrum arab and muslim leaders in the region and many of washington's allies have also criticized the plans u.s. officials say trump is merely recognizing this store call and current reality. there was little sign of u.s. allies banking trump's move british prime minister theresa m

putin and nonconfrontational approach to vladimir putin. we saw the softening of the rnc platform when it comes to russia and u.s. approval of lethal arm sales to ukraine. but in office, he has been tougher and his administration has been tougher on russia, including approving those lethal arm sales, as you heard michael caputo talking about, closing the consulate in san francisco, and taking a number of other steps that russia hawks -- that really pleased russia hawks, despite the fact that he continues to poo poo the u.s. intelligence findings about russian meddling in the election and does not appear inclined to take personally a sort of hard line stance against vladimir putin. his administration is doing just that. >> is this administration working to combat threats for 2018 and 2020? make sure that they don't meddle in the election again? >> yeah, it's tough to know. i think that may be is where we see donald trump's sort of personal feelings on the matter and his personal resistance to acknowledging the 2016 meddling, because he think

vladimir putin knows that saying nice things about trump elicits these kind of responses. it's shocking to me that that phone call gets to go through, and we've been talking a lot about the briefers and the intelligence folks coming in for the pdb but there's also something called the national security council and the national security adviser. i worked at that nsc for three years. you tee up a call, do a call package. h.r. mcmaster briefs the president on the wisdom or not of making such a call. and to me, this does not serve america's national interest to make that call, at least the way it has been read out so far. and so i -- they need to focus on that, too, as well as, by the way, what the president reads in that pdb. he also, after all, is responsible for how the president is briefed about national threats to the united states of america. >> let me draw ow out on that a little bit. what is happening? we know who they are. h.m. mcmaster is the national security adviser. dana powell doesn't leave another later this year. they either share the president's putin fetish o

petersburg. >> what about the call with vladimir putin? >> it was great. he said very nice things about what i've done for this country in terms of the economy. >> president trump has long been reluctant to criticize russian president vladimir putin about absolutely anything. and there's concern that his administration isn't taking kremlin efforts to infiltrate american politics seriously enough. "the washington post" came out with an in-depth report today detailing the government's struggle to get a handle on and stop russians from infiltrating american politics. according to the report, quote, u.s. intelligence and law enforcement agencies saw the warning signs of russian meddling in europe and later in the united states, but never fully grasped the breadth of the kremlin's ambitions. now, that was back during the obama administration which warned the incoming president. but as the article continues, coat, with the 2018 elections fast approach wrg the debate with how to deal with russia continues. many in the trump white house including the president pla

this was vladimir putin the benevolent, thinking of the future of his country. earlier, russians saw images of putin the powerful with his cabinet. here, he told a boy that ruling a country like russia wasn't hard. but after 18 years of him doing just that, the kremlin is struggling to inject real energy into this reelection race to ensure that people come out to vote when everything is so predictable. this man is now planning to make their task even harder. alexei navalny calls himself the only real rival to mr. putin. but this week, the popular anticorruption campaigner was ruled out of the presidential race. he has a criminal conviction. he says it is politically motivated. mr. navalny: it is not about me. it is about the fact that a candidate is needed to speak openly about everything that happens in our country now, who will describe our reality honestly -- absence of prospects, poverty. i did that, and that is why you don't want to let me take part in the election. reporter: so now mr. navalny is calling for a boycott of the whole process to undermine its

, president trump gave vladimir putin a call yesterday. we'll get into all that and a lot more. veteran columnist and msnbc contributor mike barnicle. donny deutsch at the table. senior editor at large for fortune lee gallagher, from "the washington post" david ignatius and white house reporter for u.s.a. today heidi przybilla. joe, i want to go to "newtonian physics will crush the gop." i didn't know you were such a physicist. the laws of physics apparently apply to politics. newton's third law that every action has an equal an opposite reaction explains much about the democratic party's resurgence. physics professors teaches that force always comes in pairs. the harder trump and his republican allies push in gains made by women and minorities, the harder these same americans push against trump and his republican enablers. the political reaction likely to result from this newtonian cycle is a complete collapse of the grand old party. joe, the democratic party is energized, both by what happened in virginia and now the other day in alabama

vladimir putin has cleared the first step toward another term in office. his backers have supported his bid to become an independent candidate. his biggest critic alexei navalny was barred from challenging him" -- march possible. liberia prepares for its first democratic transition of power in seven decades. the run-up is a former soccer star against the current vice president. i am sarah harman. welcome to the show. sarah: a clinton eyeing another six-year term in office. now he has been warmly endorsed. he is running as an independent jamaica most of his personal popularity amongst russians area more than six hundred supporters including prominent lawmakers and actors have gathered in moscow for the endorsement. this allows putin to take part in the march election as an independent candidate. if these young russians came to see the kremlin traits that were treated to a surprise appearance by vladimir putin. one of the children had encouraged to ask the president have you thought about the opposition. >> positively. the opposition has little chance of vic

but i think we have to remember that vladimir putin isa have to remember that vladimir putin is a popular politician here, despite the fact he has been in power for 18 years, despite the fact he has been in powerfor 18 years, or despite the fact he has been in power for 18 years, or perhaps because of that, people here see him asa because of that, people here see him as a strong leader. they believe he is the man who has returned to russia to a strong position in the world, on the global stage, and a lot of people here want to see that continue for another six years. i don't think the kremlin is too worried by alexei navalny‘s call for a boycott. they want as higher turnout is possible to give vladimir putin a strong mandate. so alexei navalny is trying to chip away at that with his boycott call. sarah ra i nsfo rd that with his boycott call. sarah rainsford in moscow, thank you. sport now, and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre, here's holly hamilton. we can start with state's football. the first of today's eight premier league matches is underway. harry kane has broken al

putin and that vladimir putin is simply afraid to have navalny run against him. he says he believed he would beat putin in a free and fair election. this is something that i think is going to play a bill role in russian politics. in the run-up to that march election where vladimir putin is running for a fourth term in office. he says he'll bring stability or keep stability here in russia but there are people like navalny who are disappointed by this decision. >> all right. thank you. >>> two paintings unearthed at the vatican after 500 years. paintings are the last known works from raphael before he died in h 1520. how were they found? cnn's reporter takes you inside. >> reporter: a 500--year-old mystery at the vatican has just been solved. the renaissance painter raphael who painted these famous frescos began work on another room before his death. but those paintings had never been found until now. so coming from the three rooms that raphael painted, we're now in the hall of constantine. this room was used for lavish banquets by renaissance popes and right now t

bush and vladimir putin met each other for the first time. and that was in a different era before 9/11 and there was mutual admiration going on. remember, george w. bush looked into vladimir putin's soul, condoleezza rice groaned in the audience. we had a much better relationship at the beginning of putin's tenure than we do right now. but this egregious mutual admiration society is -- it's something that's pretty amazing when you look at the context of the world right now. and i just -- i think jeremy's point is an important one. if trump wanted to put our questions to rest about his admiration for this autocratic leader to russia, he's had chances to do so and chosen not to. >> phillip, you get the last question because it's your work we're talking about, do you get the feeling that those around the president truly do view him as the outlier? do you get the feeling that that -- my term and not susan's, that kind of council of adults around the president knows exactly what time it is? >> i do, brian. and i get the feeling, especially on the

as vladimir putin is concerned. these two men speaking today, for the second time in three days. last week, donald trump called vladimir putin to thank him for being so generous in his comments about the state of the us economy. so, whilst everybody else is doubting russian motives, it seems these two men are each other‘s biggest cheerleaders right now. the government is considering extending automatic enrolment into a workplace pension, to 18 year olds, from 2020. currently the starting age is 22, for anyone earning more than £10,000. workers can opt out, but the change could affect around 900,000 people. joe lynam reports. ollie and nate are both 21. ollie, on the left, has not yet started saving for his retirement. it has not really crossed my mind yet. i movejobs quite frequently, tend not to stay in one place too long. so pensions have been lower down the list of things i have been conscious of. nate, though, has been saving for his retirement since he was 16. i grew up with a family on welfare, so i was qui

president vladimir putin concludes his annual marathon q. and a session with janet something more than seventy questions in almost four hours we've got the main points from last also this hour. palestinian protesters clashed with israeli police in a nonstop wave of banga over jerusalem as the nation's reject the u.s. role in the middle east peace process. you're watching out international live from our moscow studio with me in a day or two to welcome to the program us regulators have voted to end so-called net neutrality rules which now could significantly alter the web experience for millions of people it will allow internet providers to charge extra to prioritize their traffic effectively creating a slow lane for smaller websites here's a breakdown of how it works we access the web through internet service providers at the moment companies have to treat all online traffic equally but the us federal communications commission says that's preventing websites from investing trillions of dollars in the services and now with net neutrality regul

because he says vladimir putin told him he's doing a great job. it is simply bizarre, his attitude towards vladimir putin remains one of the greatest mysteries, if not the greatest mystery, of this presidency. that is why he goes out of his way to discredit the fbi, to discredit bob mueller. >> as the nation's chief law enforcement official who's supposed to treat these institutions with respect and he's standing up there and he's smearing the reputation of hard-working civil servants who pursue their jobs in a nonpartisan way following the rule of law and you have the nation's chief law enforcement official throwing that all to the wind for his own needs. >> peter alexander who's also spewing nonfact-based content. to say we're going to make the fbi bigger and better. with what money? if we pass the gop tax bill, there will not be any money to do anything like that. and he said that the child care tax credit is getting bigger by the day. and democrats have never done anything for children. right now, the children's health insurance program has ru

vladimir putin has announced his running for term in office but will he face any viable opposition this is inside story. welcome to the program. has been in power for nearly twenty years a dominant figure in russia's post soviet political scene vladimir putin now says he's running for a fourth term in office as an independent candidate backed by the ruling united russia party and his power and influence appear to will only get stronger make it difficult for any opposition candidate to make progress putin has served as either prime minister or president since one thousand nine hundred nine and if he wins the election in march it would mean he would have spent twenty four years as leader by the end of his term the former k.g.b. agent is the longest serving leader since joseph starling has had to deal with four u.s. presidents four british prime ministers and two german chancellor's and white opinion polls are up for debate they suggest put in remains a popular figure his approval rating hasn't dropped below eighty percent since two thousand and fourteen with put ins of rain likely to cont

president vladimir putin is campaigning as an independent polls show him on course to win a fourth term. allowing him to stay in office another six years. ok let's catch up now with some of the other stories making the news around the world syrian rebel groups have rejected russian sponsored peace talks planned for january saying mosco is trying to bypass the united nations sponsored peace process the rebels have also accused russia of committing war crimes in syria and failing to put pressure on the syrian government liberians are voting today in a runoff poll to choose a new president for international football and george way is facing vice president joseph block i with analysts expecting a time to come the winner will succeed president ellen johnson sirleaf who's stepping down after twelve years as africa's first elected female leader. in yemen saudi backed strikes on the outskirts of the capital. fresh fighting elsewhere have left more than one hundred people dead in the past three days pro-government forces of pushing forward in an offensive against who think rebels as they try to

i didn't speak to vladimir putin. i'll come back to that. i spoke with leaders from china and the uk. this is what we are supposed to do, whether we are citizens, candidates or elects officials. >> you were at vladimir putin's table, which is raising questions among investigators. let me ask you this -- >> can i just clarify? >> yes. >> if i could clarify, there was no translater at the table. vladimir putin came in very late with three people, three, four, that i thought were his body guards. turns out they were core people in his administration. you never would have known it. there were no introductions, no conversations. russians spoke russian. i spoke to the only person in earshot that spoke english, who was a german diplomat to my right. >> did you ever speak to russians after that, after the dinner, or was that it? >> no. no. the conversations were actually took place at the conference. that conference is entirely online. you can see, actually everything i said, which is there in video form. there was no pre-contact, nor after the conf

we are a real opposition to vladimir putin has been barred from running. joining us is michael mcfall, the same man targeted by russian trolls in 2012. were you able to discern what the purpose was. >> there are several objectives, the first was to discredit what our mission was, what our statements were from the obama administration and so they wanted to sideline me as a spokesperson for the obama administration. the second was more profound, i would say, it was to create a myth that president obama sent me the revolution against vladimir putin. that was a message that they started from day two once i showed up in moscow against those protesting against him. the message was those people are funded by the united states. they are puppets of the west and need to be discredited and i became, unfortunately, the poster child for that campaign. literally the poster child. >> on posters. >> yes. >> >> it's interesting about the parallels between vladimir putin's attitude and the president of the united states and going back to when he first ran in 2000, this is a

president vladimir putin concludes his annual marathon q. and a session with journalists seventy questions and almost four bring you the highlights from the coming. head to the nation's call for east jerusalem to be recognized as the palestinian capital while rejecting the u.s. role in the whole middle east process. the u.s. decision jerusalem every possible step must be taken to prevent the implementation of legal action by the u.s. administration for the u.k. peace there rebel against their own prime minister trees of may backing a parliament to any final deal on leaving the e.u. . just. the fourteenth of december money this is r t international great to have you with us and we're starting off with this it wrapped up just over an hour ago we're talking the annual q. and a the russian president vladimir putin finished almost four hours of nonstop questions and diverse questions at that from the press our correspondents across. time go so many questions to save through what stood out for you the. kevin hello about forty minutes ago i got out

did every news coming to law and from burlington russian president vladimir putin is good the first step towards another trauma in all this his backers have supported his bid to become an independent candidate this comes a day after his biggest critic alexa not only was born from challenging him in the march vote also coming up in liberia prepares for its first democratic transition of power in more than seven tactics the presidential runoff pits a former soccer strong against the country's current vice president. welcome to the show my name sara harmon thanks for joining us russian president vladimir putin is on another six year term in office and now he has been formally endorsed to participate in next year's vote for his fourth term for in society to run as an independent to make the most of his personal popularity amongst russians one of the six hundred supporters including prominent lawmakers and actors gathered in moscow for the endorsement their support allows putin to take part in the march election as an independent candidate. these young russians came to see the kremlin new yea

also on the program a nomination ceremony in moscow clears the path for russian president vladimir putin to run as an independent candidate in next year's presidential election the move coming a day off to putin's main challenger. was bought from standing against him. and votes are being counted after liberia's presidential runoff as the country prepares for its first peaceful transition of power in over seventy is the poll gave liberians a choice between a former soccer star in the country's current vice president. and. hello and welcome my name is christopher spring a thanks for joining us it's a rare moment of deescalation in the bitter conflict between ukrainian government forces and pro russian rebels in the east of the country the two sides have agreed to exchange a significant number of prisoners later today there's also talks in moscow mediated by the head of the russian orthodox church kiev's representative at those talks as ukraine will release three hundred six prisoners expects the separatists to release seventy four of its captives in return. for ordinary people on either si